One PC for multiple Acorns?

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ScotY
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Re: One PC for multiple Acorns?

Post by ScotY »

martyscncgarage wrote: Wed Aug 29, 2018 6:24 pm I see no attachments. And at less than $200 for a PC, I'm not so sure I'd go through the trouble, but to each his own!
Marty
The attachments are on page 1 of this thread, posted by Scott. It’s not just another PC...another monitor, keyboard, mouse, desk/table, etc. For me, while I can be cheap in certain areas, it’s also lack of space. You guys on the mainland have no idea what being space constrained means. Your garage is bigger than my entire house and my garage probably costs as much as your entire house.:lol: The one problem with this idea is I’d have to make the PC/monitor mobile. Currently, it’s between the mill and lathe and I just swing the monitor in the direction I need it. There’s not really a convenient way to put the single PC in the middle of 3 machines.
Last edited by ScotY on Wed Aug 29, 2018 6:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
ScotY
Posts: 654
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:57 pm
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Location: Honolulu, HI

Re: One PC for multiple Acorns?

Post by ScotY »

tkbot47 wrote: Wed Aug 29, 2018 6:09 pm I have successfully run two Acorn machines off of one Intel NUC. I have two Acorns, two pro licenses (one lathe and one mill), and I run one ethernet cable out of the computer into a Netgear Gigaswitch, then one cable each from the switch to the two machines. Works great, as long as the software is in two different directories, and you NEVER run them or power them up at the same time.
Tom
I am doing the exact same thing, except I’m using a manual switch. Works great. I now want to add another Acorn for a second mill. This changes everything...I think. :lol:
ScotY
Posts: 654
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Re: One PC for multiple Acorns?

Post by ScotY »

Btw, the reason I want to do all this is I want to get rid of the Pathpilot controller on my new 440 mill. I haven’t even used it and I already don’t like it. I just bought it because it made things quick and easy to get it moving.

Changing the subject...there are a couple of things about the Pathpilot software that are nicer than CNC12. I know, even speaking of the 2 in the same sentence is an insult! :lol: First, the conversational programming has nice graphics...looks a little easier for dimwits like myself to figure out. The second thing is setting work offsets is quite a bit easier...less button pushing. I know I’m being lazy, but still. Anyway, I think people are sold on Pathpilot because of it’s pretty face. I’m spoiled by CNC12...soooo much more you can do!
martyscncgarage
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Location: Mesa, AZ

Re: One PC for multiple Acorns?

Post by martyscncgarage »

ScotY wrote: Wed Aug 29, 2018 6:37 pm
tkbot47 wrote: Wed Aug 29, 2018 6:09 pm I have successfully run two Acorn machines off of one Intel NUC. I have two Acorns, two pro licenses (one lathe and one mill), and I run one ethernet cable out of the computer into a Netgear Gigaswitch, then one cable each from the switch to the two machines. Works great, as long as the software is in two different directories, and you NEVER run them or power them up at the same time.
Tom
I am doing the exact same thing, except I’m using a manual switch. Works great. I now want to add another Acorn for a second mill. This changes everything...I think. :lol:
If I understand him correctly, he is using an unmanaged Gigabit Switch (Electronic)
If you had 10 ports you could plug 10 acorns into it, BUT like he said, you can only have one Acorn powered up at a time and have 10 different directories with CNC12 on one computer. But you would have to keep track of which Acorn is powered up and which CNC 12 directory matches up with that Acorn. Maybe CNCM-1, CNCM-2, CNCM-3, CNCT-4, CNCT-5, each machine is numbered and each of their respective Acorns goes into that number port on the switch.

Correct me if I am wrong Tom.
Marty
Reminder, for support please follow this post: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=383
We can't "SEE" what you see...
Mesa, AZ
tkbot47
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Re: One PC for multiple Acorns?

Post by tkbot47 »

martyscncgarage wrote: Wed Aug 29, 2018 7:01 pm
ScotY wrote: Wed Aug 29, 2018 6:37 pm
tkbot47 wrote: Wed Aug 29, 2018 6:09 pm I have successfully run two Acorn machines off of one Intel NUC. I have two Acorns, two pro licenses (one lathe and one mill), and I run one ethernet cable out of the computer into a Netgear Gigaswitch, then one cable each from the switch to the two machines. Works great, as long as the software is in two different directories, and you NEVER run them or power them up at the same time.
Tom
I am doing the exact same thing, except I’m using a manual switch. Works great. I now want to add another Acorn for a second mill. This changes everything...I think. :lol:
If I understand him correctly, he is using an unmanaged Gigabit Switch (Electronic)
If you had 10 ports you could plug 10 acorns into it, BUT like he said, you can only have one Acorn powered up at a time and have 10 different directories with CNC12 on one computer. But you would have to keep track of which Acorn is powered up and which CNC 12 directory matches up with that Acorn. Maybe CNCM-1, CNCM-2, CNCM-3, CNCT-4, CNCT-5, each machine is numbered and each of their respective Acorns goes into that number port on the switch.

Correct me if I am wrong Tom.
Marty
Marty,
You are correct. The switch I'm using is a 5 port, and I only have one lathe and one mill, so distinguishing them is easy. Since each license is tied to a board, you can't really run a machine properly with the wrong license (never tried it), but you wouldn't get much done :) I just wanted to point out that with 3 cables and the switch you can hookup the two machines, and they run smoothly through the switch. As far as I know, the only way to run 2 or more boards simultaneously is to dedicate a computer and license to each machine.
Tom
kyanite
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Re: One PC for multiple Acorns?

Post by kyanite »

ScotY wrote: Wed Aug 29, 2018 4:07 pm
diycncscott wrote: Tue Oct 17, 2017 1:45 pm Mill and lathe are in separate directories so just install and select the shortcut you want if only running 1 mill and 1 lathe. Just move the ethernet cable between the 2 acorns.

For multiple mills I wrote a couple of batch files, the format is pretty easy to follow.

1. Copy both mill1.bat and mill2.bat into your cncm directory (they were renamed as .txt for posting purposes)
2. Create shortcuts to the batch files
3. Configure mill1 as you require.
4. Create a file named c:\cncm\cncm1.txt
5. Exit Acorn software
6. Create directorys named c:\cncm1 & c:\cncm2
7. Click the shortcut for mill1.bat - this will copy all the settings for mill1 to c:\cncm1
8. Exit Acorn software
9. Plug the ethernet cable into Acorn#2
10. Run the Wizard again. Click "Restore Drive Defaults", then click "Reset CNC Configuration", configure mill2 as needed and then click "Write Settings to CNC control configuration"
11. Create file named c:\cncm\cncm2.txt, delete c:\cncm\cncm1.txt
12. Click the shortcut for mill2.bat
Has anyone tried this? I'm contemplating the need for this process (2 mills plus 1 lathe, all on one PC) and, out of curiosity, took a look at the two attached files. They look identical. My total lack of programming understanding cannot comprehend how this works. :lol: Currently, I use one PC to run one mill and one lathe with a "manual" RJ45 switch. I realize it's not recommended, but it works without problems for me.
I'm in a similar situation. One acorn with mill license and one without for the meantime. I had hoped I could just make a different windows admin account for each machine. Not sure if this is easier than the batch method, but maybe a cloned windows partition or second hard drive to dual boot.
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