Retrofit My Build Looking at Switching from Mach4 to Centroid System

[Onawa220]

Ok this is going to be a VERY stupid question. When connecting the wire from Relay Out1's middle connection am I connecting it to the V+ or V- (I wrote those on the diagram for reference) on the separate 24v power supply I have in my cabinet and same question for the A2 connection on the contactor? If this doesn't show you have clueless I am on the stuff nothing will

[centroid467]

Did you verify that the contactor coil is 24V DC rather than 24V, 110V, 220V, or 380V AC at 50-60 Hz? What does that part I circled in the picture say?


Are there other contactors in your system? Are they the same as this one?

If and only if the coil is rated for 24V DC, use the +V and -V terminals on that power supply as the V+ and V- you wrote on the schematic. The polarity would not matter unless the contactor has a diode for back-emf suppression. If it does, then you would have to follow the markings on the device. Otherwise, you are going to want to add one.

If it has an AC coil, then you'll probably want to reuse whatever transformer or other device generated the correct voltage if it isn't the same as the supply coming into the cabinet.

[Onawa220]

I have no other contactors in my system. This was the only one in the original build from China but removed it when I couldn't figure out how to reintegrate it into my last build because this stuff makes my brain hurt.

So in this case the contactor is NOT made for 24v it's a 220v. So I probably should get a 24v one shouldn't I?

[RogDC]

If you are short on space getting a contactor that is 24VDC coil would probably be best and easiest.

[Onawa220]

I am slowly working my way though the manual and getting inputs and outputs set up in CNC12 but I'm hitting a bit of a language barrier on what things are called vs what I am used to with Mach4.

I have lots of inputs and outputs so I have hooked up my three separate homing switches and for each axis I have two limits connected together.

Which names am I using for these? Assuming FirstAxisHomeOK for X home, etc. for Y & Z but on the limits there is everything together or EVERTYHING separate into plus and minus limits.

[Onawa220]

And now I'm kind of banging my head on the Spindle connections from the outputs since things like SPIN FORWARD & SPIN REVERSE are on the same Out5 just different terminals.

[cnckeith]

I am slowly working my way though the manual and getting inputs and outputs set up in CNC12 but I'm hitting a bit of a language barrier on what things are called vs what I am used to with Mach4.

I have lots of inputs and outputs so I have hooked up my three separate homing switches and for each axis I have two limits connected together.

Which names am I using for these? Assuming FirstAxisHomeOK for X home, etc. for Y & Z but on the limits there is everything together or EVERTYHING separate into plus and minus limits.

wow that a lot of switches.. holy moly, i install a home switch one on of each end of each axis and call it a day. and use software travel limits to take care of both the plus and minus machine travel limit.

while you certainly can do want you want, keep in mind each extra switch you add is just something else to go wrong in th future as the wires fatigue, corrode break and the switch fails etc..... the best switch/cable/connector is no switch/cable/connector!

[cnckeith]

And now I'm kind of banging my head on the Spindle connections from the outputs since things like SPIN FORWARD & SPIN REVERSE are on the same Out5 just different terminals.

a realy on the relay 8 board are either going to be connecting to one terminal or the other, one side is FWD the other is REV, easy peasy.

what's your question?

[centroid467]

I am slowly working my way though the manual and getting inputs and outputs set up in CNC12 but I'm hitting a bit of a language barrier on what things are called vs what I am used to with Mach4.

I have lots of inputs and outputs so I have hooked up my three separate homing switches and for each axis I have two limits connected together.

Which names am I using for these? Assuming FirstAxisHomeOK for X home, etc. for Y & Z but on the limits there is everything together or EVERTYHING separate into plus and minus limits.

From the Wizard, you have several input options:
Limit only:
* {AxisNum}AxisMinusLimitOk
* {AxisNum}AxisPlusLimitOk
* LimitAll
Homing only:
* {AxisNum}AxisHomeOk
* HomeAll
* SlavedHomeInput (for autosquaring)
* ZriHomingAll
Home/Limit:
* {AxisNum}AxisHomeLimitOk
* HomeLimitAll


With AcornSix, you have 16 inputs built in. There are a few ways you can set up to use 3 switches:

A) The intuitive way to wire this up is to use the {AxisNum}AxisMinusLimitOk, {AxisNum}AxisPlusLimitOk, and {AxisNum}AxisHomeOk inputs but that will leave you with 7 inputs left for your laser, ATC, tool touch, probe, etc.

B) Combining the homing switches to a single HomeAll input would get you back 2 inputs for a total of 9 left for other uses. The limit switches are wired as above. This way still lets you see what limit switch was hit.

C) You can combine all the limit switches to LimitAll input and all the homing switches to HomeAll input. This leaves 14 inputs free but you lose the ability to see which limit was reached in the message log.

Of course, if you are using autosquaring then it would make sense to use the SlavedHomeInput for the paired gantry axis. That will take up another input.

I do not suggest using {AxisNum}AxisHomeLimitOk or HomeLimitAll with three switches per axis. Those would work best with two switches or one switch and soft limits.

I would recommend method B for most cases when using separate home and plus/minus limit switches.

[centroid467]

And now I'm kind of banging my head on the Spindle connections from the outputs since things like SPIN FORWARD & SPIN REVERSE are on the same Out5 just different terminals.

Yeah, it took me a minute to figure that one out too. Here's how it works:

Starting from the end of the signal, the VFD_ENABLE output relay (OUT4) makes or breaks the connection to the VFD's input common terminal.
It then goes through a spare or auxiliary contact on the contactor to break the connection when the E-stop is activated.
After that, it goes to the common terminal on the OUT5 relay where it can be connected to the forward and reverse inputs on the VFD.

Essentially, the OUT5 relay always completes the circuit for one of the VFD direction inputs but the circuit can be broken by the E-stop or by the VFD enable output.