I’m a high school robotics coach; our team is going to purchase an MR-1 to enable our students an entry to working with billet materials and to supplement a router that is the core of our production.
I wanted to check with the forum/community so I can be a good steward of the money that’s been made available to the team. Most questions I have have been addressed by YouTube videos and posts.
Our only real consideration at present is the control computer/touch screen option. Is it worth the added cost, or are we better off sourcing our own control computer + monitor? It seems like the MR-1 is just looking for software over usb on a very basic machine, and we’d be able to save a few hundred dollars by using and existing windows machine we have access.
On that thought, has anyone mounted a monitor to the top of the machine? How does that work for you if so? Space is a consideration for us, and I’m keen to use the touch pendant and a top mounted screen instead of the touch screen, if both are of similar functionality.
My machine has one, but I don’t use it. I have a conventional keyboard and mouse installed. I got tired of the coolant off my fingers running down the screen.
It is a good machine. I highly recommend it to your facility.
I find the touch screen easy to use. I use a touch stylus instead of my fingers to keep the screen free of coolant. I also mounted the screen to be parallel with the right side of the machine and it folds in toward the doors, The doors are bifold to the left giving me easy access to the inside of the machine and the touch screen.
You can mount the monitor anywhere the power, video, and USB cords can reach (you’d have to make the mounts of course). Pretty much any newer intel chip PC will work. AMD boxes are hit and miss. The touch screen is handy, but not a necessity.
I like my touch screen, but its not anywhere close to being an absolute must. The system requires alot of input, due to constant safety confirmations and whatnot. Those are easier to do with a touchscreen.
I bought this one, as I had to have articulation due to where I put the mill. The mount installs via two bolt holes. I mounted it in a pre-existing hole in the leg and drilled another one.
I wouldn’t recommend the PC. I was disappointed to see that you couldn’t upgrade the RAM (which is needed in my opinion) and it was a bit pricy for what it is. Also Intel or AMD doesn’t matter, they both work well - I’m not sure where the hit & miss comes from on that. I asked for how much just for the touch screen and that price wasn’t that bad.
They referred to the AMD power saver chip in several mini computers. This chip does not work well with plasma tables. Amazon.com This unit works remarkably well. It has plenty of RAM and a 500 hard drive—$ 169. I run three of them for years now without problems. Make sure you buy this one. It does not have any power-saver chips or crap.
The N100 or N95 chips are good choices. I know that these chips work with my equipment. Hell, the little thing can even run Fusion. You will get a video card alert if you are using a 3D program, but even then, it still works.
