Chad, here is the M code interface. If the ServosToGo PC board does not have
enough digital I/O I can decode the 8 bits out of the printer port for
up to 256 discrete digital I/O's. The RPM up, RPM down and RPM HOME signals
will go to the spindle motor controller. Looks pretty simple. Each M code
is merely a bit set or reset. What do you think?

Looks pretty simple to me, too. The trickiest part of all of this would be
interfacing the ServosToGo card, but that's already done for us so it's
probably just a matter of bashing the right codes out to the card. In fact, I
IMAGINE you could probably greatly reduce even that work by just being
flexible with how you wired it. Since the EMC code base already has setups for
other mills, some of these outputs like RPM+/- ought to be easy to map. I
haven't had time to pick apart the code in depth, but it looks like there are
a few key differences, like tool selection (direct access via ID/code or
index+/index- like your Kasuga).

Probably the best thing to do would be to get the card in and hooked up, then
put together a simple test program that runs through the codes and commands.
You could step through the program and check the outputs with LEDs or a DMM.

Will you be using their "you have to be an idiot to not get this to work"
pre-configured ISO image, or your own distro install?

Regards,
Chad

OK Chad will do. I'll wire it up and we can run a few test. I might even be
able to run DOS and access it with QB as it is an ISA bus card with simple
I/O mapped ports. The trick Linux software can come later. 

Paul Lamar
 
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