Retrofit My Build Looking at Switching from Mach4 to Centroid System

[ShawnM]

It's a router, you'll NEVER need reverse. Just wire up VFD enable and spin forward.

The drives won't enable when it powers up until you command a move from them. After it powers up and the software loads and you press cycle start to home the machine do the axis move and start homing?

Yes, please post a CURRENT report.

[Onawa220]

It's a router, you'll NEVER need reverse. Just wire up VFD enable and spin forward.

The drives won't enable when it powers up until you command a move from them. After it powers up and the software loads and you press cycle start to home the machine do the axis move and start homing?

Yes, please post a CURRENT report.

I've actually used reverse when using the wrong kind of bits that wanted to cut spinning the other way

This time when I saved and rebooted things worked right. Maybe it was the way I went about it. I hit the OK button on the first pop up after saving my settings then power cycled the board, then waiting for the pattern and hit the ok on the pop up with the led pattern.

On the times it has not worked after restarting I wasn't able to jog or get the servos to enable.

[ShawnM]

I've actually used reverse when using the wrong kind of bits that wanted to cut spinning the other way

This time when I saved and rebooted things worked right. Maybe it was the way I went about it. I hit the OK button on the first pop up after saving my settings then power cycled the board, then waiting for the pattern and hit the ok on the pop up with the led pattern.

On the times it has not worked after restarting I wasn't able to job or get the servos to enable.

Huh? I've been using CNC routers for nearly 7 years and have never spun a router or bit in reverse.

There's only one procedure to "write settings" to the Acorn Six board. Follow the on screen menus and it works every time.

[Onawa220]

Made an album in my album for my Opt Laser I'm still trying to get to work. I can test fire it from the PLH3D but I cannot get the AcornSix to fire it,

I hit M37 and it will energize the LaserEnable relay.
Entering M38 does not turn off the LaserEnable but hitting cycle end/stop does.

I'm guessing I'm probably missing more that I should be doing. I have the laser armed on the PLH3D. I have not tried using a cut file yet though.

report_0008DC111213-0116240167_2024-12-12_11-10-35.zip

(1.06 MiB) Downloaded 1 time

[suntravel]

You have to wait 30s after issuing M38 to turn the laser off, that is the cool down time in your M38

Code: Select all

;------------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Filename: mfunc38.mac
; Turn off J-TECH Laser
; Description:
; Notes:
; Requires: 
; Please see TB300 for tips on writing custom macros.
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IF #50010                        ;Prevent lookahead from parsing past here
IF #4201 || #4202 THEN GOTO 1000 ;Skip macro if graphing or searching

N100                             ;Insert your code between N100 and N1000
IF [#159 < 1] THEN GOTO 1000	 ;Skip Macro if laser not in use
M5 S0				 ;Turn Laser Off
G4 P30.0			 ;Allow laser to cool
M95 /37 /38                      ;Turn off Enable and PWM enable to Laser

#159 = 0			 ;Reset Variable

N1000                            ;End of Macro

Uwe

[Onawa220]

Ok I'm an idiot. Once I used an actual gcode file to run the laser it worked! I used the Centroid logo test file.

I didn't have enough air running the first time so the laser beam shut off and I hit cycle stop. Anytime after that until rebooting the board and CNC12 the laser wanted to fire each time I re-armed it. I hit e-stop and typed in M38 and waited and it still fired when I hit arm. Maybe it's a glitch on my part.

The other thing that happened is I have the laser offset programmed into CNC12 but it runs the program from where 0,0 is for the spindle not the laser.

[Onawa220]

More fun and games.

I've been having issues with the Opt Adapter Pro shutting off the laser mid cut. I'm thinking it's the adapter pro.
I'm using the Centroid logo laser test file.

While troubleshooting the safety trigger I have found that at the end of the file when CNC12 should be shutting off the laser there is still 5v going through the PWM2 line and 0.032v going through the Enable line even though the enable relay is red and PWM2 should be off. This is minutes later. So if I hit "Arm" on the laser adapter Pro the laser fires.

I've tried typing m38 into MIDI to see if that shut it down and it does not.

I cannot get PMW2 to stop sending current until I power cycle the AcornSIX. I also tried shutting down CNC12 but power is still running through PWM2

Once I power cycle the AcornSIX I get -0.006v through PWM2 and the same 0.032v through the enable and the laser stays off as it should if I hit Arm.

[centroid467]

Please upload a current report and the file you were running to test this. I see you uploaded a report on Thursday but have no idea what changes you've made since then.

[Onawa220]

report_0008DC111213-0116240167_2024-12-17_13-10-59.zip

(1.01 MiB) Downloaded 3 times

Centroid_logo_laser.cnc

(14.78 KiB) Downloaded 2 times

Pretty sure I haven't changed anything since Thursday but here is a new report. The logo file is what came with CNC12 and I've attached that as well.

[centroid467]

Ok, thank you for the fresh report and the file.

I looked at the PLC and parameters and spoke to the PLC Wizard and while I don't have anything about shutting off in the middle of a cut, it seems that the PLC is working as intended for when two spindles are in use simultaneously. However, that is clearly not what should be happening with a laser system and there is some logic in there that should have prevented the continued output to Spindle 2/ PWM2.

We do have something for you to try though. Insert "G37 OFF" on a new line between the M5 and M38 calls at the very end of the program and measure the PWM2 output voltage. I have attached a copy of the program with that modification.