Acorn expansion board

[cnckeith]

Thanks for the reply, already read that. Which is pretty cool. with 2 of them, i can do the whole thing. But I was wondering more in the time frame. Some guys already have the beta version right? I'm guessing maybe in a few months?

Dear Moderator cnckeith Let us know how things are going, Obviously I hope is going great! Already saw that there's a big difference in time response, it is because of the electronics in the network switch? Can we put another one configured with same ip's, etc? I'm thinking is not because of that. and if you guys are working in trying to make it work faster or clean code, well. is going to be a long journey. thanks in advance!

it is plenty fast enough most everything...page 13 of the setup guide explains...
Acorn input response is a screaming 5ms, Ehther1616 input response is around 100ms

[thermo44]

Thanks for the reply, already read that. Which is pretty cool. with 2 of them, i can do the whole thing. But I was wondering more in the time frame. Some guys already have the beta version right? I'm guessing maybe in a few months?

Dear Moderator cnckeith Let us know how things are going, Obviously I hope is going great! Already saw that there's a big difference in time response, it is because of the electronics in the network switch? Can we put another one configured with same ip's, etc? I'm thinking is not because of that. and if you guys are working in trying to make it work faster or clean code, well. is going to be a long journey. thanks in advance!

it is plenty fast enough most everything...page 13 of the setup guide explains...
Acorn input response is a screaming 5ms, Ehther1616 input response is around 100ms

Keith! I guess is going to be before Christmas? Thank you! I'll send you a bottle of rum!!

I'm starting to dissemble my Lagun FTV-1. it's outside, I'll be cleaning and trying to get it inside the house. tomorrow I'll have the first AC Chinese servo motor, I'll configure to receive step/dir pulses. I'll try to make a post and upload photos so anyone can see the progress. today I received my Acorn, not yet tested. Let's see how the cookie crumbles!!

[cnckeith]

[/quote]

I'm starting to dissemble my Lagun FTV-1. it's outside, I'll be cleaning and trying to get it inside the house. tomorrow I'll have the first AC Chinese servo motor, I'll configure to receive step/dir pulses. I'll try to make a post and upload photos so anyone can see the progress. today I received my Acorn, not yet tested. Let's see how the cookie crumbles!!
[/quote]

do the communication bench test first with nothing else connected to Acorn
then add one thing at a time..as you build up the bench test rig.

[cbb1962]

Keith,

Would you please post a list of the updated inputs and outputs? I remember a post where you asked what were some of the additional I/O tags that people would like to see.

Looking forward to it.

[cnckeith]

Clint,
Hello!
As you know any and all inputs and outputs on the Acorn and the Ether1616 are controlled by the Acorn PLC program.
the PLC program is completely open source and we even provide a cool debug tool called the "PLC Detective". therefore anyone can program any inputs or outputs on the Acorn board or the Ether1616 to their desired functionality by editing the Acorn PLC program. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... i2WKIedQlQ
Alternatively the Inputs and Outputs on the Acorn and the Ether1616 can be programmed by the Acorn setup Wizard by selecting any of the pre-programmed functions from the Input or Output list in the Wizard. With the introduction of Ether1616 we have added to the list of pre-programmed inputs and outputs and will continue to do so with each release. Here is a list of the ones we are working on now.

Inputs PLC name
Cycle Start CycleStart input for external button
Feed Hold FeedHold input for external button
Cycle Cancel CycleCancel input for external button
Tool Check ToolCheck input for external button
Individual Drive Fault input for each axis. FirstAxisDriveFault, SecondAxisDriveFault, etc.. add corresponding drive fault message "X axis drive Fault", "Y axis drive Fault" etc..
Draw Bar Active DrawBarActive
VFD Zero Speed VFDZeroSpeed
VFDUp to Speed VFDUpToSpeed
Spindle Thermal Alarm SpindleTempAlarm
works just like low lube….issues warning message, continues to run until job is complete
Low Air Pressure LowAirPressure works just like low air in cnc12 servo
ZRi Homing ZriHoming
ReleaseTool ReleaseTool works just like tool release in cnc12 servo
manual tool release button input

Outputs PLC name

VfdDirection VfdDirection
used to wire up and output to a VFD to control the direction of the motor FWD or REV with a SPDT relay.
TailStock in/out (also mention in another Jira item) TailStockInOut
Release Tool ReleaseTool
(atc spingle tool release work in conjuction with Release Tool input and VCP Aux 57 and a ATC tool change macros)
Activate DustFoot (output ON drops it, Out off raises it) ActivateDustFoot
Activate Laser (alignment tool) ActivateLaserAlign
Activate Air Blower ActivateAirBlow
(on/off vcp button to the right of floos works with this)

Dust collection DustCollection
(on/off just like M7, vcp mist button works with this)

Vacuum Hold Down VacuumHoldDown
(on/off just like M8, vcp mist button works with this)

Pop Up Pins on/off PopUpPins
HoldClamps on/off HoldClamps
Spindle Cooling (spindle fan, pump) on/off SpindleCooling

[rl49]

Hi Kieth, I have Haas VF0 circa 1993 that i have a acorn for refitting but have been waiting for the expansion board to implement the tool changer

Any possibility of getting on the beta test team?

[DLAM]

Kieth, is there an ballpark time frame when the expansion board will be released? I understand not releasing a date to be held to. I was just wondering if it is going to be days, weeks or months. Thank You.

[Gary Campbell]

Test Bench is getting busy with the addition of the ETH1616 expansion, ETH switch and a couple more 8 channel relay boards!!

[cbb1962]

Excited to see you have one for testing! I'm curious; was the Ethernet switch one that came with it or one you had on-hand? The pictures I saw in the documentation were of a StarTech not NetGear.

[cnckeith]

any good switch should work.. we purposefully did not send switches to the beta testers so they would use other makes/models of switches to confirm this.