Configuration for DRO only?

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18 Mar 2015 03:53 #56963 by ironmonger
My first efforts to add control to my Harrison L5A lathe are going to be the installation of optical scales for DRO. I have the MSP430 bluetooth solution , but I would like to install a limited version of LinuxCNC to be used as a DRO only instead.

As the planning progresses the drivers and servos that I have will be added to the lathe with the eventual goal being a cnc conversion, at which time the scales would be given over to LinuxCNC.

Is there a configuration file to accomplish this? Am I even on a viable path?

I would appreciate any input.

Thanks

paul

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18 Mar 2015 06:40 #56969 by emcPT
Replied by emcPT on topic Configuration for DRO only?
Yes, that is possible.

Look for Mesa cards or Pico cards. Since you will after want to use servos, it would be advisable to buy the correct hardware now that could after be used.
If choosing Mesa, the 5i25+7i77 is a good solution, and I am using it on 3 lathes. This is assuming that you get quadrature signals from your optical scales.

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18 Mar 2015 21:24 #56984 by andypugh

Is there a configuration file to accomplish this? Am I even on a viable path?


This sounds like a job for a custom Glade panel and a HAL-only config.

There is a pre-existing HAL-dro glade widget.
www.linuxcnc.org/docs/html/gui/gladevcp....gladevcp::DRO_widget

To make it more DRO-like you might want a touchscreen, pop-up keyboard and the ability to type in the current position to display. None of this is super-difficult if you can write Python (or are wiling to learn)

It seems very likely that this has already been done. Some time on Google might save coding time.

Bluetooth for machine position feedback fills me with dread. It is unlikely that the software providing the data is compatible with hard-realtime capabilities. I think that physical wires connected to already-supported LinuxCNC hardware (including but not limited to the paralel port) are likely to be more satisfactory.

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19 Mar 2015 20:12 #57012 by EW57
Replied by EW57 on topic Configuration for DRO only?
I'm doing something similar for a mill with the intention of moving into a full retrofit once I'm (more) comfortable with the software. I wanted to select hardware that would provide room for expansion, so I went with the Mesa 5i25/7i85s combination and followed along with Mr. Wallace's (and goslowjimbo's) examples:

www.wallacecompany.com/machine_shop/EMC2/dro_vfd/

wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?PyVCP

ELO ET1527 touchscreens can be found on eBay for around $50 & seem to be compatible with ubuntu 10.04.

So far I've gotten my setup to work with rotary encoders. I've picked up a 1u glass scale to play with, but have yet to make the time.

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19 Mar 2015 21:03 #57014 by ironmonger
Thanks for all the reply's.

I have located a set of used scales from a Bridgeport mill. I will likely try both the solutions that I have for DRO heads, and I looked at the Pico and Mesa interfaces. Those are good candidates for the CNC end. I have a buffered bidirectional PP card from CNC4PC, the C10, and as LinuxCNX handles so many PP's I think the easy solution for now is to implement the card I have dedicated to the DRO function.

Going to pick up the scales today. Any progress is good :>)

paul

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