OPCON and USB-BOB

[cnckeith]

draft Wizard USB-BOB setup page. supports 1 or 2 USB-BOB's connected to the CNCPC

Comments and suggestions welcome.

what 'canned' button functions would you like on the list?
draft updated 2-28-24

[cnckeith]

Ok its real! We are soldering up the first gen USB-BOB boards as i type this.

USB-BOB footprint 6.75" (171.5mm) x 3.5" (89mm)

3 MPG's for Axis 1, Axis 2, Axis 3

3 Rotary Encoders for Rapid Override, Spindle Speed Override, and Feed Rate Override

12 Switch/Button Inputs

12 LED Outputs (open collector so you can use the provided 5 vdc or some other LED voltage)

Connect up to 2 USB-BOB's at the same time with Wizard Support, and up to 4 of them for fully custom systems

overview info graphic, updated 2-28-24

so you can do stuff like this

[ShawnM]

Awesome, can't wait to try one of these out and make a nice mechanical operators console like your pic. I'm working on a layout now and will laser cut and laser etch a control panel in the coming weeks.

When will these be available Keith?

[suntravel]

Perfect, the way to build a commander Kirk desk

Uwe

[Sword]

what 'canned' button functions would you like on the list?

A list of possible macros that could be assigned to switch inputs, much like the lists in the Wizard for VCP AUX Keys. That list could contain the available AUX Keys and mfunc's, so that you're not limited to just AUX Keys 1-16.

[cnckeith]

Awesome, can't wait to try one of these out and make a nice mechanical operators console like your pic. I'm working on a layout now and will laser cut and laser etch a control panel in the coming weeks.

When will these be available Keith?

Hardware will be pretty quick, (1 week or so) Wizard software is going to be playing catch up and will be in the upcoming V5.2 beta

[cnckeith]

what 'canned' button functions would you like on the list?

A list of possible macros that could be assigned to switch inputs, much like the lists in the Wizard for VCP AUX Keys. That list could contain the available AUX Keys and mfunc's, so that you're not limited to just AUX Keys 1-16.

thanks,

it will be so you can run any macro you want..

related...

With v5.08 the VCP has new way to run a macro that releases you from skin events and aux keys. page 39
https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... manual.pdf

<vcp_button>
<run>
<macro>C:\cncm\ncfiles\myMacro.cnc</macro>
</run>
</vcp_button>

[suntravel]

What type of joystick will work to move the axes, and could it move diagonal ?

Uwe

[ShawnM]

thanks,

it will be so you can run any macro you want..

related...

With v5.08 the VCP has new way to run a macro that releases you from skin events and aux keys. page 39
https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... manual.pdf

<vcp_button>
<run>
<macro>C:\cncm\ncfiles\myMacro.cnc</macro>
</run>
</vcp_button>

I read this in the manual and I personally love this new option as I have A LOT of custom buttons on my VCP and that run custom macros and this really simplifies programming and makes software updates much easier for me. Also when I retrofit machines for others I can now easily add some of my custom, canned button to those machines. The skin events was ok but having to be sure the button code was correct along with the setting in the wizard even tripped me up a few times when a button wouldn't work. Now I can tell the button to just run a macro, doesn't get any easier than this.

[centroid467]

What type of joystick will work to move the axes, and could it move diagonal ?

Uwe

Not sure how that would go on the software and PLC side but you could rig up a typical 4 switch joystick up to get 2 axis movement. It'll need 4 inputs. If you have a joystick that permits diagonals then it might be possible to have that do the same as the diagonal VCP buttons. I can check with Chris about that.


And just for general information: USBBOB expects handwheel encoders that take 5V and put out single ended (not differential) quadrature signals. If you end up with open collector output encoders then you'll need to add pull up resistors to the A and B channels.