Acorn controller card question

All things related to the Centroid Acorn CNC Controller

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noel-nogal
Posts: 84
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2021 12:37 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: (2669)
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: Acorn controller card question

Post by noel-nogal »

Hi mr. Marty

i am working on the macros, i trying to understand how to call a macro or add a macro to a g code programm to be executed, for example to go ATC.
i ¡have read a lot but maybe i am lost, can you please orient me where to go, i have my machine ready to work, the only things i still learning is that, all about macros, and tool change automatically.

thanks
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: Acorn controller card question

Post by martyscncgarage »

noel-nogal wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 1:45 pm Hi mr. Marty

i am working on the macros, i trying to understand how to call a macro or add a macro to a g code programm to be executed, for example to go ATC.
i ¡have read a lot but maybe i am lost, can you please orient me where to go, i have my machine ready to work, the only things i still learning is that, all about macros, and tool change automatically.

thanks
Download and read the mill operator's manual
https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... nuals.html
Otherwise you need to be very specific about what you are wanting to do, with examples.
Reminder, for support please follow this post: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=383
We can't "SEE" what you see...
Mesa, AZ
noel-nogal
Posts: 84
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2021 12:37 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: (2669)
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: Acorn controller card question

Post by noel-nogal »

good morning.



basically, this is the ATC that i need on my cnc router, i need a macro that when i load a program and it indicates the first tool to be used, (example T3)
the spindle go to the programmed position to put it's actual tool on the fork unclamp it and the spindle moves up on Z axis to clear off the carousel, the carousel spin to the tool 3, the spindle drives back down on Z, clamp the tool, and moves away few inches to take it out of the fork and go to the g code toolpath to do the job.

actually i have part of that sequence already made.
this is the program:

G0 X62.5 (here the X axis moves to the right side of the machine 62.5 inches)
G0 Z0.5 (the spindle drives down to 0.5 here it is aligned to the fork)
G1 X65.25 F30 (here the spindle moves slowly to put the tool on the fork)
G04P2 (the motion wait two seconds to give time to unclamping the tool)
????????on (this line i need the command the tool unclamp, i do not know how to do that yet)
G0 Z6.00 (the spindle moves up on Z to clear off)
??????? (on this line need the command the tool number and make the carousel to spin to tool 3, i don't know how to do it yet)
G01 Z0.5 F30 (the spindle drives down on Z to grab the tool 3)
??????? (on this line need the command the tool clamp, i don't know how to do it yet)
G01 X62.5 F30 (here the spindle moves on X axis back to 62.5 inches slowly to pull the tool from the fork)
G0 X *** Y*** Z*** F** (from here the machine go to the programm to run the toolpath)

i suppose this can be saved as a tool change macro, but i need to learn how to call this macro when the g code toolpath needs to use two or three diferent tools, lets say if i need to cut a piece that first need a drill 1/4 inch holes, then make a contour with a ogee cutter bit, and cut it out with an end mill bit.


i am using V.carve from Vectric to make my programms, and using the CENTROID INCH postprocessor output.
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: Acorn controller card question

Post by martyscncgarage »

Noel,
You have a Carousel ATC.
I suggested you look at the ATC program in a previous post. It addresses everything you are asking about.
The PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) within CNC12 handles everything. So all you have to do is call a tool using M6.

Most ATC's use a Geneva Mechanism to rotate the carousel. This eliminates the need for an axis to drive it.
There must be a sensor to count EACH tool as it passes by.
CNC12 must be initialized in order to set it up to know where tool 1 is.
It need to know the tool change position height for the spindle.
CNC12 will handle the CLAMP and UNCLAMPing of the tool holder.


Not sure what else to tell you. Is there a video on YouTube of your brand/model router with an ATC so we can watch to see how it operates?
Being able to see how it was designed to function would help us give you better suggestions.

Its not a trivial process to integrate an ATC and get it working properly.

Marty
Reminder, for support please follow this post: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=383
We can't "SEE" what you see...
Mesa, AZ
noel-nogal
Posts: 84
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2021 12:37 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: (2669)
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: Acorn controller card question

Post by noel-nogal »



this is a video i found, it's exactly the same machine, ok i will read that geneva instructions that's what i was missing, thanks
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: Acorn controller card question

Post by martyscncgarage »

The video helps.
You do not need carousel in and out.
As you said earlier, your ATC is controlled by a stepper.
Does it have a sensor to count tool positions? Or does it rely solely on position of an axis?

The video helped a lot.
Reminder, for support please follow this post: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=383
We can't "SEE" what you see...
Mesa, AZ
noel-nogal
Posts: 84
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2021 12:37 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: (2669)
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: Acorn controller card question

Post by noel-nogal »

yes it does have a sensor to count tool positions, and have an other sensor for counting every full rotation. in the stepper drive there is an ocillator board that drives the stepper motor itself, with just trigger an input the stepper start to rotate and stop at each tool position, this stop is followed by the sensor, every time i trigger the input with a 24v it rotates to next tool position, but if i keep the 24v constantly it keeps rotating.
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: Acorn controller card question

Post by martyscncgarage »

Got a schematic on the ATC?
You sure that one revolution sensor isn't a tool 1 sensor?
Reminder, for support please follow this post: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=383
We can't "SEE" what you see...
Mesa, AZ
noel-nogal
Posts: 84
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2021 12:37 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: (2669)
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: Acorn controller card question

Post by noel-nogal »

what i did days ago, i unpluged the oscillator board from the rest of the drive, and i connected the step and direction inputs to the 4th axis of acorn, to drive the stepper with the 4th axis, but if there is the option of using like geneva system with the sensors would be much better i think, that way i can save my 4th axis for somenthing else in the future.
noel-nogal
Posts: 84
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2021 12:37 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: (2669)
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: Acorn controller card question

Post by noel-nogal »

that picture shows the sensors that are fixed to de frame, on each tool fork there is a bolt atacched to the plate so every time the sensor detects the bolt it stops, and the other sensor only have one bolt, and it is aligned to the tool number 1.
20210501_151506.jpg
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