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I'd trust your judgement.

It's amazing how often intuition is spot-on.

Maybe try making a new quick-and-dirty config?

When my CNC wasn't working quite right, I made a new, identical config with stepconf.

It fixed it.

Yes, the 7I92XX replaces the parallel port interface.

A 7I92TF will work with the same parallel port cable you currently use.
(male-male IEEE1284 type) so you should not need any additional cables.
A 7I92TM will plug directly into a G540, but that's quite awkward mechanically.

As far as the kernel goes that's included in the LinuxCNC 2.9.4 ISO, so installing
that ISO will install a preempt-RT kernel. (The 7I92 requires a Preempt-RT kernel)

As far as Mini-PCs go, it's better to use one with Intel Ethernet hardware,
as the common Realtek Ethernet chips often have realtime issues.

I have confirmed, there is a focus issue. I need to click G54 or ABS or similar to move focus before the space bar works. That caused one slightly panicky moment when I hit it and nothing happened. (Fortunately, the code was right so it was fine, I just got scared for a moment.) Is there a way to set focus on cycle start or eliminate the need to move focus?

Doesn’t work. Says “does not have release file”

Hi,
I have a Sherline 5400 CNC that has been in storage and I am planning on getting it up and running again (it's been some years).  I am computer shopping and weighing options and looking into what has changed.  My previous setup was a PC Tower with a Parallel port running to a Gecko 540.  Instead of replacing that setup in-kind, I am looking into using a small form factor (or mini) computer with a MESA ethernet card.  Am I understanding things correctly that I can use a small/mini computer with ethernet, run it to a MESA 7i92TF, which in turn runs to my Gecko 540 (thereby skipping a PCIe parallel port card)?  Also do I need to worry about male/female couplings for the MESA DB25 (7i92TF vs 7i92TM) or can it be managed with gender changers (not ideal) or are there signal considerations with gender changers?  Finally, to confirm, I should be using the preempt-RT kernel if I am going to use MESA ethernet?
 
I have been reading here and the docs, but I am still a little overwhelmed playing catchup and appreciate any guidance before I purchase a PC and MESA Card.

Thanks,
Tom 

aaron wrote:

How am I running a raspberry pi all of a sudden?

You are not, it is a remnance of a Debian f@kup that is still dragging on.

aaron wrote:

Is it possible to install a nvidia graphics card and still use Linuxcnc?

Most probably not, proprietary NVIDIA drivers did not work at all on RT-Preempt kernel last i tried over a year ago.
You are welcomed, always.

I have read your description on usinages.com (I'm french).
I have bought Delta motors from Movitecnic in France, they are really helpful and have good prices.
I used Leadshine on stepper system only, it was ok.

Not exactly sure but i think that is the wrong buildbot, try
buildbot.linuxcnc.org

Envoie moi un sms au 0699361110 quand tu vois ce message

Ok I cannot make any sense of this I have been trying to update to 2.10 for the past few hours thinking that 2.9 might be the root of anll my problems and can’t figure it out. I went into sympathetic package manager then repositories and deleted the two lunixcnc.com lines and refreshed. I then created a new one as follows
buildbot2.highlab.com/debian/ 
bookworm
master-uspace

then when I enter “sudo apt update” in the terminal it gives me the error I attached bellow. I have read through these post several times, but just end up more confused each time.

www.forum.linuxcnc.org/38-general-linuxc...-do-i-update-to-2-10

forum.linuxcnc.org/9-installing-linuxcnc...ate-from-2-9-to-2-10

Some clarification would be amazing, thank you.

Thank you for this. That did the trick, but I have a couple of questions.
How am I running a raspberry pi all of a sudden?
And
Is it possible to install a nvidia graphics card and still use Linuxcnc?
Thanks again
Aaron

My setup isn't actually *that* primitive. The touch-off plate is a very nice bar of aluminum that is about 2" long and *exactly* 3/8" on every side. I found it in my scrap box, and it already had a threaded hole in one side. Very convenient. And because it's square, I can use it in almost any orientation. (I remeasure it once in a while because I still can't believe that it's exactly square in cross-section.)

In addition to the panel, I have a (shell) script which will tail the probe log, and based on the last two probe entries it will give me either the angle at which the work is sitting (if the probes were both from the same side) or the center point between the probes (if they were in opposite directions). As output it prints the G10 L20 line necessary to make use of the result. So I can do much of what Easyprobe does. Just not quite as Easy.

tommylight wrote:

... and frankly i see no need for it, you would have to change stuff mechanically first then start a config for that setup.
No restart of the PC required for running different configs.

 

Indeed. That is the intention.

The old machines such as the Hommel require quite a lot of work to setup, because everything is mechanical, and drive axles for auto feed and such have to be reconfigured manually too. In my modernized version accessories such as for example a rotary table or an XY table get their own built in stepper motor(s), and you just plug it into the control box and load the fitting configuration. So you first reconfigure the hardware, and you load the (preconfigured) corresponding configuration. Goal is to have 4 to 8 different configurations. For example for:

1. Vertical milling.
2. Horizontal milling.
3. Line Boring.
4. 4th / possible 5th axis configuration.

Below a picture of the same Hommel machine, but configured as a lathe.
 

So you can start with a 3 axis machine, use it to make a rotary table, and then extend it to 4 or even full 5 axis, but also go back to 3 axis, because that allows for more rigidity and heavier machining. Andysmachines has made some excellent youtube tutorials on gear milling, and this has a lot of error prone manual machining, which also gets boring very quickly. And this begs for more automation. The goal is not to work with mechanical CAD that spits out a big G code file, but to write some python code that generates some G code for special applications. For example gear cutting with a disk mill, or with a profile mill. The number of teeth for the gear is then just a number in a for loop (and a radius change).

So the question still is: How do you load different configurations in LinuxCNC? Is this a command line option, do you have to fiddle with configuration files outside of LinuxCNC? Does a configuration change also reprogram the Mesa card without a hard reset?

My experience with LinuxCNC is very limited. I did some short tests with Machinekit some 10 years ago, and recently I tried it on 3 different PC's, but latency tests were atrocious, so I need better hardware. I'm also still in doubt to whether go with LinuxCNC or to stick with something simpler such as GRBL. Worst case scenario for multiple configurations, is to write a script that interprets G code, and then swaps axis and direction, and write it back to another file.

Someone here told me to get a now I cannot remember which chipset, but SMC Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter matched it on Amazon. I just plugged it in and now, instead of 24 Kbps, I have 15 Mbps. (My shop is several feet below the router. A refrigerator is also in the path.)

Yes. I also think its the easies solution.
Darlington transistors at each driver is way more work.

Thanks for the hint. Will do it with an array.