Relay Board Issues: Can't turn on some relays. (Resolved)

[rputman_cnc]

Hey guys,

Last Sunday I cut out my first real parts, a smiley face out of MDF, and a random design out of Coroplast. Now, I want to add dust collection. I want to use one of my unused relays (on the relay board) to turn on a bigger dust collection relay. Anyway, I am have trouble just turning on other relays other than the spindleFWD and spindleREV that I already have connected. This should be straight forward, but I am stumped as to what I am doing wrong. Attached is my report.

What works:
- from VCP or using MDI, I can M3/M4/M5 all day long to turn on the output relays assigned to spindleFWD and spindleREV. Spindle runs like a champ.
- I can force output relay #1 or whatever from ALT-I then doing a CNTL-ATL-F. That will toggle them no problem.

What's not working:
- If I have Flood or RouterDustCollection assigned to output relay #1, then issue M8 + cycle start. This will turn on the flood 'light' on the VCP, but not the actual relay. No click, and no Green light. I have no idea why.
- I also tried M94 /3 with no luck.
- as seen by my report I also have OUTPUT8 assigned to relay 8. I tried M68 and M94 /68 to no avail. I was just trying to get some other relay to toggle other than the ones I have assigned to the spindle.

I feel like there is a trick I am missing, or something I am doing wrong. Thoughts?

thanks,
Richard

[cncsnw]

When you got done testing with Alt-i and Ctrl-Alt-f, did you leave OUT1 forced off? I.e. is there still an underscore below OUT1?

If there is still an underscore below OUT1, then it is being forced off, and there is nothing the PLC program can do to turn on the relay.

You have to go back to the Alt-i screen, highlight OUT1, and press Ctrl-Alt-f again as needed until there is no underscore.

[martyscncgarage]

When you got done testing with Alt-i and Ctrl-Alt-f, did you leave OUT1 forced off? I.e. is there still an underscore below OUT1?

If there is still an underscore below OUT1, then it is being forced off, and there is nothing the PLC program can do to turn on the relay.

You have to go back to the Alt-i screen, highlight OUT1, and press Ctrl-Alt-f again as needed until there is no underscore.

Yup, what Marc said. Users don't realize you can actually turn off the output in the diagnostic screen. Those outputs showing an Underscore line, cursor over to them again and do as Marc directed above.

Let us know if that solves your issue.
Thank you!
Marty

[rputman_cnc]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the help! As usual, you were spot on. I had the underscore line on three of my relays. I guess I had played with them early on with the Ctrl-Alt-F. Now, an M8/M9 will turn on/off relay #1 since I have it assigned to flood. Also, manual mode + Flood on VCP will turn on that relay. Super cool!

As a suggestion to Centroid, a nice possible enhancement might be to include something like "(FORCED)" next the description of the relay assignment when you cursor over it. In other words, normally you would just see "Flood" when you cursor over it, but "Flood (FORCED)" if you had forced it on or off. I definitely looked at the description when I was trying to debug it, but didn't really notice the 'underscores'. Plus, it would give users something easy to search for on the forum.

Follow up questions #1: I currently have 'Flood' assigned to Output relay 1. Like I mentioned above, I am planning on hooking up the relay coil for the dust collection to this relay. My thought to ensure that the dust collection always goes on and off with the spindle was to add 'M94 /3' to both the cncm/mfunc3.??? and cmcm/mfunc4.??? macro functions. Then add 'M95 /3' to the cncm/mfunc5.??? one. However, there isn't a 'mfunc5.???' one. It goes mfunc3, mfunc4, mfunc7. Is the mfunc5, just built into the PLC? Can I just create a mfunc5 macro file?


Follow up questions #2: Adding 'M94 /3' to mfunc3 and mfunc4 worked like a champ. Now when I type M3 or M4 into the MDI, then the output relay #1 comes on. My question is really about the VCP. In the VCP, when I hit the Manual mode button, then SpindleFWD button (labeled M3), then the SpindleFWD relay comes on, but the Flood relay did not. It seemed like the VCP did not actually execute the M3 macro (mfunc3). Thoughts on what might be going on there? I need to re-read the VCP button assignment document again.

thanks again,
Richard

[cncsnw]

If you want to associate your dust collector output with your spindle output, in a way that works in both Auto mode (M3/M5) and Manual mode (using the VCP), then you need to make your change in the PLC program.

The PLC program is what decides whether and when to turn outputs on and off, in response to multiple inputs. The M3 macro is just one of the inputs to the PLC program that influences spindle operation.

[cnckeith]

we will have a router version of cnc12 out in beta here soon with common preprogrammed router functions and corresponding VCP buttons.
in mean time you can use the Wizard to assign outputs and edit the VCP to your liking. related documents.

https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... ctions.pdf

https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... amming.pdf

https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... manual.pdf

[rputman_cnc]

Thanks guys!

For Follow Up Question #2: I see now that when you click on a button in the VCP it is executing a "skin number" that executes code in the PLC that currently turns on a specific output that corresponds to the skin number. It isn't executing the custom M3 macro (mfunc3.mac) even though the button is labeled as such, it just turns on the SpindleFWD output. That's totally fine. I don't need the custom macro to execute when I hit the button in manual mode. I now see that is the expected behavior, but as CNCSNW mentions, I could change that by changing the PLC program.

For Followup Question #1: It seems like (according to CNC PLC, Macro and Skinning Programming Manual linked below) that I can create a custom macro for M5 and call it mfunc5.mac and stick it in the cncm/ directory and it will be picked up when I type M5 in the MDI or in a GCODE program. Am I missing anything? There is already a mfunc3.mac and mfun4.mac. I just wanted to make sure I didn't need to do anything special in addition to just sticking it in there.

https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... manual.pdf


thanks,
Richard

[rputman_cnc]

Just a quick final note/update: I was able to add a cncm/mfunc5.mac, and then add a ‘m95/3’ to that file to turn off the ‘flood’ when a M5 command is issued. Works great! Thanks for everyone’s help. You guys are great!

Thanks,
Richard

[martyscncgarage]

Just a quick final note/update: I was able to add a cncm/mfunc5.mac, and then add a ‘m95/3’ to that file to turn off the ‘flood’ when a M5 command is issued. Works great! Thanks for everyone’s help. You guys are great!

Thanks,
Richard

Thanks for letting us know you are good to go Richard!
Marty