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Is there a super-minimal LinuxCNC installation available? When I install the Debian-LinuxCNC ISO, all sorts of programs—such as LibreOffice, games, multimedia apps, etc.—get installed along with it. Isn't there an OS version that installs truly only the bare essentials? No one needs LibreOffice, games, or anything like that on the machine.
Thanks,
Hans.

Hi New guy here...

I am trying to get a 3 axis mill up and running. I am using three CL3 57E drivers for the axis(es) and have a A6 750w Servo motor for the spindle. 

Debian is up and working and Ethercat is installed. The cia402 is also integrated. Everything boots and looks good. I am running Linuxcnc 2.9.10.

UI is qt_dragon. Slaves are all there and go over to OP when linuxcnc starts... There are no errors other than a 5000 ns time out for the CL3 57Es no time out error for the A6 though? The Stepper motors do not energize... No buzzing, nothing and can be moved by hand. 

Button for the coolant work in the UI but the motors will not (just the CL3 57Es) activate and move. I don't know if I have missed something... I have spent the last 3 days searching the forum looking for answers and trying different things. It would be great if you guys could take a look at my config  files and let me know what I missed.

Thanks 
   

You might do a simple output voltage check with no load to make sure the issue is with the 7I76U card

All  step/dir outputs should measure very close to 5V or 0V. nay on between voltages suggest a damaged
output driver chip

Mesa can repair the card for a nominal charge but shipping will add up.

I have used the Teknic software and run an auto tune and it helped but the problem still exits.

I havent changed the step input resolution settings(which is 3200 steps/rev) because other folks have no problem nor should I. I can see a tuning change being needed per machine but not a reconfig of input vs resolution.

Thanks PCW;
Would it be more cost effective to replace the board or have it repaired?

Kind Regards,

I have an ATI graphics chip built into a Compaq presario, It is also called an ATI radeon 200 express graphics adaptor. If I was running Ubuntu 24.04 I would have to load the AMD graphics open source driver to get it working at all. Using the pre-empt kernel from the 2.9.10 released ISO it works fine and runs the latency histogram fine . I suspect a deep seated bug in the open source driver or the hardware itself which is one reason I'm going to Debian instead of Ubuntu.

have a look at '5axiskins' (2 tool side rotations), for an example see configs/sim/axis/vismach/5axis/bridgemill

On a 7I76U, if any of the 0..3 stepgen STEP or DIR outputs on TB2  have been
damaged, all 4 may be affected as they are driven by the same chips.
(U8 = 74ACT540  for the - outputs and U12 = 74ACT541 for the + outputs)

Are there any kinematics for a 5-axis machine with 6 motors (X, Y1, Y2, Z, A,
Ideally with gantry kins control for dual y-y and to include rotary control for the 4th and 5th axis.

Thanks Tommy, it's been a long journey getting here.

Hopefully the new spindle will allow me to mill parts significantly faster than before.

AWESOME !!!

However when it was time to install the servo on the new head I realized that I had forgotten about the connector for the encoder so I had to open up the shroud a bit more on one side.

 

With that fixed I installed the servo on the machine.

 

With the major components in place it was time for a first quick test



Next up is the liquid cooling for the spindle and then running in the new spindle bearings.

With the spindle installed I was keen on testing the pneumatic cylinder for the drawbar to make sure the whole assembly worked as planned.

 

The next thing to tackle was the drag chain. The old one was completely full long ago and did not have space for the spindle cooling lines or the flood cooling line so I bought a larger one made from nylon which seems very sturdy.

 

 

The Delta 2kw 6000 rpm servo I'm using for the spindle has been running at only for 3500 rpm previously due to my old spindle. Since it's going to be running at it's maximum rated speed of 6000 rpm now I decided to improve the cooling of it a bit to make sure it doesn't overheat.

I started by 3D scanning the servo and it's mounting plate.

 

And around that model I designed the fan shroud.

 

 

 

 

 

After getting the bearings sorted I reinstalled the z-axis carriage and the lead screw along with the lines for the central lubrication so that I could adjust the gibs and do some measurements.

 

This machine has always had a bit of a head nod which I've had to compensate for by shimming the head. I was hoping that it was a defect with the old head but it turned out to come from the z-axis carriage so I'll have to use shims for the new head too.

 

With the measurements taken I installed the new head.

 

With the new spindle being rather heavy, fragile and quite expensive I 3D printed a small stand for it so that I could have it upright without putting any force on the bearings.

 

 

Installing the spindle was a bit nerve wrecking as the hole for it in the new head only has a clearance of one hundred of a millimeter.

So I took my time and slowly got it in place.

 

 

 

 

With the bolts sorted I proceeded with quick test fitment of the major parts.

 

While I was doing this I noticed that the stock center bolt was only 4.8 grade which is very weak so I replaced it with a 12.9 grade bolt instead.

 

Before taking the machine apart I had taken the time to lookup which bearing type that is used for the z-axis lead screw on this machine as they have been making noises for quite some time.

According to the manual for this machine the z-axis lead screw is supposed to use 51104 single direction thrust ball bearings so I ordered a set of those from SKF.

However when I removed the lead screw from the machine I was greeted by this, WS81104 roller bearings...

 

 

Roller bearings are much better at carrying this type of loads and I would have preferred to install a new set. But since all I had available was the 51104 single direction thrust ball bearings I installed them for now...

As you can see from the photo above the old roller bearings where full of metal chips which is not surprising given that they are of an open design.

To try and avoid this issue with the new bearing I 3D printed a set of collars from ASA plastic for the new bearings.