Lathe Tool Changer

[cnckeith]

4.10 Lathe Pro supports Automatic tool changers as advertised.
To retrofit a turret you will have to modify the PLC and Macro code to fit your particular turret.

we are working on adding a "hold your hand" auto generate code style ATC setup into the Acorn Wizard that will simply ask you questions about your particular turret and generate the PLC and macro code for the ATC. This takes time.. there are ALOT of combinations with all the different ATC's out there!:-)

we are here to help, please be sure to provide enough information about your turret and post a fresh report so we can see the PLC program and macros you have been working on.

[Threedj16]

4.10 Lathe Pro supports Automatic tool changers as advertised.
To retrofit a turret you will have to modify the PLC and Macro code to fit your particular turret.

we are working on adding a "hold your hand" auto generate code style ATC setup into the Acorn Wizard that will simply ask you questions about your particular turret and generate the PLC and macro code for the ATC. This takes time.. there are ALOT of combinations with all the different ATC's out there!:-)

we are here to help, please be sure to provide enough information about your turret and post a fresh report so we can see the PLC program and macros you have been working on.

Thanks Keith, I started my own thread for this specific turret with full specs on my operation of tool turret and pics. I spent today reading the manual and think I am starting to understand it a little bit. I've read through it several times now, just not as quick to pick up on learning new code like I used to be....gotta love getting old....but better than the alternative.

My thread - viewtopic.php?f=60&t=1710

[Chaz]

I tried to get a file from him too but no response via Youtube. You can actually pause the vid and copy it. For me, I had to use a different approach anyways, so it doensnt work for what I needed.

So it's just the short file that needs changing, not the multi page file. This actually helps a ton. I thought the source file had to be modded. This maybe workable.

Ok, watching the video again, why is he modding the cnctch.mac file for a turret change? It also appears just changing that file isn't the only file which needs modding. I'm looking at the 8-position-gray-code.src file and see there are a lot of variables which need changing there too.

Thank you,
Jasen

Yes. Just the 'macro' file.

[Threedj16]

I tried to get a file from him too but no response via Youtube. You can actually pause the vid and copy it. For me, I had to use a different approach anyways, so it doensnt work for what I needed.

So it's just the short file that needs changing, not the multi page file. This actually helps a ton. I thought the source file had to be modded. This maybe workable.

Ok, watching the video again, why is he modding the cnctch.mac file for a turret change? It also appears just changing that file isn't the only file which needs modding. I'm looking at the 8-position-gray-code.src file and see there are a lot of variables which need changing there too.

Thank you

Yes. Just the 'macro' file.

Thanks. But seems like other parameters need changing somewhere. Like which input monitors tool sensor and tool 1, also which output sets motor in motion. Or do you just set all those values in turret macro?

[Chaz]

So it's just the short file that needs changing, not the multi page file. This actually helps a ton. I thought the source file had to be modded. This maybe workable.

Ok, watching the video again, why is he modding the cnctch.mac file for a turret change? It also appears just changing that file isn't the only file which needs modding. I'm looking at the 8-position-gray-code.src file and see there are a lot of variables which need changing there too.

Thank you,
Jasen

Yes. Just the 'macro' file.

Thanks. But seems like other parameters need changing somewhere. Like which input monitors tool sensor and tool 1, also which output sets motor in motion. Or do you just set all those values in turret macro?

Ah, if you use extra inputs etc I believe you need PLC code to do this. So the macro file and PLC code needs to be used. There are some examples of this code on some other threads (Search for M107 (if I remember correctly) / ATC) and you will find them.

[cnckeith]

Hello. The latest Acorn Lathe Turret BETA program are available here.
viewtopic.php?f=63&t=1340
They have detailed instructions and schematics and are pretty easy to install and configure. we even included a truth table calculator to help with the grey logic settings (thanks to marty for that one) I'm pretty sure i would have never said that ATC PLC programming in the Wizard is two weeks out, sorry for any confusion. We are putting time and energy into and offering these ATC PLC and macros free of charge.

[Threedj16]

Hello. The latest Acorn Lathe Turret BETA program are available here.
viewtopic.php?f=63&t=1340
They have detailed instructions and schematics and are pretty easy to install and configure. we even included a truth table calculator to help with the grey logic settings (thanks to marty for that one) I'm pretty sure i would have never said that ATC PLC programming in the Wizard is two weeks out, sorry for any confusion. We are putting time and energy into and offering these ATC PLC and macros free of charge.

Mark,
Scott is working on adding basic turret setups into the wizard at the moment.
currently you can set up atc turrets manually by editing and writing the PLC code for the turret and setting up some parameters...and while we started to write up instructions on how to do that...it was almost easier to just add the capability for the wizard to auto PLC program and configure the parameters for several common types of ATC lathe turrets which would make it pretty simple to get atc turret functionality going for non plc programming users. Scott's estimate on a beta for this new wizard feature is about a week from now.

in the meantime i suggest you document how your particular turret works. start wtih make, model, post some photos and most importantly a description of the sensor logic functionality. and do you have a schematic of the turret logic sensors that you can post? basically full information to describe the turret and how it works. then we can begin to setup Acorn/CNC12 to match.

Since I think that was directed at me, the site's search feature works well. Nov 7, 2017. But yes, after working on it myself and with Mario, it was a lot more complicated than most people thought it would be due to all the different turret designs and control possibilities.

viewtopic.php?f=60&t=1095&p=5496&hilit= ... zard#p5496

[cnckeith]

well in my defense...i did say that Scott said it was going to be a few weeks! i know better now. blame it on optimism.
the beta ATC programs work. and they are free and easy to install...that's what we got for now!

[Threedj16]

well in my defense...i did say that Scott said it was going to be a few weeks! i know better now. blame it on optimism.
the beta ATC programs work. and they are free and easy to install...that's what we got for now!

Yup, I've had mine working for well over a year and a half.