50% Rapid Button

All things related to the Centroid Acorn CNC Controller

Moderator: cnckeith

Old_machinist
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2020 10:45 am
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: 3160
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

50% Rapid Button

Post by Old_machinist »

What would it take to have a 50% feed and rapid button?
The VCP works well, but a quick button would be nice during setups.

Charles Hopkins
Old_machinist
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2020 10:45 am
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: 3160
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: 50% Rapid Button

Post by Old_machinist »

Let me rephrase this question.
I was thinking of a macro which would preform the same task as the feed rate override. One VCP button for 50% and another button for 25% is what I am thinking. The question is mostly, can a macro do math?
cncsnw
Posts: 3763
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 5:48 pm

Re: 50% Rapid Button

Post by cncsnw »

In Centroid systems such as Acorn, "macro" typically implies a CNC (G-code) macro, such as a custom M function.

The feature you are asking for would be implemented in the PLC program, not in a CNC macro. There is no provision for G codes to change the feedrate override setting.

If you look in a typical PLC program, you can find the code that implements the "Feedrate 100%" button on the VCP, and the keyboard equivalent Ctrl-\:

Code: Select all

IF SkinFeedOver100 || KbFeedOver100_M THEN KbOverride_W = 100
If you added a line or two of logic that set the KbOverride_W variable to 25 or 50 in response to whatever keypresses you wanted to use, then the existing PLC logic would take care of the rest.
Old_machinist
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2020 10:45 am
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: 3160
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: 50% Rapid Button

Post by Old_machinist »

At this point, that is over my head.
But now I know it is possible, I will be motivated to learn enough to get myself in trouble.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Charles Hopkins
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: 50% Rapid Button

Post by martyscncgarage »

Old_machinist wrote: Mon Dec 21, 2020 7:46 pm At this point, that is over my head.
But now I know it is possible, I will be motivated to learn enough to get myself in trouble.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Charles Hopkins
Charles, consider simply consulting with Marc as to what his rate would be to create that feature for you.
Be careful though, once you modify the PLC, if you try and use the Wizard in the future, it may well overwrite the change.
This is the downside to using the Wizard and then customizing the PLC.

Marty
Reminder, for support please follow this post: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=383
We can't "SEE" what you see...
Mesa, AZ
Old_machinist
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2020 10:45 am
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: 3160
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: 50% Rapid Button

Post by Old_machinist »

Thanks Marty

That sound like a good plan as I am sure I don't know what I am doing.

How do I contact Marc?

Charles Hopkins
cncsnw
Posts: 3763
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 5:48 pm

Re: 50% Rapid Button

Post by cncsnw »

In my limited experience with Acorn, you can make any changes the PLC program source you want -- outside of the physical I/O definitions and the code that manages setting/resetting the unused physical I/O options -- and going forward the Wizard will use your changed source file out of the cncm/cnct directory as the basis for anything it generates in the future.

So, you can add custom jog panel buttons, and add code that uses those buttons to manipulate the feedrate override percent, and your changes will remain in place even if you go back to the Wizard for other configuration changes.
ashesman
Posts: 395
Joined: Thu Dec 03, 2020 4:54 am
Acorn CNC Controller: No
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: Yes
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: 50% Rapid Button

Post by ashesman »

I have a similar question along this line. My machine rapid is way too fast to control with buttons at full speed. Does the feed rate override knob on the control panel slow rapid movement down as well or just cutting feed rate? My machine currently has a separate rapid speed override and feed rate override control. I usually use rapid at 5-10% of full speed when controlling it manually.

So, maybe I will need these same controls to reduce rapid rate as Charles?
Sword
Posts: 651
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2018 1:04 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Plasma CNC Controller: No
AcornSix CNC Controller: No
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Hickory CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No
Location: Thorp WI

Re: 50% Rapid Button

Post by Sword »

In the wizard, under axis configuration, set your 'max rate' to what your machine will be limited to when issuing a G0 (rapid move) in a file or via the MDI. Set your 'fast jog' to what you want when using the fast jog buttons and then set the 'slow jog' for when using the slow jog buttons. It sounds like you have the max rate and fast jog set to the same value.

Scott
Scott
ashesman
Posts: 395
Joined: Thu Dec 03, 2020 4:54 am
Acorn CNC Controller: No
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: Yes
CNC Control System Serial Number: none
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: 50% Rapid Button

Post by ashesman »

Hi Scott,

I havent set my machine up yet. Still waiting for parts to ship... just trying to make sure I have it all covered. My machine can rapid at 24m/min which is around 15"/sec so need to be able to slow it down even during a dry run of a program otherwise before you blink something is broken!

Is there a way on standard centroid control to change the maximun rapid feed rate at any time?
Post Reply