Dynomotion

Group: DynoMotion Message: 10357 From: karmannelectric Date: 10/21/2014
Subject: Mach3 to KMotionCNC?
Has anyone else given up on Mach_X_ and converted to KMotionCNC?  I'm a bit tired of waiting for Mach3 to be supported, and given up on waiting for Mach4 ever to be released.... and recently realized that I can buy a KFlop for (likely less than) the purchase price of Mach4 (if it is ever released...).....

So... is there anyone out there familiar with both, and can tell me the pros and cons of KMotionCNC vs Mach3?  Mach3 is pretty much all I've ever known for the past 15+ years.... I have gotten a pick and place machine working with Mach3, but it is a struggle to find documentation (most of which is conflicting) for macros, 'brains', user variables, etc.... and I'm afraid if I ever did wait for Mach4, it will be 'all new' again, and be another few years for the details to be documented.

If I'm going to make the jump, I'm going to convert all my CNC equipment to KMotionCNC; my CNC mill, my CNC lathe, pick and place machine, coil winder, _everything_.  Which is why I'm interested in the experiences of people who have used Mach3 and converted to KMotionCNC.

One thing that scares me is that Tom is the main support guy of KMotion.  His support is _amazing_; could not ask for more!  But I'm really afraid that if I make the jump, he might get burned out, or, _something_, and supporting this awesome product might not be his priority anymore...  Stuff like Dynomotion products, Mach3, etc, has enabled me to pursue  my American Dream (where I can work hard and achieve the success I'm willing to work for). But I'm a bit nervous to base it all on one person....  Mach_X_ has this cult following where there are users that will step up and answer newby questions; I worry that might not be true with KMotion....

Thanks everyone!

- Steve

P.S. anyone want a good deal on some SmoothStepper indexers?  Only work with Mach3, as the SDK has never been released.... I had planned on writing my own software to control the SmoothSteppers, and in anticipation bought 4 or 5 of them.... but the Software Development Kit never materialized...  In all reality, no, I don't think I would sell you, or even give you a smoothstepper board.... the KFlop is so much better...
Group: DynoMotion Message: 10359 From: carlcnc Date: 10/21/2014
Subject: Re: Mach3 to KMotionCNC?
Steve
jump in waters fine!
 I have done about 30 machines with Kflop
 mostly routers, from 2x2 -6x10.
this is over  I think a 7 year span. not ONE EVER failure of Tom's hardware,
if a bug creeps in ,he is quick to fix, been very few.

I have had the occasional connection issues, and EVERY time it traced back to either  the PC circuits,or dirty AC power.  never Tom's hardware

The user base has grown a lot last 2 years, several new guys with enough knowledge
[more than me]

  Wouldn't worry about Tom's support, and I'm sure he has a plan in case of burnout.... lol

biggest pro is the absolute reliability of the Trajectory planner, and flexibility
only con is, you need some patience to write any special C programs[scripts?]

 Carl
 
Group: DynoMotion Message: 10361 From: Sam Marrocco Date: 10/22/2014
Subject: Re: Mach3 to KMotionCNC?

On 10/21/2014 7:44 PM, steve@... [DynoMotion] wrote:
 

Has anyone else given up on Mach_X_ and converted to KMotionCNC?  I'm a bit tired of waiting for Mach3 to be supported, and given up on waiting for Mach4 ever to be released.... and recently realized that I can buy a KFlop for (likely less than) the purchase price of Mach4 (if it is ever released...).....




I've use KMotionCNC during my migration away from Mach3's ancient and buggy codebase. That led me to write my own CNC App. Like you I was waiting and waiting and finally gave up on the Mach_X rewrite. Although KMotionCNC seems fine enough for most users that run GCode I was after a whole 'nother level of customization and flexibility. Tom & company have never failed to provide the support I needed as I dove headfirst into KFlop and KMotionDotNet programming and I couldn't have figured it all out without them or the product. I would not hesitate to base a product or equipment on their hardware.

Mach3 has been around a while and may still have some features that you need but are lacking in KMotionCNC. BUT--if you are or have access to someone that can write code I have no doubt you could get what you need. You are correct about Mach4--over it's development cycle it has lost features that were promoted and is years late. for me the last straw was when scripting has been "demoted" to Lua.

I can totally understand your concerns about a "single point of failure", in this case Tom/Dynomotion, but as I often tell my engineers, any company can make a decision to change or eliminate a product line at any time. In my business (not CNC) I've had the rug pulled out from beneath me several times do to those type of events. To me, the benefits of the KFlop far outweigh such concerns. You however, may have millions of dollars riding on your decision to commit to KFlop and therefore have a different perspective.

Hope that helps.

sam marrocco | chief technical officer
ringside.cutters.picnic.moonlink

248 548 2500 w
248 910 3344 c

ringsidecreative.com

Group: DynoMotion Message: 10362 From: Wcarrothers Yahoo Date: 10/22/2014
Subject: Re: Mach3 to KMotionCNC?
My one machine that is k flop k analog runs Mach 3 on top.  My second which is kflop snap amp will for sure be running kmotion as for what ever reason I don't like how mach3 and the k get along on this particular machine where they live quite nicely on the other. 

So far has been great and will probably look back and ask why i never got on board.   Although I'm sure tom would have to be sick of having to know Mach ontop of all he already does to help us all

Far as single point of failure. I hope to buy a few extra kflops so I have a stash for after the apocolips.  

And if tom ever does wind things down I'm sure we will have a warning along with a last assembly run of units so we can stock up

Least that would hopefully be part of the plan.  

Then a few months from that we get to see the k's selling on eBay for 10x cost.  Ha.   

B

On Oct 22, 2014, at 8:57 AM, "Sam Marrocco SMarrocco@... [DynoMotion]" <DynoMotion@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 


On 10/21/2014 7:44 PM, steve@... [DynoMotion] wrote:
 

Has anyone else given up on Mach_X_ and converted to KMotionCNC?  I'm a bit tired of waiting for Mach3 to be supported, and given up on waiting for Mach4 ever to be released.... and recently realized that I can buy a KFlop for (likely less than) the purchase price of Mach4 (if it is ever released...).....




I've use KMotionCNC during my migration away from Mach3's ancient and buggy codebase. That led me to write my own CNC App. Like you I was waiting and waiting and finally gave up on the Mach_X rewrite. Although KMotionCNC seems fine enough for most users that run GCode I was after a whole 'nother level of customization and flexibility. Tom & company have never failed to provide the support I needed as I dove headfirst into KFlop and KMotionDotNet programming and I couldn't have figured it all out without them or the product. I would not hesitate to base a product or equipment on their hardware.

Mach3 has been around a while and may still have some features that you need but are lacking in KMotionCNC. BUT--if you are or have access to someone that can write code I have no doubt you could get what you need. You are correct about Mach4--over it's development cycle it has lost features that were promoted and is years late. for me the last straw was when scripting has been "demoted" to Lua.

I can totally understand your concerns about a "single point of failure", in this case Tom/Dynomotion, but as I often tell my engineers, any company can make a decision to change or eliminate a product line at any time. In my business (not CNC) I've had the rug pulled out from beneath me several times do to those type of events. To me, the benefits of the KFlop far outweigh such concerns. You however, may have millions of dollars riding on your decision to commit to KFlop and therefore have a different perspective.

Hope that helps.

sam marrocco | chief technical officer
ringside.cutters.picnic.moonlink

248 548 2500 w
248 910 3344 c

ringsidecreative.com