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HI
Linuxcnc doesn’t support more than one toolpath, for example a lathe with two independent turrets. Typically, this is referred to as a dual path system. 

As seen on other posts on the topic on this forum, it is recommended to use two separate LinuxCNC systems, which is OK Now, I would like to link the two systems and im not sure what would be the best to do this.On the PC side, im planning to set up a local network so that the slave system can load a program written on the master system, so file sharing etc. there should be a lot of info on this on the web… On the linuxcnc side, im running a 7i94 +7i77 on each PC.Typically, I would like to have a link between the two linuxcnc systems so that the one system (master) can interface with some of the HAL data on the other (slave) system.It would be ideal if the master system can read/write hal pins (float and bit). It does not have to be realtime though, but I need it reliableI don’t know what is possible, but I was thinking a serial link from one 7i94 to the other would be the best solution.Is it worth checking out the Mesa Modbus method? Does this seem like a good idea or are there some better options? Your ideas would be much appreciated ThanksHenk

Does the Gecko have G540 written on it?
If not, does it have 4 of DB9 connectors? That would be the G540, so it has a standard pinout and the wizard included with LinuxCNC named StepConf has a pinout for it.
Also do keep in mind that if it turns out to actually be a G540, it has a very strange feature where it does only 1 pulse from 10 pulses on the input, it was labeled as microstepping but it is not, so you do need to add 10 in the wizard for microstepping.
See if you can find a used Dell OptiPlex 980 in the big case, those have a built in parallel port and work nicely with LinuxCNC, usually 30-70$.
You might also need a plain parallel port cable, or old printer cable, sometimes also named centronics.

You need to figure out the pin assignment of the parallel port connector. So the first thing I would try is to get the original Mach3 config file from the old PC. If I remember correctly it's an .xml file in the 'mach3' folder. This should tell you how the signals are arranged on the parallel port connector. This is needed to set up linuxcnc using the 'stepconf' tool.

Dear All,

I'm very new here.

I'm a big fan of This Old Tony and I watched his CNC build thinking that I'd love to do something like that - except that while I've got a workshop full of machine tools (I've been quietly collecting them, for my retirement) I have very limited skills. I doubted that I could make one that would have any sort of precision. I looked at the flimsy inexpensive ones on eBay. Not convinced they'd do what I want... and then up popped a second-hand industrial machine just 30 miles down the road and within my budget.

It's about a yard square, solidly made of steel, with what seem to me to be high quality, if aged, Japanese stepper motors and ball screws. The control box that came with it contains nothing more than a Gecko controller and a PSU. The computer that used to run the macine was dying but I got it to boot up long enough to determine that it was running Windows XP and Mach3 (so probably about 20 years old?).

I've cobbled together a PC from some spare bits that I had lying around and installed LinuxCNC. I've found a parallel port which looks like it will plug into my motherboard, so I believe that I can connect it all together and off I go.....

What should I do now? What should I read to get started? Is anything bad likely to happen from just experimenting without actually knowing what I'm doing? I don't want to wreck what looks like a good quality piece of kit, even if it isn't bang up-to-date. All help and advice will be gratefully received.

Hello and thank you both for the response.

I saw that the ethercat Beckhoff encodermoduls are really not cheap :/ Maybe a mixed setup with mesa would be an option? time will tell. My main Headache toipic is still the drivers for the Motors,

I allready have some parts of the SIEMENS S120

-Single Motors Modul for the spindle
-Double Motor Modul vor the X and Z Servo
-Active lIne modul
-Breakresistor
-Filter
-Motor choke


Now I have to search for CU320-2 on Ebay. and for the Ethercat modul wich is sadly really expensive.

If i dont get the ethercat PCB i think i also could run it with the ans SMC30. but that would mean i only have step dir. All functions form the ethercat world would of course be really cool!


endian, you say: profibus .. over ethercat ... the 2ms synchro ... I dont have a feeling for that. But ms sounds "slow" is that fast enough for Positioning a CNC machine?
Taht sounds really interesting, can you tell me more about it? Is there a Thread with your machine?


Have a great day!


Tom

1% of 360 is 3.6 degree of error, and that will result in broken taps.

in qtplasmac it shows in z view and perspective view,

what u mean by it should work without coding, is there a way to turn it on or set in qtdragon_hd?

Its not iffy probe. In toochange subroutine, I made several G0 move first to aproach toolholders, but then need to slow move to put tool in fork, so G1 move. Someday almost always stop here, someday working fine.
Its kind of ghost bug.
But it looks like it wait for something, maybe to have spindle-at-speed (but it is, 0rpm). But I also have manual too change, so at new tool demand, I hit ESC, move over ztouch plate, call M300 - subroutine, and it will fail. Hit ESC, run M300 again - it work.