Test system setup

Hello,
I'm wanting to set up an environment for learning cnc concepts with Linuxcnc
  e.g. Machine PC plus development/simulation PC
Goals are to
  understand cnc systems
  experiment with cnc systems
  build a capable hobby machine
Skills
  Familiar with Linux (Gentoo)
  Basic coding skills. Bash, Python, read, write, loops and if statements

So far I have a working pen plotter built, and based around Openbuilds Acro XYYZ using Fluidnc ESP32 controller.
Linuxcnc installed on old PC (parallel port), in my garage workshop with Aliexpress BOB arriving soon. Plan is to move to Linuxcnc.
Main PC in my house. No network connection yet

Question
  What is good set up?
    Simulation setup on main PC to sort out configurations... transfer to machine PC? Is this workable.
    SSH into Linuxcnc box and used command line tools to work in Linuxcnc?
    VNC or something similar?


Phil

  


 

Any official ISO, and any official LinuxCNC deb/install has several included sims (simulators) that you can use on any PC, even without installing them, just boot from the USB stick and use for testing (and even run actual machines).

See if you can install a wifi dongle on your garage pc and get it on your network. Then you should be able to create a network share of your home folder you can reach from your main PC to configure and share Gcode files

An update for what it is worth.........
LinuxCNC XYYZ (gantry) up and running, at least without hardware attached. i.e reporting parallel port pin status with the Hal Watch. All seems to function as expected. HAL config still brain numbing though.
Had to drop back to V2.7 to get a reasonable jitter number on my old Athlon X2 CPU. (20,000)
No network connection but USB stick for file transfer is OK albeit clunky. 

Phil

Just an FYI, Mesa cards make network jitter much less of an issue.

rhscdn wrote:

Just an FYI, Mesa cards make network jitter much less of an issue.
 

Yep...... and as I want to understand and experiment with cnc a Mesa card (or Ethercat device) would be the way to go. I was definitely considering a Mesa card (7i96)
I do have another more capable PC. Would need an ethernet card for Mesa. Or parallel port card. Or ethernet card + Mesa for my old Athlon X2 (2 core) hardware
Freight is the killer USD80 just to get a Mesa card to my country.
Many decisions ..............

Phil