Wire cut machine. Wich configuration do I need ?

Hello,
Together with a collegue student I am making a wirecutting machne for cutting expanded polystyrene.
Our first challenge is to make it work in 2D.
We chose for the XYZA configuration, and set the parameters for the X and Y axis. After we have done that, we set the parameters for the parallel port in the 'standard pinout' file. So we sent 'X dir' and 'X step' to 2 different stepper motors, and the same for 'Y dir' and 'Y step'. The result is that both axes move together, but as a result of different usage of gear boxes, the axes do not move at an equal speed. What can we do to solve this problem ?
We thought to configure al four XYZA axes, where we use the Z configuration for our U axis, and the A configuration for our V axis, but then we've got the problem that we don't know how to make them move together...

Thanks in advance for your help,
Nicolas

Hello Nicolas,

I am not sure I understand what you are asking. If you have two stepper motors with the same gearing driving both sides of the x axis they should move together. The same for the y axis. The maximum speed of a coordinated move of the x and y axis will be determined by the slowest axis.
So you limit the speed of a move to that of the slowest axis. On the other hand if it is more complicated than that look at the Integrator Manual Chapter 27 Kinematics in EMC2. If you use a four axis setup and want to make a move where one side of the x axis is x and the other side is the u and you are at x0 u0 and you set your speed to say f10 you could write something like g01 x5u5 and they should move together at the same speed. The axis for EMC2 are XYZABCUVW.

Rick G

Thanks a lot Rick for your help.
To make it a little bit more clear, we've got 4 stepper motors, with 4 different gearboxes (I know it's not clever to use 4 different gear boxes, but it's the equipment of our school, and due to a break down in the past, some gearboxes were replaced, but unfortunately not with gearboxes from the same type). So we have got 4 steppermotors with 4 gearboxes. 1 For each axis (1 for the X, 1 for the Y, 1 for the U, and 1 for the V axis).
My question was wich Stepper configuration I should use. In the stepper configuration wizard you can choose between XYZA, XZ (lat) and some others, and I'm not very confident with EMC2 so I really need to learn it.
Where can I find this 'Integrator Manual' ? And does it help to improve my knowledge of EMC2 when I read this from the beginning to the end or is this rather unusefull for my purpose ? (What I mean is, do i really need to know the programm for a 100% to make this machine work or is it possible to make it work with a pretty unsofisticated software ?)

Thanks a lot,
Nicolas

Nicolas,

When you install EMC the manuals should be on your computer, look at the drop down menu. If not there go to www.linuxcnc.org/ and click on documentation, there are several versions from basic to in depth. What you are doing is more complex than a simple set up so you are diving off the deep end. I think you will be able to make it work. I suspect you will need a XYUV config. If set up right not only will the machine move correctly but the AXIS screen may also be correct. I think if you start with a XYZA machine you will then edit the config to add the set up the 2nd 2 axis.
You do not need to read the whole manual but you will need to know what is in it and where to find the info you need!

Rick G

you cannot use the stepconf wizzard for this type of machine, you must edit ini and hal.
I made a config for a similar machine : code.google.com/p/emc2hotwinch/

regards, Gerd

Hello,
once again, thanks a lot for all your responces.
We spend a lot of time with reading the manuals, but now we've got at least an overview of the EMC software.
In the meanwhile we got a printout of the files from the last EMC2 software configuration which made the machine work in 2D. It's done with the UNISTEP configuration. Now we wanted to make it work to take this standard EMC2 configuration and edit the files just like it was in the past, but when we select the UNISTEP setup, the program asks us whether we want to copy those files to our home directory or not. We chose 'yes' but then when the program tries to startup this setup automaticaly after clicking 'yes' we got an error... (see the attached file) Does anybody know how to solve this ?
Now we definately don't know any more what to do and unfortunately time is running out .Tomorrow we will try to use the XYZA configuration as Rick G said, and edit it to a XYUV configuration.

Greetings,
Nicolas

Couldn't attach the file so here it is :