1. LinuxCNC
  3. Installing LinuxCNC
  5. please: hardware recommendation

please: hardware recommendation

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05 Mar 2019 05:57 #127755 by Skip
please: hardware recomendation was created by Skip
Hello,
after playing around with some test installations of that ancient real time ubuntu image and LinuxCNC recently, I would like to dive deeper into it now.
Since I assume that this is gonna be a long term project, I would like to purchase brand new dedicated hardware for it.
I would fancy an ASUS Chromebox or Intel NUCs or something small like that, but there is the problem with the parallel port, which still seems to be an indispensable component, even if not mentioned in the hardware requirements.
Also, I will be buying a CNC controller which works best with LinuxCNC.

Any proposals ?

Thanks in advance

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05 Mar 2019 14:31 #127793 by andypugh
Replied by andypugh on topic please: hardware recomendation
You sound confused :-)

1) LinuxCNC does not require a parallel port. In fact I would generally advise people to avoid the parallel port unless they are absolutely focused on the lowest possible cost.
2) LinuxCNC _is_ a CNC controller. I don't know what you mean by "CNC controller that works best with LinuxCNC"

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06 Mar 2019 13:56 #127883 by Skip
Replied by Skip on topic please: hardware recommendation
Hello Andy,
thank you very much for your advice.
What I am asking for is a proposal for the hardware to buy in terms of best practice and best future expectations for the next years:
1) a decent computer to install various kernels (on swappable disks or memory cards) for LinuxCNC
2) a hardware controller which has proven to work perfect with LinuxCNC to control somestandard EMEA Motors, sensors, etc. in order to form some kind of a reliable reference system
3) a software program to control the whole thing, in this case LinuxCNC
Most LinuxCNC projects I noticed so far are either using hardware which is out of life cycle (parallel port museum computers) or beyond my budget ( Bosch Rexroth etc)
I will be needing a system which is able to handle at least 6-8 stepper motors and various sensors.
Using the Raspberry/Arduino/bCNC eco system up to now, I feel that I would be needing something at least twice as big in terms of performance, connectivity, and expandability.
Since I am working with complex UNIX / Linux installations since 1983 and as a newcomer in the field of CNC electronics, I need some advice on my next lab system, which might be a MESA based system.
So, again: any recommendations ?

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06 Mar 2019 14:20 #127885 by andypugh
Replied by andypugh on topic please: hardware recommendation

1) a decent computer to install various kernels (on swappable disks or memory cards) for LinuxCNC


I prefer to put the x86 Motherboard in the box with the other electronics, so like to use a motherboard with 12V power input rather than an ATX power supply. (I also tend to run from a DOM plugged direct into an SATA port rather than mount a hard drive)
mini-itx.com has a board finder, and suggests this board if you select DC input and Parallel port.
www.mini-itx.com/store/category?type=mot...&sortby=price&page=1
I know that I said that I don't recommend using the p-port, but if you can have one for experimenting with, why not? (Also some very capbable hardware an be used with the p-port in EPP mode, Pico PPMC and Mesa 7i43 for example)


2) a hardware controller which has proven to work perfect with LinuxCNC to control somestandard EMEA Motors, sensors, etc. in order to form some kind of a reliable reference system

LinuxCNC does not work with _any_ hardware controller. It is a software controller. Can you explain what you mean by "hardware controller"? Perhaps we are talking at crossed-purposes?

3) a software program to control the whole thing, in this case LinuxCNC
Most LinuxCNC projects I noticed so far are either using hardware which is out of life cycle (parallel port museum computers) or beyond my budget ( Bosch Rexroth etc)
I will be needing a system which is able to handle at least 6-8 stepper motors and various sensors.
Using the Raspberry/Arduino/bCNC eco system up to now, I feel that I would be needing something at least twice as big in terms of performance, connectivity, and expandability.


Maybe look at a Mesa 7i76E + 7i85S. (9 x stepper, 4x encoder + spindle interface, 48 GPIO pins) which interfaces using ethernet and requires the "uspace" build of LinuxCNC or the 5i25 + 7i76 + 7i85S which uses PCI (6i25 for PCIe) and the conventional RTAI LinuxCNC build.

Or if you have an EPP parallel port, the Pico USC (though that might only handle 4 stepper motors)
The following user(s) said Thank You: benqick

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07 Mar 2019 02:08 #127937 by Skip
Replied by Skip on topic please: hardware recommendation
Hello Andy,
you are my hero !
This is exactly the info I have been looking for, thank you very much for your precise and detailed answer.
And I apologize for my wording, which might be kinda old fashioned.
In my tradition a controller is a piece of hardware, connected to a bus or an interface, where you connect the devices you want to use . The rest is just ... software ;)
Best regards !

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09 Mar 2019 08:53 #128144 by pl7i92
Replied by pl7i92 on topic please: hardware recomendation
According to the FIRST POST / Intro Thread
THERE is no information on the Projekt to be Started

MILL LATHE PLASMA ROBOT ........

RETROFIT NEWBuild

Steppers Hybrid Servos
############
Sizes Material to be machined

AND Overall BUDGET

SO Please give us more infos
This while my Channel on YT
www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuJsIoXW-exBAwdn38dXow/videos

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