Call for topics (was Re: July Meeting Topics )

[John (EBo) David]

Sorry for not replying for a little...  I've been playing with the
restoration ecologists in New Mexico...

> > Something I would like to see (and could possibly talk a little about)
> > is the Enhanced Machine Control (EMC) project produced by NIST.  It is
> > realtime kenamatic software to drive computer controlled equiptment like
> > milling machines, etc.  I would be interested in finding out if anyone
> > else is playing with retrofitting conventional equiptment or building
> > new CNC laths, mills, etc.  EMC compiles on both Win* and a real-time
> > version of Linux called RT-Linux...
> 
> Now _this_ sounds like serious fun... enough to bother going to Mesa for
> a PLUG meeting, even.
> 
> I have the low-end Light Machines milling machine
> http://www.lightmachines.com/productcenter/spectralight-0200-page1.html
> (got it used at a hamfest, good deal too)
> but it didn't come with the controller box.  I want to build one of
> those parallel-port stepper drivers for it, but it'll be my first
> project of that sort.  Do you happen to know where I could get a kit
> for one, beefy enough to run the motors?  The kits I've seen top out
> at 1 or 1.25 amps, and I think these motors might require more like 2 amps.
> And, I haven't figured out which kind of steppers these are yet, bipolar
> or unipolar.

Almost undoubtadly unipolor, but would have to look at it...  I have a
simple camtronics driver which drives up to 3 motors in this range.  It
takes direction and step commands.  I also have a drawing for a simpler
2 motor driver that you send it the actual phase info.  This you can
build at home with off the shelf transisters.  I was working with a dude
to build one of these that would handle up to about 6 amps/phase, but
life took us both on or respected trips lately and I'll have to get back
to you on the success statistics later 8-)

Wana' get together an play with it some time?

  EBo --