Machsupport Forum
Third party software and hardware support forums. => NC Pod => Topic started by: HenryPel on October 07, 2008, 10:10:24 AM
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I've been trying to follow the thread on the NCPod Controller & have not seen alot of traffic of late.
What is it's status - still in beta or is it in production
Is there a significant benifit of this controller say versus Xylotex for example
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Henry, If you haven't got a NCpod yet, you may want to consider the Smooth Stepper.
Brett
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Why?
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Probably for the reason the OP has said, the pod seems to have slowed down if not stopped.
Now I have never had Pod so dont know how good or bad it is, how complete or incomplete it is. So take that at face value and disregard if you know or think differently.
I do however have a SmoothStepper (4 in fact) and although there are still things to be done (backlash is one I know of ) it is pretty well complete as it is now and I have every faith that it will not die a death like so many of the others have in the past, not saying the Pod is one of them but certainly is starting to look like it may be.
I have been using a SmoothStepper for over 8 months on the mill with any issues being sorted as time goes on and its been complete enough for me on the mill for a long time now. The lathe has had one fitted for maybe 2 months and for my lathe it is now complete to use day in day out.
Hood
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Why do you and Chaoticone ( apparently an administrator) plug the Smooth stepper rather than answer the OP's question. Why don't you post in the smooth stepper topic area instead of the ncPOD? Is the use and development of the ncPOD unwelcome here?
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Well Fred, I don't know how mow much more we can do. Neither of us have an NCpod so we can't really say a whole lot about it. NCpod use and development is more than welcome here, but we are not getting a lot of help supporting it. Maybe you could help with support questions pertaining to the pod?
We talk about SmoothStepper a lot for a number of reasons: 1). We both have one; 2). The developer of the SmoothStepper is an active member of the community and he answers questions about it; 3). SmoothStepper development is still ongoing in Mach whereas NCPod development has stopped for a long time now; 4). It's a good solution for people asking about the NCPod only because they've heard it works over USB and may not know the SmoothStepper exists...
Brett
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I didn't answer the OPs question as I don't know, I never posted to answer his question but rather I posted to answer yours :)
As has been said I know nothing about the pod but there has definitely been a lack of support for it on this forum, whether there is support elswhere I don't know.
The reason I plug the SS is because it works, in fact works very well and the development of it is continuing.
I don't think Brett was saying to junk the pod but rather if you don't have one already it may be an idea to consider getting the SS.
By your reply I am presuming you have a pod? If so please let me know the status of it, how well it works (good as well as bad), what if any issues it has at this point in time and whether there is some other place for people to post if they have one and are needing help.
Hood
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The 6-axis ncPOD has been done and integrated with Mach3 since 2007. I believe my last communication with Art was when he was working on the probing interface in October or November of 2007. The only support needed is basic electrical/electronics and Mach3 setup, it just works after that. Hardware issues should be communicated directly with the manufacturer in English, via e-mail.
As far as I know it can still be purchased for $100 from oemtech.com . They consider it still in beta because there are other active software developments besides the mach3 interface.
Fred Smith - IMService
http://www.imsrv.com or http://www.cadcamcadcam.com
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Thanks for the info Fred, seems you know quite a bit about the pod so maybe if you have time you would be willing to look in here every so often and help out anyone that has set up issues?
I dont know anything about the pod so I am no use, Brett is in a similar dilemma and looks like Kookaburra hasnt been on the forum since February so no help from him either.
Hood
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I am certainly interested if you have any info on the NCpods development or death.
The official NCpod website has not been updated since 21 Nov. 07. That is by my calculation nearly a year.
The moderator, of what for a short time was fairly active forum here at Artsoft, has long since gone missing.
I have an NCpod that these days sits on a shelf. Replaced by a SmoothStepper.
NCpod worked fine for motion control. Inputs and outputs worked OK for my needs.
However Probe input did not work. G31 moves were unpredictable and dangerous.
You never knew which direction the axis would move. Occasionally the wrong axis would move. :o
So if anyone knows where info can readily be obtained on the NCpod, particularly pertaining to use with Mach3, I for one would be interested.
Greg
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Is there a significant benifit of this controller say versus Xylotex for example
The ncPod is a motion control, that sends sends step and direction signals to a stepper drive. The Xylotex is a stepper drive. Comparing them is apples and oranges.
Fred, didn't you used to sell the ncPod on your site? I don't see it there now, but seem to recall I did in the past. Where else can you buy them.
It seems to me that for the $55 more fof the SmoothStepper, you get a whole lot more. More I/O, faster step rates, more features, active development.....
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I am certainly interested if you have any info on the NCpods development or death.
The official NCpod website has not been updated since 21 Nov. 07. That is by my calculation nearly a year.
There have been changes to the ncPOD web site, but apparently the date of last change does not update. For example there is a fairly new stand alone control panel that was added in the last couple of months.
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Fred, didn't you used to sell the ncPod on your site? I don't see it there now, but seem to recall I did in the past. Where else can you buy them.
The ncPOD is available from www.oemtech.com We don't sell the board alone, but we do have an assembled servo system which incorporates it.
http://www.cadcamcadcam.com/sys-5.aspx
We plan to also offer the smoothstepper as a system option at some point in the future, but it has to work for motion control first.
Fred smith - IMService
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We plan to also offer the smoothstepper as a system option at some point in the future, but it has to work for motion control first.
Fred smith - IMService
In what way?
Hood
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"The current state of the plugin is beta," from the Smooth Stepper website. Some features
also "require a development version of Mach3", not the lock down. Either condition is difficult to
support, both taken together, the product is not ready for my catalog.
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Similarly the pod is Beta from its site. Granted it doesnt need the latest versions of Mach but then again the SS only needs them for certain things such as lathe threading.
Had a look at the Pod site and it seems to suggest that its only for 3 axis mill, also no spindle control etc for I/O, is that still the case?
Oh and probably the latest Dev version of Mach will become the lockdown very soon, I would say its much better now than any version of Mach previous to it but I can see why you would not wish to support until it is officially a lockdown.
Hood
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This should answer most of your questions:
www.artsoftcontrols.com/plugins/NcPodUserManual.pdf
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thanks, will go have a squint at it :)
Hood
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HenryPel,
I do not know why there is a lack of interest in the NcPod postings. Maybe there are better choices available
now like Mach with Gecko drives and a Smooth Stepper. Nothing stands still these days as it either moves forward or withers and dies. Since you seek benefits of one verses the other I assume you haven't acquired anything yet.
There are a number of choices out there. Encourage you to seek the advice of many and repost with specifics . We don't charge a $1 for our opinions or $60 to ask a question / make a post like some others out there.
RICH
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Why do you and Chaoticone ( apparently an administrator) plug the Smooth stepper rather than answer the OP's question. Why don't you post in the smooth stepper topic area instead of the ncPOD? Is the use and development of the ncPOD unwelcome here?
Possibly because the Smooth Stepper is a work in progress and it quite up to date.
Greg is addressing problems and the plug in is also being worked on.
Hood can't comment on the NC Pod as he doesn't have one.
I do and it has serious problems in locking up and I'm not the only person to have this.
Do a search on the Yahoo list to see.
I have tried many things to get by this, new computers [ 5 in all ] which all work on the parallel port, upgrading firmware and plug in's.
I even borrowed a NC Pod off John Prentice who has exactly the same problems and that was the same as mine.
There is no pattern to the hang up, can be just into a program or anywhere else, all you get is the Mach screen still running and a message at the bottom saying NC Pod has stopped responding.
Problem is you don't know where as Mach is still running so the job is scrap.
You have to reboot to get out of it.
It was a good idea but the support was never there for it, mine sits abandoned on the bench with John's at the side, he never even wanted his back...
I will shortly be working with the Smooth Stepper as I want it for a high speed threading lathe.
John S.
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This should answer most of your questions:
www.artsoftcontrols.com/plugins/NcPodUserManual.pdf
Thanks for this reference. Any idea when that document was created? (so as to get an idea of what has changed since that was written and the current hardware revision.)
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Hi. MR "kuromaku"
Is it true?
What is the meaning of the wirepuller? .
a black curtain.
a wirepuller.
pull the wires.
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Anyone wanting to throwaway their NcPod let me know. Or just mail it to me. I want one to experiment with!!! Some work is being done with it since the Shark Pro uses it to talk to the Xylotex driver. Shark just introduced a touch probe and it works with their drivers. If anyone knows which processor the NcPod has (maybe TI?) I would like that info since new code could be generated and downloaded for it. The board seems to have a lot of potential just inconsistent development
Doc
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Hi wyzarddoc
I know what the device is, but cannot teach it in morals.
If you want to know it by all means, I contact oemtec, and please hear it.
(only one "is not TI")
I can download the firm ware from the site of oemtec.
However, it will be refused a receipt when I do not have a password in the device inside.
I inform oemtec of potential contradiction, and it is assisted them or do you contact me?
Yours sincerely,
apollonono :D
http://ncpod.oemtech.com/
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Hi,
Was looking to buy an ncPod and found that Teknix has a couple as below.
burke
Manager Marketing and Export
CNC Teknix Pty. Ltd.
Unit 1/113 Industrial Road
Oak Flats, NSW, Australia
2529
Ph: 02 4257 4111
Fax: 02 4257 4811
E-Mail: sales@cncteknix.com
Web: www.cncteknix.com
International:
Ph: +61 2 4257 4111
Fax: +61 2 4257 4811
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All I see when I go to this website is the websites products which seem to be way overpriced no NC-pod info at all. Just seems to be a advertisement for their site.
Doc
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Send an email to the sales manager requesting ncPod.Very helpful bloke.
I got one off him and he said he had a couple.
Regards
burke
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Doc,
Have you had a reply?
burke
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Hello,
I just checked on the PC which drive my machine :
Ouput :
For X, Y, Z :
Step : 1 Dir port : 1
Input :
E stop : Port#1 Pin#2
As I don't put switch for end of stroke, I only specified a setup for e stop for input setup.
All parameters don't write in this answer is at 0 or enable status.
Freddy
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Im trying to set one up right now and the only issue I am having is that it wont update the firmware, I just get a NCPod not found error.
Is the NcPod compatible with a 64bit machine or is it 32bit only?
UPDATE*
To anyone who cares, yes, NcPod will not run AT all on a 64bit machine. :/
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Well CRAP!!! I just got a new laptop(64bit) and have had a ncPod here for a couple years, unused.... Guess i'm lookin for a Smoothstepper??
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Is that because Mach3 won't run on a 64 bit machine?
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Is that because Mach3 won't run on a 64 bit machine?
Mach 3 runs fine on 64bit OS but Machs driver wont so if using a 64bit OS you will need an external pulsing device. Andrew seems to say the pod doesnt work but I know quite a few are running the SmoothStepper with 64bit OS so it would seem the pod must be the problem.
Hood
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I run the SmoothStepper on my 64bit work laptop, that's no issue. But as far as I can tell the NCPod doesn't want to update its firmware with a 64bit OS. I hooked it up to a 32bit and it updated and moved the axis's, but, I still need to do more testing on it.