Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

Hello,

I bought an Acorn MIll ( Optimill M4HS ) and i am trying to understand the existing setup (I need to upgrade the computer and the Acorn version ), and there are two things I am looking to understand :
-Lubrification
-Unclamp button

First, the lubrication is kicked off when I press the cycle start. I can see it by pressing CTRL+I and viewing the output (in my case, output 1). Where can i find the piece of code that trigger the Lub when i cycle start? My second question is i have a semi-automatic tool changer, with a button I can see in my input definition, but i have no idea how this button control the air-pressure ( if it even really goes through acorn ) . When i go in my output definition, I can see "OUTPUT5", "OUTPUT7","OUTPUT8" could it be these? How do i find out what it mean ?. How should I proceed to find out how my clamp button works? Thanks in advance for any direction of how to better understand my setup.

Regards

Vincent

In a typical Acorn PLC program, a "ToolUnclampButton" input is used with an "UnclampTool" output. Since you do not have any output assigned as "UnclampTool", your tool unclamp button will not do anything.

If one of your outputs is wired to a solenoid valve that unclamps the tool in the spindle, then you should name that output "UnclampTool".


The lube pump logic, which is controlled by Parameter 179 and described on the Wizard page you have shown above, is implemented in the PLC program. Look for sections headed "LubeUsePumpTimersStage" and "LubeUsePLCTimersStage", beginning somewhere after line 3300 or so.

Thanks for the informatoin, i need to learn more about the PLC as i dont' even know where to find it.
Regarding the automatic clamp i am very confuse about what these wired do ( i am tempted to just remove it ). One more thing is what the "OUTPTUT5" (in front of "OUT5") "OUTPTUT7" "OUTPUT8" in the wizard mean ? Especially when i look at my board and output5,6,8 are not connected

Also, I look at my acorn_mill_plc.src, which i am hoping is right source code that have been compiled ( not sure how to verify ) and search for the keyword "LubeUsePumpTimersStage" I could find a few lines but i don't see/understand anything linked to the cycle start:

Line 2093 :
LubeUsePumpTimersStage IS STG23

Line 2210:
IF LubeS_W == 0 THEN SET LubeUsePumpTimersStage, RST LubeUsePLCTimersStage
IF LubeS_W != 0 THEN SET LubeUsePLCTimersStage, RST LubeUsePumpTimersStage

Line 2672:
IF SV_PROGRAM_RUNNING THEN SET LubePump, RST LubeM_T
IF !SV_PROGRAM_RUNNING THEN LubeM_T = LubeM_W, SET LubeM_T
IF LubeM_T || SV_STOP THEN RST LubePump

"OUTPUT5", "OUTPUT7" and "OUTPUT8" and similar names are generic output functions that Centroid provides, for when you want to control something that is not otherwise supported by the PLC program. They are controlled with the M61-M68 and M81-M88 M functions.

Since you do not have any wires connected to the OUT5, OUT6, OUT7 or OUT8 relays, those definitions serve no function at all on your system. You could just as well remove them.

First, the lubrication is kicked off when I press the cycle start. I can see it by pressing CTRL+I and viewing the output (in my case, output 1). Where can i find the piece of code that trigger the Lub when i cycle start?

I answered your question above, but I did not ask the obvious followup question: why do you want to see the piece of code that triggers the LubePump output when you start a cycle?

Are you hoping to change it in some way?

If so, what is it you want it to do differently?

Thanks for all the pointer and informations,i am trying to understand the configuration because i need to upgrade the computer ans the version of Acorn.I am trying to find where all the pieces are so i can properly backup and restore on a new pc.

Cheers

Vincent

Lube logic and Parameter 179 are standard to nearly every Centroid PLC program of the last 20 years.

If you install a fresh version; assign "LubeOut" to OUT1 as before; and set Parameter 179 to the same setting you had previously (or check the same boxes in the Wizard), then it will work just like it did before.

On the old PC you'll want to go through the Wizard and take a screenshot of each section and save those.
Then with the new PC you'll want to install a new version of CNC12 v5.30 available here: https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... loads.html
Then go through the Wizard and re-enter all of the values and settings you see in the screenshots from the old PC.

Thanks,
But in the wizard my pump is set to "Pump power is one when machine is running a job". So i can assume there is nothing more to it and as soon as i press cycle start it will lube correctly ?
I am asking all these questions because the vendor of the machine told me he "customize it" so i was looking for a "custom code " somewhere but still don't get why the parameter P179=0 wouldn't be enought. From my beginner point view i was going to just use acorn wizard but i just want to check if i am missing something more complex.

I guess this answer my question i can just use the first settings from the wizard and it will be okay.