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Enhanced Machine Controller, or EMC2, is an open source Linux software system to implement Numerical control capability using general purpose computers to control machines. It is developed by a number of volunteer developers at LinuxCNC.Org
Purpose
EMC2 is a software system for numerical control of machines such as milling machines, lathes, plasma cutters, cutting machines, robots, hexapods, etc. It can control up to 9 axes or joints of a CNC machine using G-code as input.
History
EMC was originally developed by NIST, as a reference implementation of the industry standard language for numerical control of machining operations, RS274-NGC (G-code). The software included the RS274 interpreter driving the motion trajectory planner, real-time motor/actuator drivers and a user interface. It demonstrated the feasibility of an advanced numerical control system using off the shelf PC hardware running Linux, interfacing to various hardware motion control systems.
The demonstration project was very successful and created a community of users and volunteer contributors. Sometime around 2004 these volunteers took the EMC project to the next stage: relocated it to sourceforge.net under the GNU General Public License license and the volunteer community-based development model, and gave it the new name, EMC2.
Platforms
Due to the need of fine grained, precise real time control of machines in motion, EMC requires a platform with Real time capabilities. It uses Linux kernel with real time RTAI extensions. For ease of packaging, Ubuntu LTS (long term support) distribution is supported.
Configuration
References
- Proctor, F. M., and Michaloski, J., "Enhanced Machine Controller Architecture Overview," NIST Internal Report 5331, December 1993. Available online at ftp://129.6.13.104/pub/NISTIR_5331.pdf
- Albus, J.S., Lumia, R., “The Enhanced Machine Controller (EMC): An Open Architecture Controller for Machine Tools,” Journal of Manufacturing Review, Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 278-280, September 1994.
- Fred Proctor et al., "Simulation and Implementation of an Open Architecture Controller", Simulation, and Control Technologies for Manufacturing, Volume 2596, Proceedings of the SPIE, October 1995, http://www.isd.mel.nist.gov/documents/proctor/sim/sim.html
- Fred Proctor, John Michaloski, Will Shackleford, and Sandor Szabo, "Validation of Standard Interfaces for Machine Control", Intelligent Automation and Soft Computing: Trends in Research, Development, and Applications, Volume 2, TSI Press, Albuquerque, NM, 1996, http://www.isd.mel.nist.gov/documents/proctor/isram96/isram96.html
- Zhang et al., "Development of EMC2 CNC Based on Qt", Manufacturing Technology & Machine Tool, 2008, http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-ZJYC200802046.htm
- Leto et al., "CAD/CAM INTEGRATION FOR NURBS PATH INTERPOLATION ON PC BASED REAL-TIME NUMERICAL CONTROL", 8th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ADVANCED MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGY JUNE 12-13, 2008 UNIVERSITY OF UDINE - ITALY, http://158.110.28.100/amst08/papers/art837759.pdf
- Zivanovic et al., "Methodology for Configuring Desktop 3-axis Parallel Kinematic Machine", FME Transactions (2009) 37, 107-115, http://www.simlab.mas.bg.ac.rs/istrazivanje/biblioteka/publikacije/Transactions_FME/Volume37/3/01_SZivanovic.pdf
- Glavonjic et al., "Desktop 3-axis parallel kinematic milling machine", The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology Volume 46, Numbers 1-4, 51-60 (2009), http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00170-009-2070-3
- Li et al., "Control system design and simulation of parallel kinematic machine based on EMC2", Machinery Design & Manufacture 2010-08, http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-JSYZ201008074.htm
- Li et al., "Kinematics Analysis and Control System Design of 6-DOF Parallel Kinematic Machine with Matlab and EMC2" , Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 102 - 104): Digital Design and Manufacturing Technology, 2010, http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.102-104.363
- Klancnik, "Computer-Based Workpiece Detection on CNC Milling Machine Tools Using Optical Camera and Neural Networks", Advances in Production Engineering & Management 5 (2010) 1, 59-68, http://maja.uni-mb.si/files/apem/APEM5-1-view.pdf
External links
- EMC2 project homepage at www.linuxcnc.org
- EMC2 project wiki
- The NIST RS274NGC Standard - Version 3 Aug 2000 also available as a PDF
- The Enhanced Machine Controller homepage at NIST