Teknic Clearpath Hard Stop Homing Setup

[Joey]

Hello all
Joey here, I've been working on setting up Clearpath's hard stop homing with Acorn and AcornSIX. I've created a Tech Bulletin 319 to document what I've learned so far. Here is the link to TB319
https://www.centroidcnc.com/dealersuppo ... ds/319.pdf


TB319 covers the steps for setting up Clearpath's MSP software for hard stop homing as well as the required Acorn Wizard settings. In that document is a link to both a milling/router/plasma home program as well as a lathe home program for hardstop homing. I have tested these files and settings and they work for me, feel free to give this a shot and provide me feedback so we can make improvements if needed. Thanks in advance, Joey

[carbuthn]

Hi,
I will be trying this on my PM25 mill, but have a question first. Will the Acorn homing program still move the Z axis to the Home Position before it Homes the other axis's?
Thanks

[cnckeith]

Hi,
I will be trying this on my PM25 mill, but have a question first. Will the Acorn homing program still move the Z axis to the Home Position before it Homes the other axis's?
Thanks

Clearpath homing moves are completely determined by your setup of the Clearpath MSP software. On our test machine all axes move at the same time by the Clearpath MSP software.

Use the Acorn "Park" feature before machine shut down to preposition the axes automatically (Park will go where ever you tell it to go) in preparation for homing the next day. That way Z will be very close to home and out of the way of everything before homing.

[cnckeith]

Hi,
I will be trying this on my PM25 mill, but have a question first. Will the Acorn homing program still move the Z axis to the Home Position before it Homes the other axis's?
Thanks

Clearpath homing moves are completely determined by your setup of the Clearpath MSP software. On our test machine all axes move at the same time by the Clearpath MSP software.

the Acorn home program has NO homing moves in it. it simply waits for the Clearpath to finish, operator to verify, then sets machine home at that position

[cnckeith]

; Clearpath ‘Home To Hard Stop’ homing program
;
; Hard Stop Homing Requirements
;
; 1.) Setup Clearpath MSP software for automatic homing to hard stop see TB#319 for detailed instructions.
;
; - Using the Clearpath MSP software, test each individual axes to determine
; the best Torque threshold percentage setting for each axis
; so there is no physical damage to the machine
; - Verify Clearpath home to hard stop feature repeats to same position for each axis
; - For Paired Axis (such as a Gantry) set Gantry hard stops to be as square as possible
;
; 2.) Set the Wizard up for Hard Stop Homing.
; - In the Homing and Travel menu:
; Select “I will create my own home program, do not overwrite cncm.hom”
;
; M225 prompts the operator for action
;
M225 #100 " Wait for Clearpath Hard Stop Homing cycle to complete. Then Press Cycle Start to set the Machine Home Position "
;
; Once the Clearpath Homing cycle is complete
; All axes will be holding at the Clearpath determined Machine Home position.
; M26 Sets CNC12's Machine Home position at the current location.
;
;
M26 /X/Y/Z ; M26 /X/Y/Z sets Machine Coordinates system X0,Y0,Z0 at current location.

[cnckeith]

sample hard stop home programs download link in TB319 is bad, will fix tomorrow.
here is download link
https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... ograms.zip

[cncian]

sample hard stop home programs download link in TB319 is bad, will fix tomorrow.
here is download link
https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... ograms.zip

Keith, can you also check the picture on pg.5. The text above it reads: 'Select “I will create my own home program, do not overwrite cncm.hom”' but in the picture, the 'Wizard to generate Automatic home program ...' is highlighted.

[cnckeith]

sample hard stop home programs download link in TB319 is bad, will fix tomorrow.
here is download link
https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... ograms.zip

Keith, can you also check the picture on pg.5. The text above it reads: 'Select “I will create my own home program, do not overwrite cncm.hom”' but in the picture, the 'Wizard to generate Automatic home program ...' is highlighted.

Yes, you have to have both selected.

[IPGregory]

Was quite interested to read this thread on the Hard Stop Homing feature for when I do my ClearPath upgrade. Not relying on the accuracy/operation of sensors and the possibility to get back the 4th axis on an Acorn for other use being the items that interested me at the time.

When I researched further and was reading the ClearPath User Manual though it stated that the Hard Stop Homing Function was only available on the MCPV series motors which are not Step/Dir Driven as far as I can see?

TB319 and a post today in another thread suggest using this with Acorn (which I have)/Acorn 6 and SDSK series motors (that I am looking at)? Can we confirm that the Hard Stop Homing Feature does in fact work with the SDSK motors?

[cnckeith]

Was quite interested to read this thread on the Hard Stop Homing feature for when I do my ClearPath upgrade. Not relying on the accuracy/operation of sensors and the possibility to get back the 4th axis on an Acorn for other use being the items that interested me at the time.

When I researched further and was reading the ClearPath User Manual though it stated that the Hard Stop Homing Function was only available on the MCPV series motors which are not Step/Dir Driven as far as I can see?

TB319 and a post today in another thread suggest using this with Acorn (which I have)/Acorn 6 and SDSK series motors (that I am looking at)? Can we confirm that the Hard Stop Homing Feature does in fact work with the SDSK motors?

thats what we have.
plug in your usb cable and fire up the teknic MSP software and see what you got.
tb was just updated recently as well with more info.