The Kitchen Table Project

This project is created by designer & creator of of Mechmate, Gerald.

He is the avovacate of testing out the control electronics & software before the mechanical works were carried out.

The goal AFAIK is to
1) find out if the control panel design one put up will actually work before it is installed on the actual CNC machine.
2) force learning the very basic of the motion controller software (EMC2 in this case) by actually putting you hands on it and not just talk.
3) confirm if the hardware are in working condition as early as possible.

He carried out the assembly & testing of the control panel components in the comfort of his kitchen dinning table, hence the name...

There are a few very detail design which he put up in his plan & discussions in the forum, one can just buy the stuff & follow the "map to complete the whole she-bang. BUT being me, I just have to know the what/why/where/when/how or the system.... so.... took the long way around to do this project ... again...

My design based strongly on Gerald's concept with a twist...
All components are different from his original but they work...
Electrical circuit also varied a little... but still resemble his original concept.

This is my concoction


Software
Motion Control Software :- EMC2 2.3.4 release
O/S : Ubuntu  8.04LTS "Hardy Heron"


Hardware
Computer :- Intel D945GCLF Atom with 2M DDR2 Ram, 8Gb Thumdrive as storage, 15" LCD monitor, keyboard, PS2 mouse
Motor Drive : M860 Leadshine Micro stepping driver, 6A max
Stepper Motor : 98HS9801, 450Ncm, 4.1mL/phase, 4A
Stepper motor Transformer :- EI core 540VA, 0-48VAC
Computer Breakout/ interface board : Sinyu 5-Axis Ver. 1
Breakout board Transformer 0-9VAC, 9VA
Magnetic Coil Contactor : 3 phase, 240V, 18A
other electrical components : Push button, Indicator light,
Control Panel Chassis : Powder coated Metal chassis, 500mm (H) x 400mm (W) x 200mm (D)

Took me over 4 months to get the motors running under EMC2 control.

It had been a huge struggle for me from day one of this kitchen table project. Time, money, sweat, draw a few drops of blood, late night..... frustration come & go....

Some how the moment you hear the motors singing a quartet for you for the first time....  Priceless...........

The CNC Electronics & Electrical Department Happening

I have a confession to make....

I finally did it! I killed ALL the board in my control panel!!! There goes the PMDX-122 breakout board & the Atom MOBO!!! :(

It all happend in that thundering night, wind howling... fist size rain drop pouring.... blue flashing thunder... door banging....... Err.... nothing of that sort, ;p

Over the X'mas holidays, I proceed to wire up the control panel. Individually,  the magnetic coil contactor, E-stop circuit worked out the Mobo worked fine, BUT they don't jive with each other, ...

Wire all the components, press the start button, hear that satisfying "thump" made by the magnectic coil contactor, and a few blink of the monitor & everything went black-out.... Dead! Mati! Kong! & I didn't have the pleasure to seeing smoke!!!

With a puntured ego & coffer, I went back to search for another board as the return shipping charges to send the dead BOB back to the maker is plainly irrational.

Undetered by this set back, I (again) dive into the vast ocean of information- the internet & picked up this SINYU 5-Axis Interface Board. from the ebay.

This chunk of populated electronic component PCB features a Manual Jog function by connecting a home made joy pad, the circuit for the joy pad is given in the manual.
It has 2 Relays which I can switch on larger Magnetic coil relays for auxillary equipment.
Charge pump featured
Unique 10-wire ribbon cable terminal for connection to the Stepper Driver. I have a choice to configure the board for 5 stepper driver connection or 4.
4 sets of powered 3-port terminal with 12Vdc VCC ready for home/limit proximity switch connection.
Takes 9Vac as power which is easy to implement.

AND it is $$$ friendly too.

As for the Mobo, a replacement were sorte.


Total damage?
RM836  = USD 245 = EUR175 = GBP151= ZAR1,860 = 11,360 rupee = HKD 1,907........

ooooooooouuuuuuuccccchhhhhhhh........

 ##PS,
Read the small print

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;)

Featuring EMC2

While settling back in my home town, I found time to evaluate the CNC Controller bits.

After pain staking search and review; I end up PC based CNC software controller
1) Mach3 which runs on Window
2) EMC2 on Linux OS

As I wish to have the flexibility to have the last say on the hardware specifications

I eventually ended with EMC2 which is free open source program. Not that I'm cheap, Mach3 is affordable ~USD100, & you can have a trial version for unlimited period for free, it has all the bell and whistles that any top rank controller programs would have. Moreover, help forums and supporting community are strong too.

It is the believed that Open source Linux OS is practically immune to hackers & deathly viruses which I fear most.

About the software

• EMC (the Enhanced Machine Control) is a software system for computer control of machine tools such as milling machines and lathes.
• EMC is free software with open source code. Current versions of EMC are entirely licensed under the GNU General Public License and Lesser GNU General Public License (GPL and LGPL)
• EMC provides:
• a graphical user interface (actually several interfaces to chose from)
• an interpreter for "G-code" (the RS-274 machine tool programming language)
• a realtime motion planning system with look-ahead
• operation of low-level machine electronics such as sensors and motor drives
• an easy to use "breadboard" layer for quickly creating a unique configuration for your machine
• a software PLC programmable with ladder diagrams
• easy installation with .deb packages or a Live-CD

It does not provide drawing (CAD - Computer Aided Design) or G-code generation from the drawing (CAM - Computer Automated Manufacturing) functions.

• It can simultaneously move up to 9 axes and supports a variety of interfaces.
• The control can operate true servos (analog or PWM) with the feedback loop closed by the EMC software at the computer, or open loop with "step-servos" or stepper motors.
• Motion control features include: cutter radius and length compensation, path deviation limited to a specified tolerance, lathe threading, synchronized axis motion, adaptive feedrate, operator feed override, and constant velocity control.
• Support for non-Cartesian motion systems is provided via custom kinematics modules. Available architectures include hexapods (Stewart platforms and similar concepts) and systems with rotary joints to provide motion such as PUMA or SCARA robots.
• EMC runs on Linux using real time extensions. Support currently exists for version 2.4 and 2.6 Linux kernels with real time extensions applied by RT-Linux or RTAI patches.

EMC2 is precompiled with Ubuntu 8.04 LTS (long term support) versions for ease of installation and longevity.

EMC2 has a few GUIS, Namely, AXIS, TkEmc, HALUI. They even has a Ladder Logic program call CLASSICLADDER. For now, I'll concentrate mainly on AXIS which is an ongoing development.

Screen shoots