Centroid Acorn Controller - Has anyone tried one?

[battwell]

ive just ordered one of these- pretty good reviews for wired lan extender through power sockets
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BT-Broadba...k/122236222579

[Chaz]

ive just ordered one of these- pretty good reviews for wired lan extender through power sockets
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BT-Broadba...k/122236222579

The problem isnt connectivity. I have a similar setup. The issue is that the controller connects via Ethernet, so I cant 'get' to the Internet if the cable I need is disconnected. CS Labs allows you to use DHCP on your network to reassign its IP. This doesnt seem to do that.

[JAZZCNC]

Chaz been doing little digging and looks like the acorn is setup in such away that it watches inputs to determine where the turret is located.
This is why the Orac code is so simple. The PLC is watching the I/O to determine which turret location currently at then moving to new location.

There isn't any code in the PLC like what your probably thinking. All the PLC does is watch 3 inputs and depending on there logic state knows turret location. ie:
In1=on In2=off in3=on == Turret Position#1
In1=on In2=on In3=off == Turret Position #2
In1=off In2=on In3=on == Turret Position #3
And so on for each Turret location.

Using this Logic indexing it rotates the turret while watching the I/O untill matches tool # taken from G-code and stored in parameter #4102 and when finished returns sets this location in Memory and sets parammeter #90014.
This Logic is the only thing in the PLC which can be changed.

It should be possible to change the PLC but this is beyond me at the minute.
However think we could easily work around this and effectively do it manually using the Macro with simple moves then set the parameters to keep track where located.

Also note Centroid don't use G91 incremental moves. If want to program incremental move you use UVW moves ie: x10 Z-5 would be absolute moves.
incremental moves would be U10 W-5.

What axis would you use for turret.?

[Chaz]

Thanks, been doing lots of reading too. I'm using A Axis for the turret.

Here is my PLC Source Code.

https://pastebin.com/SLRZQ4Re

Some specific bits of interest seem to be:-

;SV_MACHINE_PARAMETER_6 is ATC on/off. 1 = ATC on, 0 = ATC off.

;SV_MACHINE_PARAMETER_830 = ATC Type, 0 = none. 1 = incremental, 2 = incremental w/sync,
; 4 = absolute 3bit, 8 = absolute 4bit, 16 = switched reverse
; 32 = self reversing



;------------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Memory Bit Definitions
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AtcPresent_M IS MEM1
AtcIsAbsolute_M IS MEM2
AtcIsIncremental_M IS MEM3

RotateToolTurret IS MEM329 ;&*;
ReverseToolTurret IS MEM330 ;&*;

I assume if I set parameter 830 to 1, the following code then applies?

;------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AtcIncrementalStage
;------------------------------------------------------------------------------
;For incremental ATC's, ToolTurretPosBit1 is the tool counter and toggles each time the
;turret rotates to a tool position. If ToolTurretPosBit1 toggles while ReverseToolTurret is
;not on, then CurrentTurretPosition_W = CurrentTurretPosition_W + 1. If ToolTurretPosBit1
;toggles while ReverseToolTurret is on, then CurrentTurretPosition_W = CurrentTurretPosition_W -1.

IF ToolTurretPosBit1 && RotateToolTurret && !ReverseToolTurret
THEN CurrentTurretPosition_W = CurrentTurretPosition_W + 1

IF ToolTurretPosBit1 && RotateToolTurret && !ReverseToolTurret
THEN CurrentTurretPosition_W = CurrentTurretPosition_W - 1

[m_c]

Looking at that, that's an example for something with an incremental toolholder (something similar to your Triac, but you only get a single pulse per tool position), however what it does show, is that you can directly manipulate the tool position number, simply by setting CurrentTurretPosition_W.

Now you have a couple choices on how to implement the turret rotation.
You can either create a function that only moves one position at a time, and updates the counter each time, such as this basic flow-

while not at required position,
rotate turret one position
end while
rotate turret backwards to lock.

Function rotate turret one position
Rotate A-axis NN degrees
Increment turret position by one
end function


Or if you do it in a single function

calculate required turret movement
Rotate A-axis required movement
Reverse A-axis to lock
Update tool position

However, looking at that code snippet, it does look like it will handle the tool position rollover automatically.
I'd try creating a basic M6 macro that simply increments it by maybe 3 or 5 position in one swift move, and see if the tool position rolls over to where you'd expect. It may be limited to only incrementing by one (I'd hope not, but a quick bit code to test is easier, than having to re-write a whole macro if it is limited).


If you're really stuck, post up the links to the PLC manual and I'll have a bit read later.
From what I looked at a couple weeks ago, the PLC language does seem to be some kind of Basic/Ladder/Fanuc love child.

[Chaz]

Looking at that, that's an example for something with an incremental toolholder (something similar to your Triac, but you only get a single pulse per tool position), however what it does show, is that you can directly manipulate the tool position number, simply by setting CurrentTurretPosition_W.

Now you have a couple choices on how to implement the turret rotation.
You can either create a function that only moves one position at a time, and updates the counter each time, such as this basic flow-

while not at required position,
rotate turret one position
end while
rotate turret backwards to lock.

Function rotate turret one position
Rotate A-axis NN degrees
Increment turret position by one
end function


Or if you do it in a single function

calculate required turret movement
Rotate A-axis required movement
Reverse A-axis to lock
Update tool position

However, looking at that code snippet, it does look like it will handle the tool position rollover automatically.
I'd try creating a basic M6 macro that simply increments it by maybe 3 or 5 position in one swift move, and see if the tool position rolls over to where you'd expect. It may be limited to only incrementing by one (I'd hope not, but a quick bit code to test is easier, than having to re-write a whole macro if it is limited).


If you're really stuck, post up the links to the PLC manual and I'll have a bit read later.
From what I looked at a couple weeks ago, the PLC language does seem to be some kind of Basic/Ladder/Fanuc love child.

Thanks.

The ATC 'process' is mapped here and links to the PLC reference manual also there.

http://centroidcncforum.com/viewtopi...52327af32d86da

PLC Manual - http://www.centroidcnc.com/downloads...g%20Manual.pdf

Many thanks.

[JAZZCNC]

However, looking at that code snippet, it does look like it will handle the tool position rollover automatically.

Ok think we are looking at two different pieces of code here. I've just downloaded Chaz's file and you could be correct.!!
Looks like ToolTurretPosBit1 uses the tool counter when in incremental mode and then toggles tool position each time this increments.

However Still not sure thou because how does the tool position get incremented inside the PLC.?

[Chaz]

Don't think so Not without watching at least one input and setting the ToolTurretPosBit1. Only then can it increment the CurrentTurretPosition_W variable which then gets stored in MEM1 which then signals to M101 /70001 in main cnctch.mac (M6 macro) that toolChange is Complete.

Without using an input then the only way is to move it using set amount of degrees then reverse etc then increment tool position in the code.

Yep, which is how the Mach 3 ATC macro works.

[m_c]

Ok think we are looking at two different pieces of code here. I've just downloaded Chaz's file and you could be correct.!!
Looks like ToolTurretPosBit1 uses the tool counter when in incremental mode and then toggles tool position each time this increments.

However Still not sure thou because how does the tool position get incremented inside the PLC.?

I'm only going by the code snippet Chaz posted, but it looks to me like if you enable incremental mode, it expects you to link an input, along with a directional command, and the rest is then handled behind the scenes.
However, I would still expect you to be able to directly change the tool position, to allow for tool changer homing routines, and recovery of changers that have no home sensor.