Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

Hi everyone, I posted on the facebook "unofficial" group about this issue which I hopefully now have sorted out thanks to the help of a few people. I have attached a report done at the time of the problem. Firstly my machine is a bridgeport copy Prototrak 2000 which was fitted with an MX3 controller. I swapped this out for a centroid acorn system and used DMM servos and drives to power all 4 axis. I made my own rotary axis and posted about this a while ago. Anyway long story short as the machine was set to home all to limit switches and the A axis hasn't got a switch or sensor as yet during its homing sequence the A axis would just continually rotate and go no further. I "removed" the A drive in acorn wizard and bingo the machine homes just as it should. Maybe one day after I get to learn and use the machine I'll get a sensor fitted to the A axis and add it back in there.

My other issues were that I could get a sample program inside of intercon to work just fine but could not for the life of me load a program generated in Alphacam. I have a friend in Tasmania who helped me a lot and sorted a post out which has allowed me only yesterday to load and run my own program albeit in fresh air.
My next challenge is to do a few more dry runs and then to bite the bullet and actually make some chips.

Within my Alphacam I have a large tool library where I select my tools and generate the programs but need some advice regarding the tool library in CNC12. i.e. does it have to match up exactly with my Alphacam tool library data? If so can this be imported directly or does it have to be done the long winded way and entering data manually?

It is not my intention to run programs whereby I have to make tool changes as I find it so much easier to make a separate program for a different operation and I am just a hobbyist not trying to compete with businesses making jobs quicker etc.

I agree with Keith regarding I am in need of some operator training and any video tutorials out there would be very useful for me. I find that because I used the MX3 control for over 20 years my mindset is to just try and input stuff like I have always done and thats a bad thing. I need to get into Centroid frame of mind now after my decision to purchase the acorn and digitizing package.
Any comments very much appreciated for a newbie, thanks
download/file.php?mode=view&id=15599

superpot wrote: ↑Wed Apr 28, 2021 12:07 pm Within my Alphacam I have a large tool library where I select my tools and generate the programs but need some advice regarding the tool library in CNC12. i.e. does it have to match up exactly with my Alphacam tool library data? If so can this be imported directly or does it have to be done the long winded way and entering data manually?

Yes, at least for the tools you are using. The only information transmitted in the g-code file is the tool number, and the height and diameter offset numbers. The only way CNC12 knows what the length and diameter offset amounts are is from the built-in tool table. If the internal tool table, and the one in Alphacam don't match, you are going to get unexpected results.

OK thanks for the reply Tom

this is an old operator training video but the concepts still apply, just want to make sure you've watched it.
viewtopic.php?f=61&t=2118

you can home your A axis without a home switch until you get once installed. edit the home program and comment out the M92/1 line for the A axis with a semi colon. ;M91 then when you get the home switch installed remove the comment so cnc12 will seek the A axis limit switch.

Thanks for that Keith. I have just watched you as a young man on the video. (@-@) Very useful