Maybe consider something like Bart Drings -  Universal Controller 
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMwXUbWLic0

For anyone considering using SPI to a light weight step generator on 
standard 3D printer hardware, take a look at Remora project - 
docs https://remora-docs.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html
code - https://github.com/scottalford75/Remora
Default configs are currently for 2 3D printers but many CNCs are just a 
hal and ini file away. And building/porting the Machinekit hal module.

On Friday, November 27, 2020 at 8:03:26 PM UTC-8 [email protected] wrote:

> Hello,
>
> Are people still staying interested in an add-on Cape for the BBB/BBAI 
> with many input/output channels for Servos/Steppers? I have not put 
> anything together myself. I like the idea of Open Source being relevant now 
> and in the future for people like me who tend to not know everything but 
> that is a person that still likes to make. 
>
> Realistically, there are many advantages to this idea. Not only can a Cape 
> be useful on such a SiP device or SoC device, it can also pave the way for 
> other future endeavors to take place for machines.
>
> For instance, I am by far an expert as many of you already know but I have 
> learned many things in my time dealing with 3.3v, BBB.io boards. 
>
> Now, although I cannot write a full on script to produce everything needed 
> from the gpio.h and gpio.c files in the kernel, I can use 
> specific-already-made libraries w/ ease.
>
> Machinekit seems to be one of these feature-rich libraries that has its 
> own shtick and I want to use it w/ new/old ideas of machine workings. 
>
> Seth
>
> P.S. For the ongoing effort by the beagleboard.org group and speaking for 
> myself, I would like to finalize working w/ more powerful servos outside of 
> 5v tech. So, if people are starting to give in on this effort, please do 
> not. I can use it and once the word gets out on a specified Cape for the 
> BBB/BBAI that deals w/ heavier motors, I am sure people would flock towards 
> a powerful alternative. Esp. for the beagleboard.org related hardware and 
> Open Source efforts of anyone still involved and that will be involved in 
> the future, learning is mostly part of what we do daily. Without the Open 
> Source community, people do not learn of new alternatives to older ideas 
> unless directly associated with these ideas in business or work. Also, to 
> anyone still building Capes out there in Open Source land, there are some 
> Cape diagrams on KiCAD. It is not easy to mfg. a Cape and produce source in 
> combination for novices like me but there are many people out there who can 
> compensate for my lack of knowledge. "Just a refresher!" I am trying to 
> keep this effort ongoing and not dead in the water. I know it is not up to 
> me but I want my "two-cents" to be heard for any bored receivers/believers.
> On Friday, June 26, 2020 at 10:14:01 PM UTC-5 [email protected] wrote:
>
>> EtherCAT is used extensively in industry, a signification number of the 
>>> CNC controllers now only support EtherCAT servos and IO. 
>>>
>>> The cost of using EtherCAT for CNCs has dropped significantly in the 
>>> last 5 years with a number of smaller suppliers of servo hardware 
>>> producing products. 
>>>
>>> Companies like LNC (www.lnc.com.tw) and Moon Industries 
>>> (https://www.moonsindustries.com). 
>>>
>>> My family business has been using EtherCAT hardware on our wool sampling 
>>> machines for the last 7 years. Its totally changed how we think about 
>>> our machines and the way forward. I can say with 100% certainly that we 
>>> would not be making our machines any more if I had not found EtherCAT 
>>> eight years ago. 
>>>
>>> Now for the purposes of making a BBB MachineKit board which make the job 
>>> of controlling my DIY / semi-commercial CNC. 
>>>
>>> I'm not sure. It would be cool. 
>>>
>>> But do not dismiss the idea out of hand. The ASIC's are not that 
>>> expensive and there are other suppliers out there who are interested in 
>>> having there chips/products used by DIY. 
>>>
>>> One of these is 
>>> https://www.bausano.net/en/hardware/ethercat-e-arduino/easycat.html or 
>>>
>>> https://www.bausano.net/en/hardware/ethercat-e-arduino/ethercat-and-raspberry.html
>>>  
>>>
>>> Cheers All 
>>>
>>> Mike 
>>>
>>>
>> Maybe Ethercat is more prevalent than what I see, I still see alot of 
>> Modbus in use even on higher end drives.
>>
>> Well the bus can be mastered now, using hal drivers at the cost of only 
>> the BB ethernet port AFAIK. The slave is the hardware concern, albeit 
>> dedicating some PRU resources from the BBAI or an on board ASIC. What's 
>> that do to the seeed board if the seed board is looking to support both the 
>> BBB which can't do ethercat on the PRU (AFAIK) and the BBAI that supposedly 
>> can. Would it be worth the complication on a board like this? Is Mesa SS a 
>> good concession considering the concerns above about extra IO that can 
>> easily be added on a SS channel, and I'm sure work for both BB's 
>> universally?
>>
>>
>>

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