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Hello everyone,I’m working on a LinuxCNC + EtherCAT setup and I’d like to ask if anyone has experience using the Leadshine R3EC EtherCAT coupler together with the R3-0808-N expansion module (8 digital inputs + 8 digital outputs).if so can please anyone share the XML configuration file with me ?

I have been testing LCNC on the pi with the nvme hat and PoE, until I realised that the integral RJ45 will be for the ethercat network and wont have PoE!! A bit of a misstep there. In a raspi environment the waveshare addon does complain about limited current availability and the shutdown of peripherals.

Less keen on the Rpi5 now because I realised it has integral wifi, my intention is for a product and adding wifi means I have to satify requirements of RED, so I even more so am interested in alternatives. The Odroid is looking more promising!

Hakan wrote:

You should apt remove r8168 driver or it will take that one.
Best to check though, I might not remember this right.

No keep it. It is the correct driver for the R8111
Ref: packages.debian.org/trixie/r8168-dkms

Never remove the driver, always purge it as mentioned on that link

As I said 2 cores may not be enough anymore
 

Hi everyone,I’ve been working on a CNC project for a while and I’d like some advice before committing to hardware. Here’s my situation:

• I originally built a 3-axis CNC router running on GRBL (ESP32) + a custom PCB. I used that setup for a long time and gained good experience with it.
• Later, I decided to upgrade to 5-axis by adding A and C axes to the same GRBL-based system. While it functions, I quickly discovered a limitation: ESP32 GRBL doesn’t support TCP, so the machine can’t act as a proper 5-axis system.
• Because of this, I started looking into LinuxCNC. At first I wanted to use my Raspberry Pi 5, but I read that the Pi version of LinuxCNC can’t really handle full 5-axis control.
• I then tried installing LinuxCNC on an old laptop, but since it has no parallel port, I searched for hardware solutions that use Ethernet. That’s how I found Mesa boards.

From what I’ve gathered so far:

• The 7i76 series supports 5 axes and spindle control, but its encoder inputs are only for the spindle, not for axes.
• The 7i95 series seems more suitable because it supports encoder inputs for the axes as well. My thinking was that even though steppers usually work fine, it would be good to have encoder feedback to check for missed steps.

Where I’m at now:

• When testing LinuxCNC setup, I couldn’t find any 7i95 options in PNCconf, which left me confused.
• My current hardware: 2.2 Nm NEMA 23 steppers with DM556 drivers on all axes (6 motors total, since Y has dual rails).
• I don’t have encoders yet, I was waiting to see which types are actually supported by the mesa boards.
• As another option, I do have a couple of 400 W Delta B3 servos, but not enough to equip all axes. I’ve considered using them if steppers turn out too weak, but that would mean buying more servos.
• My main goal with encoders is simply to check for missed steps on the steppers.

My questions to the community:

1. Am I on the right track with the 7i95 + LinuxCNC setup for a 5-axis machine with encoder feedback?
2. Would you recommend a different Mesa board or configuration for this?
3. Are there any guides/resources for setting up a 4+ axis machine with Mesa boards and LinuxCNC?

Thanks in advance for any advice!Ozan T.

After reading Note under the table, you can set "sync0Shift=700000" in ethercat.xml
 

It's from the ethercat manual, I put a link there a post ago.
This is unique for this servo
 

You have a 1 ms cycle time in axis.ini. According to the manual you have it set to 2 ms. Change that withand check the value again with ethercat upload.
The error comes from the drive, it thinks the config is wrong.
The only thing to do is to follow the manual.
One thing I can think of is that it doesn't like variable PDOS.
But there aren't any complains about that.
You can as a next step test to define the receive and transmit PDOS
as on page 9 and 10. Include all pdo entries even the ones you don't use.
 

You should apt remove r8168 driver or it will take that one.
Best to check though, I might not remember this right.

We should probably add that Wiki page to the main docs.

Sadly I have no solutions for the problem when the gamepad disconnects. I used to use a hard-wired one and the same problem existed.
It might be possible to fix it in the driver, but doing that isn't on my personal list of "must fix" items.

However, feel free to raise an issue so we don't forget about it.
github.com/LinuxCNC/linuxcnc/issues

We should probably add that Wiki page to the main docs.

Sadly I have no solutions for the problem when the gamepad disconnects. I used to use a hard-wired one and the same problem existed.
It might be possible to fix it in the driver, but doing that isn't on my personal list of "must fix" items.

However, feel free to raise an issue so we don't forget about it.
github.com/LinuxCNC/linuxcnc/issues

Here's the old interface to the d15 connector.
J3 goes to torch- which is the bottom right of the other pic.

4 on the bottom right of the break out is 1:10 divided arc.
5 on bottom right of break out is 1:25.
They were never wired up.

There is a wire between the torch- and the old thc's interface. I think the interface has resistors and they sampled the work+ side at the thc. But i'm guessing and there's no useful documentation for it. There is a spot on the old interface for divided arc volts, but it was never hooked up. 

So I have to do at least a little wiring inside either way, so I was thinking may as well put the thcad inside the plasma while I'm at it. 
It's a high frequency machine so maybe that'll help with emi.



 

No I did not see the wiki page.

However, I played around a bit more and got a very basic setup that actually allows me to use the joysticks on the joypad to move the axis.
Switching the jog speed looks quite useful though, I'll try to adapt it. And also the dead-man switch is probably a good idea.

This is what I currently have:

 

The ARC OK and Torch ON are there, but there is voltage out at all, and that is a must for THC to function.
Might need to wire stuff inside the plasma, do you have anyone that can do that?

Yes.
Or any other combination, except tandem joints can not be on the same pin, so you can have XYZ on 1 pin and the Y2 on the 2 pin.
Check point 2 for you situation.

I am trying to figure out how to interface a thcad2 and mesa 7i97t with a hypertherm hsd130.
Originally, this machine was hooked up to an external hypertherm thc.
The hsd130 has an internal 37 pin connector that goes to a "phc interface" that has am external 15 pin connector that connected to the old thc.
Unfortunately, the phc interface's manual doesn't explain what the pins on the 15 pin connector are for or how they should be wired and the hsd130 manual doesn't even mention it.
The manual does have all the information for the internal 37 pin connector. 

 Should I just remove the phc 15 pin connector and use the 37 pin? That seems easier than trying to reverse engineer the "phc interface"?

I will try to attach the relevant pages from the manual.

The example circuits are above my head.
Do I need any relays for the arc ok and start i/o's or can they connected directly to the 7i97t?
Should I use 24v from my controllers power supply?
Can I use 2 or 3 1mohm resisters connected directly to the torch/work leads for the thcad2?