[Coco] George's CNC Machine (WAS: Something else)

[RON BIHLER]

> Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:43:34 -0500> From: jcewy at swbell.net> To: coco at maltedmedia.com> Subject: Re: [Coco] George's CNC Machine (WAS: Something else)> > I'm saving my pennies for a Digilent starter board...> At this point my CNC needs are being taken care of by a P4 and EMC2. > But one of my earliest computer memories is of seeing some old 8-bitter,> probably running CP/M, put a pen plotter through its paces back in> 1977. Surely a CoCo could do the job, even if it has to pre-calculate.> > JCE> 
Yes you are correct, watching the old pen plotters do just what you are talking about was great.  As I recall most of the logic was in the plotter and the computer just sent a code to draw a circle or arc.  These are not fast processors, but they also are not required to interact with the operator (Display etc).  The coco should at least be able to move a system this quickly. 
 
I was able to find some basic interpolation Circle code, I will put together a demo one of these days - heck it can draw on the screen for that matter as long as it generates stepper code at the same time.  
 
It will never be up to current standards of speed !  Heck for that matter my 2001 machine is already outdated in the speed department - Very cool what you are doing with the coco.  
 
Ron