LinuxCNC controlled Grizzley G0704 mill with a Mesa 7i76e

CNC build: Grizzley G0704 LinuxCNC controlled with a Mesa 7i76





7i76e user manuel

http://www.mesanet.com/pdf/parallel/7i76eman.pdf


So to get linuxcnc working with the MESA 7i76e you are going to need an appropriate realtime kernel.  Here are the steps provided to me by PCW from Mesa Electronics, I may have made slight modifications based on notes or changes I needed to impliment based on my experience.

cd ~

mkdir rtlinux

cd rtlinux

wget ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v3.x/linux-3.18.11.tar.xz

wget https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/projects/rt/3.18/patch-3.18.11-rt7.patch.gz

tar -xpf linux-3.18.11.tar.xz

gunzip patch-3.18.11-rt7.patch.gz

// now copy the contents of rtconfig into .config inside linux-3.18.11

// this can be found at http://freeby.mesanet.com/rtconfig

cp patch-3.18.11-rt7.patch linux-3.18.11

cd linux-3.18.11

cat patch-3.18.11-rt7.patch | patch -p1

make xconfig

//ok at this point a window will open, make sure "fully premptable kernel" is enabled

//then close the kernel config, the configuration file should have enabled this.

make

// for my machine(asrock 1900-itx), make took a good chunck of the day..
// I am aware there are ways you can issue the make command that will utilise more of the processors // but I was unable to issue them without complicating the task beyond my means to figure out.
 

sudo make modules_install

sudo make install

// now when you reboot you should have a fully premptable kernel, which you should see at the top of grub apon booting

/****** instructions on how to get a copy of linuxcnc that you want for the 7i76e *****/

 //  you will need this or else the regular branch of linuxcnc won't have the stuff you need to talk to
// the 7i76e

cd ~

sudo apt-get install git-core gitk git-gui

sudo apt-get build-dep linuxcnc

sudo apt-get install linux-image-3.2.0-4-rt-686-pae

sudo apt-get install libudev-dev

sudo apt-get install iptables-persistent

// save rules yes

// save rules yes

git clone git://git.linuxcnc.org/git/linuxcnc.git linuxcnc-dev

cd linuxcnc-dev

git checkout master

git pull

cd src

./autogen.sh

./configure --with-realtime=uspace

make

sudo make setuid

cd ..

. scripts/rip-environment
//   you need to run this command each time you run linuxcnc


man hm2_eth

// follow the instructions in the man to get things further set up

address of 7i76 card:

192.168.1.121

Add these lines to the file /etc/network/interfaces to  configure  eth1

       with a static address:

       auto eth1

       iface eth1 inet static

           address 192.168.1.1

These instructions assume your dedicated network interface  is  "eth1",

       192.168.1/24

 The  board  must  have  its  hardware  loaded  on  the  board  by   the

       mesaflash(1) program.

 By  default, Linux may transmit IPv6 packets on all interfaces, even if

       they are not explicitly configured  with  global  IPv6  addresses.   In

       /etc/sysctl.conf, disable ipv6 on eth1 by adding this line:

       net.ipv6.conf.eth1.disable_ipv6=1

   Configure iptables for exclusive access

       Install  the  package  "iptables-persistent"  and  put this in the file

       /etc/iptables/rules.v4 (remove leading whitespace from every line):

       *filter

       :OUTPUT ACCEPT [0:0]

       :hm2-eth-rules-output - [0:0]

       -A OUTPUT -j hm2-eth-rules-output

       COMMIT

       If this configuration is present, then when hm2_eth loads it  will  add

       rules  restricting  use of the interface to only its own UDP socket; at

       (normal) exit, it will remove the rules.  You can  manually  clear  the

       rules with sudo iptables -F hm2-eth-rules-output.

       If  you  already  use  iptables,  create an empty chain named "hm2-eth-

       rules-output" (you must use this name; it is hardcoded in hm2_eth), and

       place  a  call to this rule early in the OUTPUT chain, before any rules

       that could potentially pass packets out eth1.

my particular machine only had one ethernet port

so I had to purchase a usb ethernet adapter and configure the network interfaces

set the w2, w3 jumpers

then I modified 7i76es1.ini  to connect to the address  

(09:25:19 PM) PCW: step_type 0 = step/dir

(09:25:21 PM) PCW: step_type 1 = up/down CW/CCW

(09:25:22 PM) PCW: step_type 2 and > = Table driven

(09:26:10 PM) Computer_barf: my x axis is stuck but I believe thats probably mechanical

(09:26:15 PM) PCW: man hostmot2 for the meaning of all the hardware parameters

(09:26:22 PM) andypugh: furrywolf: Yes, they are pressed in.

(09:26:34 PM) andypugh: But that’s a mad price

(09:26:57 PM) furrywolf: yeah, that's just a random forum link.  it's for a hitachi that's identical to my bosch.  figure that one out!

(09:27:22 PM) PCW:  also you must determine the max velocity and acceleration (so expect stalls until you get these set)

(09:27:30 PM) andypugh: furrywolf:  http://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/product_detail.php?products_id=152959&gclid=CJaji9DzocUCFUyWtAodpGMAwg

(09:27:39 PM) andypugh: Is that a less frightening price?

(09:27:43 PM) PCW: bbl dinner

(09:27:48 PM) Computer_barf: PCW: commentary logged to notes,  at this point im going to slow down and read over all the stuff ive saved, i wrote down before about the velocity and accelleration settings.

(09:27:59 PM) MrFluffy: budget bearing, does that mean it comes pre worn out?

(09:28:09 PM) PCW: Well that was easy :-)

(09:28:18 PM) PCW left the room (quit: Quit: ChatZilla 0.9.91.1 [Firefox 37.0.2/20150415140819]).

TB6

inputs

00 estop in

01 x home

02 y home

03 z home

04 probe in

05 x maximum limit

06 y maximum limit

07 z maximim limit

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

15

output's

00 ESTOP Out

01 Coolant Flood

02

03

04

05

06

0



flashing the 7i76

ive not done this but this is the command I believe needs to be run to do so: 

mesaflash --device 7i76e --addr 10.10.10.10 --readhmid