ShopBot Acorn ATC retrofit

Post your completed retrofits for the world to see.

Moderator: cnckeith

Toaster
Posts: 195
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2018 5:25 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: No
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

ShopBot Acorn ATC retrofit

Post by Toaster »

Hey everyone, I've been running Acorn on my ShopBot for a couple of years now. I blew up another HSD spindle earlier this year and finally decided to go the ATC route. I got a CNC Depot S30C spindle and retrofitted it:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/AFtf83bhhoeiDpb87

I have a pretty beefy control system and steppers (thanks Gary Campbell) however it is open looped. I wanted to set this up in such a way that there were plenty of fail safes so I didn't drop tools on the floor or do any other damage.

I have a Hitachi Wj200 VFD and I was able to set it up so that a relay closes when the spindle is completely stopped, That is wired into an air pressure switch. I have both of those sensors on a circuit connected to an input on Acorn. If that sensor, and the VFD relay aren't closed there's no circuit. Once there is a circuit my code will allow the tool change to start. This is to ensure that I have plenty of air, and that the spindle is truly stopped before releasing the draw bar.

From there I have the M6 script setup to drive over to each prox switch and check it's location. It's pretty simple, basically I built a quick and dirty test script to drive to each prox switch and noted it's location. When M6 starts, the machine goes to where those switches should be. If I'm within a few thousands the M6 script continues, if I'm off an error gets put up and I can choose to re-home. That way I never try to pick up or drop off a tool if location isn't spot on.

From there it's a pretty standard tool change. The only surprise mod I had to do was the dust dock you see in the video.

I'm sure there are more complex ATC systems out there with more fail safes, but I feel like this is pretty solid for what I'm working with. If I do anything more with it I might get an Acorn breakout board and add some sensors for tool in/tool out in the forks and also for the dust shoe...
slodat
Posts: 793
Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2018 11:16 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: No
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: ShopBot Acorn ATC retrofit

Post by slodat »

Nice work!

Would you be up for sharing your m6 macro?
Toaster
Posts: 195
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2018 5:25 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: No
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: ShopBot Acorn ATC retrofit

Post by Toaster »

I'd be happy to share the macro when I'm done with it. Right now it's a bit of a mess. I need to clean it up, fix the comments, etc. Once I do I'm happy to post it.
Toaster
Posts: 195
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2018 5:25 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: No
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: ShopBot Acorn ATC retrofit

Post by Toaster »

This is my mfunc6 file I'm using. I cleaned it up so it's more readable. Let me know if you have any questions.
Attachments
mfunc6.mac
(4.26 KiB) Downloaded 279 times
TheKitMill
Posts: 153
Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2017 1:52 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: No
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: ShopBot Acorn ATC retrofit

Post by TheKitMill »

Very nice work Well done
martyscncgarage
Posts: 9912
Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2017 12:01 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: Yes
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: Yes
CPU10 or CPU7: Yes
Location: Mesa, AZ

Re: ShopBot Acorn ATC retrofit

Post by martyscncgarage »

Very nice! You should post the video to YouTube! Let everyone see your work.
Thanks for sharing your success!
Marty
Reminder, for support please follow this post: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=383
We can't "SEE" what you see...
Mesa, AZ
cnckeith
Posts: 7166
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:23 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: Yes
Oak CNC controller: Yes
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: Yes
CNC11: Yes
CPU10 or CPU7: Yes
Contact:

Re: ShopBot Acorn ATC retrofit

Post by cnckeith »

thanks for posting eric! fantastic, please post a fresh report.zip so we can see all your configuration. thanks, Keith
Need support? READ THIS POST first. http://centroidcncforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=1043
All Acorn Documentation is located here: viewtopic.php?f=60&t=3397
Answers to common questions: viewforum.php?f=63
and here viewforum.php?f=61
Gear we use but don't sell. https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... _gear.html
Toaster
Posts: 195
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2018 5:25 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: No
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: ShopBot Acorn ATC retrofit

Post by Toaster »

Here it is!
report_74E18288DD00-1016181237_2021-01-28_12-02-00.zip
(742.01 KiB) Downloaded 229 times
I still have a lot of detail to iron out, but it does work daily.

For those of you trying to do something like this I'd definitely recommend the expansion board so you have more inputs. My setup does work very well and does have safety systems in place, but I'd love for them to be more granular.
Toaster
Posts: 195
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2018 5:25 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: No
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: ShopBot Acorn ATC retrofit

Post by Toaster »

Little update on the swap, I finally got the tool rack in the correct spot:

RogDC
Posts: 144
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2020 2:40 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: ShopBot Acorn ATC retrofit

Post by RogDC »

Toaster,
Looks great. Would you mind sharing your updated macro and latest report?

Working on my ATC rack this weekend and hope to get it working as well as yours.
Post Reply