Not sure 'cutting edge' is the right term, but I understand if you're not interested in something slightly experimental. You can always have a go at caxis.comp later.
As far as creating a second configuration goes, there are (at least) a couple ways.
First, you can simply make a copy of your current config and then hand-edit the INI and HAL files. But you mentioned that HAL isn't clicking for you, so that may be a bit of a stretch.
Second method would be to use Mesact to create a new configuration from scratch, but this time you tell Mesact that your spindle is a step & direction type. I think you've got the 4th axis connected to stepgen.04 and are using a 6:1 belt ratio, yes? Include those values in the new config via Mesact, along with an appropriate max speed and estimated max accel for the 4th axis.
Leave out the 'real' spindle settings, and put everything else (axes & IO) the same as your existing config and then see what Mesact comes up with.
That should give you new INI and HAL files which you can use to create a merged/blended configuration that has both spindles and no 4th axis.
I find that using VSCode makes things easy to read/edit (there's a LCNC/HAL file plugin). I'd set up all three HAL files across two monitors and look at the differences. Things to look out for:
- Dont forget to comment out or delete the A-axis/joint 3 section
- The new spindle needs all pins to be named 'spindle.1.nnn', and the signal names need to be 'spindle1-vel-cmd-nnn' (or similar).
INI file must be edited, too, especially these:
[DISPLAY]
GEOMETRY = xyz
[KINS]
KINEMATICS = trivkins coordinates=XYZ
JOINTS = 3
[TRAJ]
COORDINATES = XYZ
SPINDLES=2
[AXIS_A] - remove this entire section
[JOINT_3] - remove this entire section
[SPINDLE_1]
(put the 4th axis spindle stuff here)
Have a go and see what you come up with. Assuming it doesn't work - these things are rarely perfect the first time - and you get an error trying to start LCNC, make sure to screen capture the error and report back here.
