Welcome to the community maintained website of the Enhanced Machine Controller (EMC) Project

Do not upgrade to Ubuntu 8.10 "Intrepid Ibex"

The precompiled versions of emc2 are only compatible with Ubuntu 6.06 and Ubuntu 8.04. Upgrading to 8.10 will remove the emc packages and make your system unable to run emc.

Why aren't there packages for Ubuntu 8.10?

We have chosen to use 8.04 because it's a "long term support" (LTS) release. If you use it, you can be sure of support and security fixes from the Ubuntu team for 3-5 years. However, we would be happy to accept and host packages for other versions if a user/developer of emc2 wishes to contribute them.

News

EMC 2.2.8 released

The latest version of EMC is EMC 2.2.8. View a list of bugs fixed in each release. Instructions for upgrading from 2.1.x to 2.2.x Instructions for upgrading from 2.2.x to 2.2.8

EMC on Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron

[Official announcement] of pre-built packages and a Live CD for Ubuntu 8.04 LTS "Hardy Heron".

EMC2 Fest 2008

EMC Fest 2008

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Table of Contents

• About EMC2 - Description
  • Screenshots - Various screenshots of emc2 and related programs
  • Videos - EMC controlled machines in action
  • Case Studies - example machines run by EMC
• Getting Started
  • Hardware Requirements - what kind of PC can you use?
  • EMC2 Supported Hardware - hardware that works with EMC2
  • Latency-test - real-time performance database
  • Installing EMC2 - how to get the software
  • Install To CompactFlash instruction to install in solid state CompactFlash? memory.

• Documentation
  • The manuals---PDF style: READ IT !
    • [EMC Getting Started Guide (PDF) Very Short Guide]
    • [EMC2 User Manual (PDF)] [Manuel de l'utilisateur d'EMC2 (French)]
    • [EMC2 Integrator Manual (PDF)] [Manuel de l'intégrateur d'EMC2 (French)]
    • [EMC2 Developer Manual (PDF)]
    • [HAL User Manual (PDF)] [Manuel de HAL (French)]
    • [1] - The HAL Reference Manual in pdf format.
  • The manual---HTML style: READ IT !
    • http://www.linuxcnc.org/docs/ - Home for automatically generated documentation
  • QuickStart - A guide to get up and running.
  • StepperSetup Tutorial of using Stepconf wizard to set up a machine
  • ClassicLadder version 7.100 (EMC 2.1-EMC 2.2.9) online docs.
  • Authors - People working on the wiki (hint: we always need more)
  • Contributing to formal EMC documentation: BeyondWiki
  • BasicSteps shows how to edit the wiki to add new info

• Communication
  • Mailing list for users: [EMC-users]
    • [Sourceforge archive] (unreliable)
    • [Gmane.org archive] (better)
  • Mailing list for developers: [EMC-developers]
    • [Gmane.org archive]
  • CVS commit mailing list: [EMC-commit]
  • CVS commit RSS Feed: [CVS-RSS]
  • Bug and Feature Trackers
  • IRC: #emc and #emc-devel on irc.freenode.net
    • #emc [IRC Archive]
    • #emc-devel [IRC Archive]
    • Try the [embedded Java client]
  • [CIA project statistics]
  • [Planet-EMC] feed aggregator.
  • Forums
    • [CNCZone EMC Forum]

• Configuring EMC2 - how to make it fit your needs
  • Stepper specific info
    • StepperSetup Tutorial
    • TweakingSoftwareStepGeneration - a good discussion to assist in setting up software stepping
    • Stepper Drive Timing - Step and Direction timing charts
    • [double step]-link to description of a way to increase stepping rate
    • Steppers with encoders - jlmjvm's story
    • Stepper Formulas
    • Mechanical Spreadsheet - Spreadsheet to assist with choosing steppers
  • Servo specific info
    • Tuning EMC2/HAL PID loops
  • Advanced Configuration:
    • Homing and Limit Switch - Comparison of different Home and Limit Switch Configurations
    • Control pendants and GUI add-ons
      • Halui - How to use the HAL User Interface
      • pyVCP HAL visual control panel in Python
        • Hooking up a MPG Pendant
        • Using a joypad to move your CNC machine
        • Using a joypad to jog and control spindle speeds
        • A new approach for using joypads with EMC2
        • Simple Remote Pendant using Halui and Hal_input
        • Jogging with buttons on a pendant using Halui
        • Adding Custom MDI buttons
        • One Button Toggle for flood etc on pendents or pyVCP the easy way
    • Running EMC over network
      • Running Multiple User Interfaces
      • emcrsh Telnet text interface to EMC
      • halrmt Telnet text interface to HAL
    • Classic Ladder: adding a software PLC
      • ClassicLadder -on-line docs
      • ClassicLadderExamples -examples of ladder and sequential programs such as turret indexing
      • Sample HAL and ClassicLadder - examples of using Classic Ladder to control e-stop and lube pump
      • Basic Ladder Logic - discussion of general ladder programming

• Spindle control:
  • Analog Spindle Speed Control Using the Mesa 5i20/7i33 to control spindle speed
• Touch probes:
  • Preventing probe crashes using HAL
  • Touch Probe - Using and building a Touch Probe
  • [[single button touch-off]] using a touch-off plate (or probe) for setting Z origin.
• Tool changing:
  • Tool Changes - Installing and Using the Manual Tool Changer
• Gaining accuracy:
  • Screw Compensation - Using a comp file
  • combining two feedback devices on one axis eg a rotary encoder on motor and a linear encoder on machine
• Other uses of EMC2:
  • m5i20 laser - Another example of using halvcp and M5i20 board
  • [[rapid prototyper]]
• HAL: controlling the world
  • HAL Components - Custom realtime components, i.e. and2, or2, not, mux2 etc.
  • ContributedComponents - Components add new capabilities to HAL
  • ContributedHalFiles -- .hal files combine Components in useful ways
  • Use Eagle CAD Schematics editor to configure HAL
• Internationalization - run EMC2 in your language
• Suppliers - Parts and Raw Materials suppliers

• Using EMC2 - how to properly use it
  • One-page [G-code quick reference] [PDF version] by Jeff Epler. [Version française (html)]
  • Understanding G-Code - A tutorial on writing your own G-Code
  • Simple EMC G-Code Generators - Facing, Pockets, Drill Patterns Etc.
  • Example G-Code Programs - Some examples of how to do things with G-Code.
  • Using Gedit to aid in creating Gcode
  • Advanced examples of using emc2:
    • GcodeInfo - Things you might want to know about G-Codes
    • Oword - G-Code Owords - loops, conditionals and subroutines
    • Mword - G-Code relating to M words
    • M100-199 - M codes to call an external program
    • HAL Components - Custom realtime components, i.e. and2, or2, not, mux2 etc.
    • ElectricalDischargeMachining
    • Plasma - Examples of things relating to plasma tables
    • TrajectoryControl
    • Lathe Advanced Features
    • Rigid Tapping
  • Advanced extensions of emc2:
    • LaserBeamCompensation
  • ToolTable

• TroubleShooting - what to check if something fails
  • Hardware Problems - known hardware with problems and possible fixes
  • Latency-test - real-time performance database

• EMC2 Development - development related resources
  • DevelopmentIdeaList - development related thoughts, ideas, todo lists
  • [source from CVS] getting the source code for development
  • ClassicLadder ver 7.124 - new version includes userspace MODBUS
  • ContributedComponents - Components add new capabilities to EMC
  • MakefileDeMystified - Info about how to add new source code to compile with EMC2
  • UpdatingConfigurationsForDevelopmentVersions
• Misc stuff
  • Cam programs
  • List Of CAM References
  • Coders For EMC-Compatible CAM
  • Editors and tips for using:
    • Highlighting In Gedit
    • Highlighting in Vim
  • Fonts? - NGC Font info

Linux Distributions

[The EMC2 Live CD] is based on Ubuntu 8.04, includes EMC 2.2.5, and can also be used to install Ubuntu and EMC2 to your hard drive. After installing, you can easily upgrade to the latest version of EMC2 over a network connection

An entire special distribution of Linux is not needed to easily install and run EMC2; see [the instructions for installing the EMC2 packages for Ubuntu] 6.06 and 8.04. These packages are maintained by the EMC board of directors and are kept up-to-date (and provide a very easy upgrade capability) as new releases are made.

An [Italian version of the Live CD] (with version 2.1.5) is also available.

Specialized Linux Distributions

coolCNC is a "Live-CD" linux distribution, based on Puppy Linux, which contains EMC2 and the RTAI kernel patches. It is possible to install coolCNC to harddisk or to an USB stick. Download: http://cooltool.he.fdread.org/cncforum/ . Development information on the CncUser page. (Unfortunately, this Live CD is not recommended for use, because it contains a very outdated version of emc2, older than 2.0.0)

EMC on Puppy Linux by Matt Shaver. Matt inspired by cncuser who created coolCNC, decided to try adding real time capabilities to Puppy Linux starting from scratch and documenting the process. The emc puppy page has the details with updates as progress is made!

Why won't EMC run on Windows?

1. EMC runs in real-time, to give smooth motion. This is critical to accuracy and machine life. Hard real-time is not available on Windows in a price range many can afford... especially those interested in using a PC-based control.
2. EMC is intended to control machine tools. Machine tools are DANGEROUS and reliability/consistent behavior is extremely important. Compared to Windows, few viruses affect Linux. Even without consideration of viruses, Linux is far more stable.
3. The above also apply to virtual machines (i.e. VMWARE) and emulators. It may be possible to trick EMC to run on a virtual machine but do so at your own risk!

The future of EMC

Glossary

EMC1

EMC1 is the old version of emc. It is much less flexible and is no longer being actively developed. About EMC

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