Robotool retro

[geckocycles]

I horse traded for this 8 yrs ago and built a CNC4PC control for it back then. My first CNC anything. The machine homed when I first got it. WHen it stopped I couldn't get it to move again. Being no support available for this mid 80's machine I had a electrical engineer tell me that he would help build a new control. He turned out to be a drunk and unreliable so I did the best I could to finish it on my own but was afraid to plug it in till a few months ago and after lots of issues got it working. Just didn't like Mach4 and all it's bugs so I ordered a Acorn from CNC4PC with their C86 board. Issues with the C86 and Arturo sent me a new C86 and all is working well so far so I am now making a touchscreen/computer mount for it. Getting closer everyday. Nice to see progress.



This is the well abused benchtop knee I horse traded for the Robotool.




The advice I got from the drunk was to keep the power supplies and relays separated from the control if possible. I had several enclosures and some electrical parts I could salvage for the power supplies and a bunch of other stuff the Drunk said I should just use and save $.

24v and 2 relays for spindle and drives

First control I put together.

The drives didn't work. Arturo sent me DG4S-16035 drives.

All the ways look like this through out the travel. The Knee ways look like they still have Creosote on them from the factory.



I got a new control PS in today so I can get rid of the LV PS in the HV enclosure and run Acorn and the C86 as the C86 and the drives need 12v too. I should be able to get that redone today.

This is what I have mocked up so far for the monitor mount. I have a bunch of NIB leaf spring bushings for my Samurai I thought I would try to use. The Urethane needs to be harder durometer I am finding out. Some adjustments are made and I will replace the bushings when I get more material in, or maybe not and just call it good.
I was surprised by the lack of torsional stability they have with so little weight on them. I am going to try using a longer internal sleeve and sandwich the sleeve instead of crushing the bushing flanges.

This is what I have so far. I was going to put everything in one enclosure but will leave it this way for now. I know it works this way. I think I would rather buy a new PS if I were to mount it all in one enclosure. They look so much better but more testing on the machine is needed before I dump some more money into it. I do want the wireless Pendant too being I can't use the new wired one I have with Acorn.

[martyscncgarage]

Looking good....

[geckocycles]

Being the bushings are too soft I adjusted the angle of the mounting plate with a small screw till I get harder material for the bushings. The tubing is 1.75"x 3/16 wall. Plate is 3/8" with 1/4" angle. No flex there. LOL I can hang on the arm complete.

I removed the besil on the monitor and took off the stand. Cut off extra plate for better access to the monitor cables and made some threaded barrel nuts and tig'd them on to hold computer in place with the Al tabs

Spent 4 hours dealing with USPS international shipping so didn't get much else done except painting the arm.
Another hour this morning. I'm not shipping to the EU anymore. Spent more time dealing with shipping than I did making the product. This is about the 4th time I have had to deal with international shipping like this.

[geckocycles]

I have continuity between grd and Com now unless estop is open. Just found another diagram on CNC4PC site that shows a different configuration with estop and limits that is different than just estop showing power through limits. Give that a try in a bit. I have to power the C86 with 12v if you are using the DG4S drives which I am. This is confusing and you have to be sure you are using the correct diagram which is not clear at first and is very easy to get things wrong. It would of been nice to get just the files I need with the hardware he sold me instead of trying to figure it out from his download tab under Acorn. First he says follow STEP BY STEP.pdf which will fry the C86 if you use DG4S drives. Lucky I found the 245.pdf before I connected 24v to it.

I noticed that when I have HomeALL assigned to IN1 I no longer have Limits available to assign IN2 to. What do I use to assign limit to IN2, or do I just connect estop and limits to the same pin HOMEALL?

I don't have the charge pump or power to VFD connected to relays on Acorn yet. Looking for schematic. WIres are pulled to under Acorn just waiting.

[martyscncgarage]

Unless the CNC4PC board needs charge pump, you won't need it.
IF you want to use the switches for the opposite end of travel, series them together and tie them to an input and name it LimitAll
Ground and Common are tied together on Acorn I believe.

Arturo is way behind on documentation for his boards. Something I suggested to him more than once. He really needs to get caught up and clean them up.

[geckocycles]

Unless the CNC4PC board needs charge pump, you won't need it.
IF you want to use the switches for the opposite end of travel, series them together and tie them to an input and name it LimitAll
Ground and Common are tied together on Acorn I believe.

Arturo is way behind on documentation for his boards. Something I suggested to him more than once. He really needs to get caught up and clean them up.

WIll do. Simple to tie limit and estop together at DIN rail. One side is already tied together. I just thought I could have separate pins for stop and limit but they are really just the same I guess.

I searched forum and got this answer so I guess I misunderstood about gnd and com being connected somehow. viewtopic.php?f=60&t=3058&p=22883&hilit ... ted#p22883

Arturo replied and said to wire it as per 245.pdf but that doesn't address limits. Probably have to wait another day for another reply. I have it wired that way but added limits as per instructions in Acorn LIMIT ALL, HOME ALL Schematics.

[martyscncgarage]

Estop button should be tied to Acorn Input 8 (Estop input)
If you use an Estop button with TWO NC Contact blocks, the other contact block can open an Estop Contactor that feeds power to the axis drives and break the COMmon from the VFD before going to the Acorn output SpinFwd and SpinRev.
Please study the Acorn SYSTEM Schematic that comes with the latest schematic set

[martyscncgarage]

Also ENG199 is Centroids EE. He designs the boards. So yes, com and earth ground are tied together AT the Acorn board.

[geckocycles]

Estop button should be tied to Acorn Input 8 (Estop input)
If you use an Estop button with TWO NC Contact blocks, the other contact block can open an Estop Contactor that feeds power to the axis drives and break the COMmon from the VFD before going to the Acorn output SpinFwd and SpinRev.
Please study the Acorn SYSTEM Schematic that comes with the latest schematic set

Interesting way, see if I can figure that out. I see it in the Standard Connections, THX
I have yet to look at power to drives and VFD through Acorn yet. I have a separate switch for those relays for now.

I don't see a "SYSTEM" Schematic in the set. I just downloaded it again and nothing. The "STANDARD CONNECTIONS" is what I have been trying to incorporate with the C86 stuff, which confuses me when it is added, but I think I am getting a handle on it.

I have 2 limits per axis.

[martyscncgarage]

Estop button should be tied to Acorn Input 8 (Estop input)
If you use an Estop button with TWO NC Contact blocks, the other contact block can open an Estop Contactor that feeds power to the axis drives and break the COMmon from the VFD before going to the Acorn output SpinFwd and SpinRev.
Please study the Acorn SYSTEM Schematic that comes with the latest schematic set

Interesting way, see if I can figure that out. I see it in the Standard Connections, THX
I have yet to look at power to drives and VFD through Acorn yet. I have a separate switch for those relays for now.

I don't see a "SYSTEM" Schematic in the set. I just downloaded it again and nothing. The "STANDARD CONNECTIONS" is what I have been trying to incorporate with the C86 stuff, which confuses me when it is added, but I think I am getting a handle on it.

I have 2 limits per axis.

System schematic attached for reference. Its called Acorn_rev4_Standard_System
Use it as a guide. There is also one for 220V also attached for your convenience.

You have a limit switch on each end of the axis correct? You have to determin which will be the home for each axis.
Z+ (Head/Quill) Up
X- Table all the way to the right
Y+ Table all the way toward you

Series those 3 together. One end to Acorn Power supply COM. The other end to Acorn Input 1. HomeALL

If you want to use the other switches, series Z-, X+ and Y-. One end to Acorn power supply COM. The other end to Acorn Input 2. LimitALL

Estop button should be a NC contact block on Estop. One terminal to Acorn power supply COM. The other to Acorn Input 8 ESTOP