Backlash compensation is a must have!

[SuperUserG]

A must-have feature for hobby machines is "backlash compensation". I was sold on the Buildbotics controller, its a really awesome product, but I'm really starting to wonder if I should stick with mach3 for the backlash compensation especially since there are no future plans to add this in the software.

If there were any future plans to add this, I would pull the trigger and buy a Buildbotics system and I'm sure you would gain more interest and defiantly increase sales.

[Doug]

We hope to add that capability in the future, but we do not have the work scheduled.

[SuperUserG]

Thank you for the quick reply, let's get the feature scheduled. Who do I need to yell at to get it done LOL?

[Skyler]

I couldn't agree more! I think adding features like this would really help the BB control be more widely adopted.

[Earsmith]

I have an older TAIG 4 axis mill with lead screws and lack of this feature stopped me from ordering the Buildbotics controller. Count me in when it becomes available.

[cerickard2]

I was about to buy Buildbotics for my Sherline because I love the all-in-one nature of it, but backlash compensation appears to be a must-have for leadscrew machines. Oh well...

[SuperUserG]

Are there any updates on backlash compensation, any testing going on, still on the ToDo list?

[phillip]

Also very interested in this feature. I have a Sherline mill and lathe, and picked up the Buildbotics controller without realizing backlash compensation wasn't implemented. So pretty disappointing that I haven't been able to take it for a spin yet.

Is there a more official place (on github, perhaps) to upvote or otherwise show support for features such as this? I'd be happy to try and help implement and/or test as well, as time allows, if somebody can help point me in the right direction.

[SuperUserG]

Still nothing in the pipeline for Backlash compensation?

[BBuser]

I haven't seen any replies on backlash from a developer in a couple years. Is there still anyone supporting the firmware in general? If so, I'm also willing to help get this solved but it's not time efficient for me to learn the whole development process. It seems like if the current code already respects acceleration and deceleration, then you basically just need to compute a new endpoint at any location where one or more of the motors reaches a point of inflection. (direction change) then you bring the motors to a stop at that point just as you would if that were the actual end of a line or arc. Next you apply the backlash to any motors that change direction at that point. (you could use the regular parameters for that motion or have a different set given that the load for backlash movement would be considerably less) Last, you just restart normal movement from that point as you would if that were the normal startpoint of a line or arc.