Acorn Carousel Tool Changer

[ScotY]

Following for more cool content!

[DY10CNC]

No problems John,
Details below, I also tried to include as much detail/notes in the headers of the macros as well.
Inp-Out.JPG
The carousel ram is set up on a single relay so that NC side of the relay always sends the ram home & the NO brings the carousel into the spindle.
That way if anything fails or on startup the carousel is always at home.
Carousel Solenoids.jpg
Carousel Solenoid Relay.jpg
Carousel Ram.jpg
Also note that the proximity sensor to home the carousel is connected in series with the X,Y & Z axis so that the carousel homes to tool 16 on startup.
Any other info needed please feel free to ask. Its pretty simple when you break it all down.

Slodat the spindle is a BT30 off AliExpress.
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/produc ... 2cd0lIHiG2
Spindle is ok, I have not dialed it in for run out or anything yet. I starts to heat up over 6000rpm so I will strip it down & check the quality of the bearings. For long term use I will probably rebuild it with new angular contact bearings & kluber grease.

Regards,
Michael

Hello Michael,

Thanks to your post I have a better grasp of how CNC 12 handles tool changing.

I have my 10 station carousel working OK - I presents the tool called in the CNC program -still a few bugs to eliminate still.

At present I have no intention of doing automatic tool changes, (a bit more complicated with only 100mm Z travel and TTS tooling).

I just want the carousel to index to tool called by M6, for manual tool change.

For this purpose it seems a waste of an axis which I want to use as a rotary axis, so I am resuming development of my original Arduino controlled carousel.

I would like to output the content of #4120 (tool Number) through an Acorn output/s as either a serial or BCD value to an Arduino.


Any help and advice greatly appreciated.

John

[mick41zxr]

John,
Currently for 10 position carousel it would take 4 outputs from Acorn to operate under BCD.
Not sure if that leaves enough at the moment.
But you would add a section of code that would call the outputs on or off in the following sequence,

Pos# Out#1 Out#2 Out#3 Out#4
1: 0 0 0 0
2: 0 0 0 1
3: 0 0 1 0
4: 0 0 1 1
5: 0 1 0 0
6: 0 1 0 1
7: 0 1 1 0
8: 0 1 1 1
9: 1 0 0 1
10: 1 0 1 0

Then obviously you then need an Arduino or external PLC to read these signals a inputs & rotate the carousel.
If you search the forum there is a sample of this code utilizing word statements posted by Scott.

viewtopic.php?f=60&t=1095&hilit=bcd+code#p5499

Using the A axis solves a whole lot of mucking about.

What sort of machine do you have? with 100mm of Z travel is pretty much the length of a TTS holder. Sounds more like a router.
Can you sacrifice a little Y travel & set up a linear tool changer. There would then be no need to have the tool change position above the work piece. Also the holders could effectively be held at bed level allowing the spindle access above them.

Regards,
Michael

[DY10CNC]

Hello Michael,

Thanks for your reply,

My machine is a Bridgeport Series 1 turret mill.

The Quill is the Z axis which has about 120mm of travel before hitting the end of its travel.

For safety the Z zero is the quill retracted to 10mm below maximum travel (Z plus Homing/Limit switch).
The maximum Z minus travel is set to Minus 100mm (Z minus limit setting limit switch trips at Z -99 'ish)

The spindle is standard Bridgeport R8, so Chinese TTS ER32 chucks work OK (surprisingly accurate).

I have a pneumatic impact wrench mounted on the head to close the R8 Collet, currently mounted on pillars and bushes with a pull down lever. (Many examples on YouTube NYC-CNC etc)

I have a Kurt style one on the 'drawing board', which will be operated by pneumatic valves to Open/Close the collet.

I am currently using my 10 station carousel as tool rack, and only intend that it will be semi-automatic and present the tool called in the CNC program.

Hope this explains my intentions.

As to outputs, I have enough spare, as I only use them to control spindle and coolant.

I take your point about the use of the A axis simplifying matters, but I am keen to try outputs to Arduino because I have the code and control kit ready and working for a stepper and Arduino, all I'm looking to do at present, is extract the info from #4120 and use BCD "bin numbers" to activate the carousel via the Arduino.

I will look at the link to Scott's post and see how it goes.

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.

Best Regards,

John

[mick41zxr]

John,
I have roughed out a mfunc6.mac that uses a counter based setup to avoid using an axis to rotate the carousel.
It has not been tested yet. It requires an arduino or 3rd party controller to home the carousel to position 1 on homing / power up.
Then take an input to rotate one position clockwise or anti clockwise & give a complete or ready signal back to Acorn.

Let me know what you think.
Regards,
Michael

mfunc6.mac

(5 KiB) Downloaded 169 times

mfunc17.mac

(1.22 KiB) Downloaded 154 times

mfunc18.mac

(1.23 KiB) Downloaded 153 times

[fredrik]

Very cool tool changer!

I am doing a retrofit on an older mill with an umbrella style ATC for 10 tools.
And this will help me alot.

I think that i have almost the same type of spindelmotor as you have. When orienting the spindel how is this done? Is it just an index sensor and A macro for cnc12 that need to be installed?

Thanx!

/Fredrik

[mick41zxr]

Fredrik,
It depends on your spindle & motor.
Some can be indexed from the driver (servo spindle), some can be indexed with a cam.
A macro can be written to activate whatever inputs are needed to initiate indexing.
However if you use the TTS style or ISO tool holder no indexing is required.
A little more info / photo would help if you need further information.
Regards,
Michael

[Muzzer]

Yes, that's a good point to bear in mind - with NMTB / ISO etc taper tooling you don't really need the drive tangs unless you are doing some form of monster slow speed drilling or horizontal milling. The original equipment ATC for my Shizuoka AN-S (made by Fadal) requires no spindle orientation, as you are expected to remove the drive tangs from the spindle nose. If you tighten the tools with the standard (impact driver) power drawbar, there really is little chance of any slippage.

[fredrik]

My spindel is BT30, and the drawbar is spring loaded so removing the drive tangs is probably a bad idea.

The machine is a Dynamite dm 4400 from -89 i think.
I still have some work to do with the process of moving the arm since from the start it was moved by an electrik motor and this will be changed to a pneumatic solution. I have a rotating pneumatic cylinder ( i don't know if thats what they are called) that will move the arm, and it will be actuated with a solenoid. The drawbar is working today with a pneumatic cylinder (homemade).

For indexing the carousel there is a stepper from the original build that i can use. But that would eliminate the option of a 4th axis in the future. Will it be possible with the either1616 to run the carousel with a different motor that wont need the last axis on the acorn when that comes?

And my question about the indexing of the spindel, what would be the best way to get that working?

Here are some pictures of the mill. Do you need more pictures or some other info?

Happy for any information i can get

/Fredrik

Thanx!

https://ibb.co/h1CZw2L
https://ibb.co/qyJ8sRv
https://ibb.co/6rXS7cb
https://ibb.co/JnLDYY5

[martyscncgarage]

My spindel is BT30, and the drawbar is spring loaded so removing the drive tangs is probably a bad idea.

The machine is a Dynamite dm 4400 from -89 i think.
I still have some work to do with the process of moving the arm since from the start it was moved by an electrik motor and this will be changed to a pneumatic solution. I have a rotating pneumatic cylinder ( i don't know if thats what they are called) that will move the arm, and it will be actuated with a solenoid. The drawbar is working today with a pneumatic cylinder (homemade).

For indexing the carousel there is a stepper from the original build that i can use. But that would eliminate the option of a 4th axis in the future. Will it be possible with the either1616 to run the carousel with a different motor that wont need the last axis on the acorn when that comes?

And my question about the indexing of the spindel, what would be the best way to get that working?

Here are some pictures of the mill. Do you need more pictures or some other info?

Happy for any information i can get

/Fredrik

Thanx!

https://ibb.co/h1CZw2L
https://ibb.co/qyJ8sRv
https://ibb.co/6rXS7cb
https://ibb.co/JnLDYY5

Fredrik,
I have (had) a DM4400 myself. I refitted it a number of years ago with Flashcut, since it has 5 axis. A friend of mine wants to change it over to Centroid, as did I, but I had a 4th axis so No Acorn, and no Ether1616 will not provide anymore axis.

You also have to conted with the big DC Servo spindle motor. DO NOT THROW AWAY THE ISOLATION TRANSFORMER. Keep it, and you can keep the Servo Dynamics 3060 spindle drive. Proble with Acorn, is it can not provide +/- 0-10VDC as the drive requires. Nor could Flashcut. I did build a board that would invert the signal when a reverse input was provided. I also had a DPDT relay that was fed an exact DC voltage for consisted spindle orient speed. It ran happily on Flashcut. (I just saw your photos. You converted your spindle, good for you.)

Yes, I converted my ATC arm to pneumatic, like the newer DM4400M, buy a cylinder that allows sensors at each end of the stroke. That way the control knows when the carousel is in and out. KEEP the crash sensors! Ask me how I know! Keep the air pressure sensor too.
I see you changed the old elecromechanical drawbar to a pneumatic one. Do you have switches for drawbar clamp and unclamp?

Don't give up hope on Centroid, I've bent their ear enough, that something might come of it eventually!
5 axis of simlutaneous motion, that should make it easier for Centroid. All axis stop except for the ATC.

OH, make sure you check the Y axis lube line. Move the Y to full Y+ so you can pull the chip shield off the back to expose the coiled lube line in the protective spring. The line gets brittle and crumbles in the spring. REALLY starving all axis of way oil.

Marty