VB.Net Machine Postion Tracking

[bguenther]

Hi,

I am writing a program in VB.Net that controls a Galil controller which controls 3 motors which will eventually become a small plasma machine.

I want to have a form with a graph or drawing space that will draw the position as the motors are moving. Just like you see with all plasma machines.

Or when you load a file with a nested layout that it would display the layout.

I can figure out how to feed all motor positions(I think) but i just don't know where to start or what controls i should use.

Please share some idea's or a some code if you have it handy.

Regards,
Ben

Ben Guenther
Custom Addins and Macros

http://www.lmsoftworks.ca

 

[JayMaechtlen]

Do you want to take the computed (reported?) position of the tool tip and trace that?

Or, do you want to draw the intended paths from the program?

If you're drawing the actual position, you could just place a dot on the screen according to whatever scale/coordinate system you have set up.
I haven't programmed in VB.net, but I suspect it has the same abilities as old-style VB.

Pick a control that lets you put arbitrary circles or dots in it. I don't know if there's a 3-d control that lets you rotate for arbitrary views. But a plasma machine is almost always a 2-D machine with head up/down, or maybe the ability to cut on the top of a section or up a gradual slope.
In any case, a full 3D view might not be that valuable.

Jay Maechtlen

http://www.laserpubs.com/techcomm

 

[MikeHalloran]

The way I read the OP, he's trying to write a CNC controller, with a completed and planned path monitor display.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[bguenther]

Yes i want to trace machine position and also the path that the machine will be following. Currently I am working with a picturebox and i think i willl be able to get that to work but if anybody has a better idea please share.


Ben Guenther
Custom Addins and Macros

http://www.lmsoftworks.ca

 

[JayMaechtlen]

I'm not sure what you mean "trace machine position and also the path that the machine will be following"
If you mean "planned path" and then "actual path" (like Mike said), I'd guess that "planned path" might be harder.

Looks like Galil has lots of info on site.
Not like the old days- I think most of the gory stuff is plug-and-play.

Ref the control to use - a picture box should be ok.
Have fun!



Jay Maechtlen

http://www.laserpubs.com/techcomm