Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

Do you have a Pro or Ulimate license ?


Uwe

You do not need an Ultimate license to set up a scale for manual-axis feedback.

Manual axes are not set up on the "Scales" menu.

You just label an axis 'M' or '@' on the Machine Configuration -> Motor Parameters table.

Supposing that you make axis #4 your manual axis: then you would label axis #4 as 'M' or '@', and then you would set Machine Parameter 312 to a value of 5 (to tell CNC12 that axis #4 uses encoder input #5, which is the 9-pin encoder port on the Acorn board).

On the Machine Configuration -> Motor Parameters table, you would also set "revs/inch" to 1.0, and "encoder counts/rev" to your scale resolution (counts per inch).

uwe; I have the free base software version, but will upgrade this when I have everything working to my satisfaction
cncsnw;
I am waiting for an adapter to connect my scale. The pinout is not the same. When I have it in a day or two, I will try your method.

A couple of questions:
1) What does the scales menu do then?
2) How did you know the spindle encoder was #5?
3) Do I not also need to enable the encoder input in parameter 423?
4) Is the label "M" or "@" consequential, I would like to use "Z", also, Do you need to tell centroid that a given axis is Manual? If so, how do you do that? Or does the "M"label have a a special meaning to centroid?
Thanks much!
Jon P.

1) The scales menu is for secondary feedback to a servo-controlled axis, to make corrections to the commanded position.
2) I looked at Parameters 35 and 312 in a sample Acorn lathe report.
3) No. The description in the manual for P423 is misleading. It only applies to secondary feedback (per the Scales menu), and it is only cosmetic (selecting whether a servo-controlled axis with scale correction will be marked with a "scale" icon on the DRO).
4) 'M' and '@' are implicitly manual axes. If you want to use a valid axis letter instead (X, Y, Z, U, V, W, A, B or C) then you need to use Parameter 259 to tell CNC12 that the axis is manually controlled.

scale for use as a DRO readout is Free.
scale for use as position correction is Ultimate License

It works!
Thanks one and all.
Also, in fairness, I have to note that tblough answered most of my question earlier, but I did not understand the answer.
I am new to centroid, and will need to probably really chew into the manual, all 400+pages of it.
Hopefully this all gets captured into the forum, so that it may show up in a search later for other people who want to do the same thing.

regards,
Jon P.

jpevner wrote: ↑Wed Jun 18, 2025 11:10 pm It works!
Thanks one and all.
Also, in fairness, I have to note that tblough answered most of my question earlier, but I did not understand the answer.
I am new to centroid, and will need to probably really chew into the manual, all 400+pages of it.
Hopefully this all gets captured into the forum, so that it may show up in a search later for other people who want to do the same thing.

regards,
Jon P.

yep, that is the goal! hit the like button on any post you find helpful and that increases the weight given to it in others searches so the good information floats to the top