Any success with CNC4PC C89 ?

All things related to the Centroid Acorn CNC Controller

Moderator: cnckeith

Post Reply
JRD56
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2021 6:55 am
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: None
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No
Location: Kansas

Any success with CNC4PC C89 ?

Post by JRD56 »

I purchased a CNC4PC C89 board to interface the Acorn to a Spindle Drive that requires a +/- 10 volt analog signal. The C89 is supposed to accept the spindle PWM signal from Acorn and convert it to a 0 to 10 volt analog voltage and change polarity by providing it with the VFD Direction signal. But its not working. The output from the board is actually a 12 volt pwm signal as viewed with an oscillocope. It does change polarity ( goes negative) in response to the VFD Direction. Not what I was expecting.

Has anyone else been able to make this work.
ShawnM
Posts: 2190
Joined: Fri May 24, 2019 8:34 am
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: 7804734C6498-0401191832
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No
Location: Clearwater, FL

Re: Any success with CNC4PC C89 ?

Post by ShawnM »

I would recommend you contact CNC4PC and talk with their tech support directly to help you resolve this issue. I only assume they could walk you through the proper setup far better then we could. Have you reached out to them?
JRD56
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2021 6:55 am
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: None
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No
Location: Kansas

Re: Any success with CNC4PC C89 ?

Post by JRD56 »

Thanks. I’ve tried working with CNC4pc for almost 3 weeks now but they’ve been unable to provide a solution. I’ve sent them detailed information about the wiring, jumpers and screen shots of the scope. I really don’t know if I simply have a bad board or is it a bad design. When I asked for a refund or an exchange they became non responsive. So I thought I would reach out on the forum to see if anyone else has been able make these work.

I was really looking foward to using this board but it’s been a frustrating experience. Hopefully I can still make it work.
ShawnM
Posts: 2190
Joined: Fri May 24, 2019 8:34 am
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: 7804734C6498-0401191832
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No
Location: Clearwater, FL

Re: Any success with CNC4PC C89 ?

Post by ShawnM »

Poor customer service from CNC4PC? This isn't the first time I've heard this.

The spindle output on Acorn is an analog 0-10 volt signal. You say "The C89 is supposed to accept the spindle PWM signal from Acorn and convert it to a 0 to 10 volt analog voltage". By default the Acorn spindle output is already and analog 0-10v output. Did you do the spindle bench test to verify?

Please share a wiring diagram or manual for the C89 and spindle drive for us to follow.
suntravel
Posts: 1967
Joined: Thu Sep 23, 2021 3:49 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: 6433DB0446C1-08115074
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No
Location: Germany

Re: Any success with CNC4PC C89 ?

Post by suntravel »

Here is the manual:

https://www.cnc4pc.com/c89-10vdc-analog ... d.html#tab

I would use Acorns 0-10V and VFD Direction Output, and set the C89 up to convert this into -10/+10V

The wiring is for an old Acorn Version, for the current ones if you want to use PWM like for a laser you have cut the wire to Output 2 like shown here:

https://www.centroidcnc.com/dealersuppo ... 062.r2.pdf

Uwe
Last edited by suntravel on Tue Jun 06, 2023 3:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
JRD56
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2021 6:55 am
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: None
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No
Location: Kansas

Re: Any success with CNC4PC C89 ?

Post by JRD56 »

Thanks, I'm familiar with both documents suntravel posted above. I wanted to use the PWM for better resolution and reduce the chance of electrical noise on the analog signal. And yes I did isolate output 2 on the relay board. I'm a retired EE with many years of experience working on commercial CNC's so I'm confident that I've got this wired and configured correctly. I went with CNC4PC because it was an off the shelf product rather than developing my own interface, but I may go that route. It's a shame they have poor customer service, I was actually looking at a few of their other products.

Thanks for the reply's, I'll let you know how things end up.
suntravel
Posts: 1967
Joined: Thu Sep 23, 2021 3:49 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: 6433DB0446C1-08115074
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No
Location: Germany

Re: Any success with CNC4PC C89 ?

Post by suntravel »

Well I am in CNC Business for +30 years, but with Centroid only the last 3 years....

Do not use stuff that makes problems, like C89, connect directly to Acorn, there are loads of servo drives and VFDs that can be run with 0-10V and one direction input. No problem to tune then with less than 10rpm deviation with ok wiring and snubber circuit.

What's not used will not make problems :D

Uwe
JRD56
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2021 6:55 am
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
Allin1DC CNC Controller: No
Oak CNC controller: No
CNC Control System Serial Number: None
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No
Location: Kansas

Re: Any success with CNC4PC C89 ?

Post by JRD56 »

Well its been over a week since I’ve heard from CNC4PC. They have not returned phone calls or emails, what a shame. I don’t typically do reviews on companies but I would not recommend them to anyone based on my experience.

I got tired of wating so I developed my own interface using an ESP32 micro controller. It measures the pulse width of the PWM signal from the Acorn and calculates the required frequency for the step pulses to the AC Servo I’m using for the spindle drive on my Mill. I’m using the VFD enable and VFD Direction from Acorn relay outputs connected directly to the AC Servo. It seems to work very well in bench test mode, so I’ve ordered Printed Circuit Boards for the final installation. Now I can move on with finishing the electrical enclosure.

One lesson learned was that if the analog spindle output in Acorn is set for 0 to 5 volts the PWM signal is limited to 50%.
Post Reply