Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

I bought a "Voltage To PWM Converter Module 0-5V 0-10V To 0-100%" with the intent of connecting it to the Acorn board 0-5 volt analog spindle output. This would then be connected to my laser to modulate the power output. Right now I only turn the laser on and off. The PWM converter module has 6 terminals for connections. On one side there is a GRD and VCC. One the other there are: GRD -VOUT - GRD - PWM. I assume th espindle output is into the GRD-VCC. What I don't know is where the other 4 go.

My laser has 3 inputs (+)12 v - (-)12v - PWM. The two 12v connectors are connected to the power supply and the PWM is run thru a relay on the acorn board to GRD and turns the laser on and off via M commands sent to the relay.

There is also a jumper on the PWM module that I assume selects either 0-5 volts or 0-10 volts - but I just assume that. There were no instructions of any kind with the PWM module.

Any help on how to wire this would be appreciated. I don't want to fry the thing.

Look here


http://www.icstation.com/mobile/voltage ... 12430.html

Thanks - I think that's what I need.

eswakon@eas-eng.com wrote: ↑Wed Aug 07, 2019 1:09 pm Thanks - I think that's what I need.

Where did you buy the board?

Looking forward to some pictures of your laser build and it running being controlled by the Centroid software once you have it dialed in.
Marty

I got mine from NewEgg https://www.newegg.com/p/285-000J-00245

But Jay Morris above posted what looks to be the same board - with instructions and cheaper. http://www.icstation.com/voltage-conver ... 12430.html

I successfully confirmed 0-10Volt from the Acron spindle output using a series of m3 s=1000; m3 s=3000 etc. commands from MDI. Now I need to figure out what software to use that will generate the various "S=" commands to control the laser output.

eswakon@eas-eng.com wrote: ↑Thu Aug 08, 2019 11:41 am I got mine from NewEgg https://www.newegg.com/p/285-000J-00245

But Jay Morris above posted what looks to be the same board - with instructions and cheaper. http://www.icstation.com/voltage-conver ... 12430.html

I successfully confirmed 0-10Volt from the Acron spindle output using a series of m3 s=1000; m3 s=3000 etc. commands from MDI. Now I need to figure out what software to use that will generate the various "S=" commands to control the laser output.

Cool.
PWM is in the Acorn hardware as previously mentioned. Matt, Centroid's Engineer snuck it in the latest hardware revision and forgot to tell the programmers
SO, it will eventually be added in a future release of CNC12. Stay tuned.

Marty

Is the PWM in the Version 3 board - which is what I have? Or will I need a Version 4 board when the programming catches up?

OK, I still need help. As I mentioned previously, I tested the output from the analog spindle output and can successfully achieve 0 to 10 volts output by sending "S" commands via the MDI command line. HOWEVER, when I connect those spindle output lines to the PWM board Vout and GRD the voltage at the input pins on the board drops to 2-volts - regardless of the voltage coming from the spindle analog output. The second issue is I can not turn the laser off when wired thru the PWM board -its always on.

My original connection with only on or off was wired as shown. Suggestions for wiring would be appreciated.

Repeating the question "Is the PWM in the Version 3 board?"
I'm guessing it is not. Need to know for planning purposes.
I also want to verify that an optical isolator should be used between the Acorn and this PWM converter module.
Thanks!
Gary

From my understanding the hardware is there, just need some software to pulse a digital output on the db25 connector. I wouldn't think you would use an opto between the analog out of the Acorn to that board. Can you make the pwm board produce a pwm signal using a battery, 9volt, 1.5volt, etc