Thread: Console the Key Emulator Method

Just to add my two cents. A long while back, I built this MAME arcade controller to play all the classics on the XBOX / PC. Works by using an i-Pac USB keyboard encoder. I'm thinking that this will be an ideal way for me to run a console for my CNC.

The best bit about it is that I can save the configuration of the buttons for both the CNC and the MAME box and alternate relatively easily between the two should I feel the need to bust out a bit of Pacman or Pong.

I bought all the buttons, joysticks and the i-Pac from here:
Welcome to OzStick, where we bring Arcade Quality gaming action right into your home!!

This arcade box is part of the reason for me wanting to make my own cnc. Whilst I enjoyed every bit of making it, the whole time I was thinking 'man i wish i had a cnc...'

Soon.

Row.

Hi Row,
It will make a good interface to the CNC machine.

I have used a hagstrom keyboard emulator and it has been running faultless for four or five years on my mill.

Reviving this thread as it might create some interest and someone might make a console.

The photos are the console of 6B4 and while the making of the console has been finished for a while this week I created the Mach3 Brains and shortcuts keys as well as doing all the wiring. Everything works in simulation so that is a good start.

I think the console as a slide out drawer works well so that when not in use you do not have protrusions outside the machine or screens to protect from damage. The dual screen works well and I have included all the controls I need on the one screen with a large toolpath and gcode window on the other.

The computer turns on and off from the console and windows shortcuts assigned to a switch means I don't have to use the keyboard or mouse to operate the machine. There are pots for feed rate, jog rate and spindle speed.

I'd forgotten just how good your consoles looked

One question on the e-stop button shown, is it a mains voltage switch or are you controlling a relay to switch main voltages?

I've been looking at the mechmate forum where the most common design is to have multiple e-stop buttons around the machine, This seems like a good idea but they are routing mains voltage to do this. I'd much prefer to have multiple e-stops at a low voltage driving relays or similar.

Originally Posted by snowyskiesau

One question on the e-stop button shown, is it a mains voltage switch or are you controlling a relay to switch main voltages?

Much worse than that I am afraid. The Estop is assigned in Mach3 to an input pin (Port 10 pin 39 a Pokeys address) and then an output pin will be assigned through the BOB to a relay. There are four chances of failure being computer, Pokeys, BOB and the relay. I can live with it as fortunately that stream is reliable and I've never had it fail on my machines in the thousands of hours I have been using CNC. Actually there is another board in that train being a Smoothstepper so it get's worse. And then there is the power supply for the Pokeys, Smoothstepper and BOB.


This of course is why a proper Estop should be at the first level of protection and that source is the 240 volt input to the machine. On a smaller machine I'm not sure you need multiple Estops so long as you can reach the button from where you are standing that will be good enough.

To be boring and continue my thoughts an Estop on my machine is totally useless anyway. The only time I am within reach of the estop button is when I first start a job because I leave my machine room while it is running unless it is a short job or there is an immediate tool change - say a drill bit to a mill bit but these days I am slack and drill with the mill bit where possible. So if I am not there I can't turn it off. Quality limit switches and a machine built strong enough to take a pounding has given me confidence to operate this way.

On a public forum I cannot recommend operating the way I do and thinking through things like runaway machines caused by computer or software failure the 240 volt estop is by far the safest. Next level up is low voltage operating a relay and that way you only have one component to fail - well two as there is the power supply for the low voltage supply.

The above is messy as I have added bits to it as the thoughts came out but there is something to think about. I might redo my estop after this discussion with myself. It's not the medication or lack of it but it has been hot over here for a week and the 40 degree days are getting to me.

The estop is certainly a tricky item, I was actually talking to a friend about it today as it happens. Unfortunately it was also one of the nails in the coffin for him making small sized routers to sell. To do it properly you should have a dual estop circuit and an estop relay, which alone costs about $700.00 bucks. This doesn't help when competing with the Chinese machines that don't need to comply with Australian standards, or have electronics that work for that matter.

One thought I had is that if a machine is moving fast and for whatever reason is going to hit a clamp or arm/leg and you hit the panic button the drives are powered off and everything stops, well and good but what if the machine is heavy and has some momentum, it may still run into something, whereas if the drives were powered but the pulse train stopped the machine would come to a stop quickly...

The other side is that the drives may be at fault and so power off will be the best option (thinking servo's here, steppers will stop pretty quickly with a toasted drive)

Yes Rod I may know i am leaving myself open for steppers being better than servo's here, its late...be kind

I happen to be starting to build a power supply for my next machine, and have been thinking of the best option for estop and am probably going to do a dual circuit and drop the supply to the drives, via a solid state relay feeding the transformers, I don't think I will bother with the safety relay and save the cash for parts. My Z servo has a brake so that will stop quickly enough.

Sorry if I rambled on too much, haven't been out much lately

Cheers.

Russell.

Hi Russell,
Good to ramble as your thoughts can be followed by others - well that is my excuse.

To be honest I don't think I could hit an Estop quick enough to stop an unexpected event. Closest I have come to needing an estop is forgetting to reset Z axis after tool changes. Best I could manage was to hit the panic button well after the event as Z drove itself deeper into the spoilboard.
If you have a large machine then estops become very relative as a one ton gantry is a formidable and expensive weapon.

Machines that size run simulations so to avoid the unexpected but as you say a drive or computer malfunction can change that.

I think Geoff was talking about running the 240 volt input cabling around the machine with estop buttons in series and without relays before powering the drives or anything else. To me this is a simple solution so what are your thoughts about this?

Competing with a Chinese machine is a waste of time. All we can do is build strong and charge what it costs as you will not sway a newbie on price - that is until they have owned the Chinese version. The last four machines I have built have gone into production shops where they value strength and useful features in a machine. Mind you my last machine is only half finished twelve months after starting it so there is not a big demand.

Hi Rod, yes as you mention the reflexes don't get better as we get older and the estop is mostly to keep the flames to a minimum.

Personally I would not run 240V around all the estops, rather use a low voltage, 12 or preferably 24V and drive a relay, keeping the 240 limited to the power supply section.

Oh yeah and don't switch the DC to the drives, switch the AC feeding the power supply, keeps the smoke in for a bit longer

On the last batch of machines my mate built we used low voltage from the PC power supply to energise a solid state relay that in turn powered up the drives, this was more to stop the customers from turning off the PC and leaving the drives running for weeks at a time unattended, the same could be the done on a hobby machine easily enough and include the estop. I am thinking I will do the same on my next machine.

Cheers.

Russell.

Russell,
Have to agree with you that running 240v around the machine is not something I would do. Good idea about using the computer power supply for Estops. Steppers would get very hot if the drivers were left turned on. Personally I shut everything down and remove the 240 plugs from the power points - avoids lightning damage to the electronics and reduces fire risk.

To clarify this for other readers Russell is using the 12 volt to close the relay to supply the 240 volt. Remove the 12 volts and the relays open shutting off the 240. Fail safe methods like this should be considered in all the machine switching.

Rod,

What size monitors are you using in that console?

Daniel

Hi Daniel
They are 8 inch touchscreens made to fit into headrests in a car. Native resolution is 800 by 600 but will display 1024 by 768 with clarity which is what I am running them at.

Originally Posted by rodm

The dual screen works well and I have included all the controls I need on the one screen with a large toolpath and gcode window on the other.

I didn't realize you could have two monitors that displayed different things from Mach3.

I know about cloning desktops and extended desktops, but I thought Mach3 was a single, in-focus application.

I've long wanted to use dual monitors and put my axes DRO's on their own smaller monitor.

Never even thought about the toolpath!

How'd you do this?

Originally Posted by Vogavt

I know about cloning desktops and extended desktops, but I thought Mach3 was a single, in-focus application.
How'd you do this?

Mach3 is a single in-focus application so to get it displaying on two screens you have to create an extended screenset. I used Screen4 which is in the Mach3 directory and developed an additional screen in the standard 1024.set screen set. Screen4 is a little quirky but hang in there and you will get the hang of it. To get a dual screen twice the width of a standard screen use 2048 by 768 resolution.