Console the Key Emulator Method
As I said in the main console thread I will start a thread for each type of console so it does not get confusing - for me that is :)
The easiest way to make a console is with a key emulator. The process is you make a panel with a heap of buttons and then through a keyboard emulator you make those buttons interact with the Mach3 screen. It could be argued by the purists that it is just a software control but let's face it Mach3 is a software machine controller and we trust that to start, stop and run jobs as well as monitor the state of limits and emergency stops. So at the very least you are not compromising the safety of your machine in any way and probably enhancing it because the controls on a console are easier and quicker to react to than through a keyboard or mouse.
There are many different brands of key emulators and I will cover that more when I get to that stage. For this exercise I am using a PoKey but only using the digital switches and not the MGP or other capabilities it has.
So the first step is to design and make the panel for the console. What features do you want on the console - eg Monitor, switches, MPG, keyboard, mouse, etc.
You have to decide how all this is going to be mounted eg on a swinging arm over the machine or in a trolley, etc. When you have decided on your final design my advise is to sit on it for a while and review your choices before commencing. The reason I say this is because on this console I forgot to put a "Reset" switch which is one of the most important switches it can have. Fortunately I ruined my first attempt at cutting out the console and had to remake it again which gave me the chance to include the "Rest" switch. When designing the placement of switches consider grouping them into functions. If you spend too much time trying to find a switch amongst forty others you may as well use the keyboard and standard Mach screens as it will be quicker.
There are heaps of variations and you must decide yourself on what you want and how it is to be configured. On this I will add that a console does give the opportunity to have your computer away from the firing line of swarf and dust and your interface (console) mounted in a convenient location to operate your machine.
Enough waffling and there is enough experience on this forum so that your ideas can be presented here and comment can be made if you happen to miss the obvious. A final point on design is the choice of materials. As this is a woodworking forum I expect that something like MDF would be a good choice of materials for a console with either masonite or better coloured acrylic sheet for the face. Each to their own here and there are other choices - I am going with 3mm aluminum panel and a folded sheetmetal enclosure.
Making a start on the Front Panel
Now to specifics of this console.
The console is for my BIL who owns Rodot a machine I built some time back and very similar to Sean's machine. After discussion with him it was decided that the console will have the following features
Twenty switches to operate the machining controls - now 21 with the Reset switch included. :-
A 17 inch LCD monitor because it was given to me but a 15 inch is a better choice for size. Smaller than 15 inch means you have to operate Mach3 in low resolution and I can tell you that a 12 inch touchscreen is not the best at 800 by 600 even with custom screens.
240 volt switches to control the spindles and driver board.
Emergency Mushroom panic switch.
No keyboard or mouse.
Cabling that needs to be connected to the box will be 240 volt, video cable, USB.
His choice was for something easy to operate so I have not overloaded the console with switches but the trade off is it will have less controls and gizmoes. Cost was also a consideration so an MPG’s has been replaced with individual axis switches. The Modio console will have MPG's and lots of gizmoes so it works out good that you get to see something different here.
To understand the design you need a picture of how he operates. He has a desk against the shed wall with the computer on it and the CNC machine is directly behind him as he sits at the desk. He swivels on a chair between the desk and machine as he needs to. The way he will operate is the designing will still be done at the desk and when he is ready to machine he can spin around and use the console to operate the machine. The console monitor will be connected to the video card on the desk computer. The console screen can be cloned to the desktop or with an extended desktop he can have something completely different to the computer screen. A few options with dual screens and I will cover that later.
The console panel was designed in Aspire and the aluminum sheet machined on Morphy. Care was taken to get the exact monitor cut-out as the mounting screws are very close to the edge. I removed the case of the monitor (not easy) and will fix the fascia and body of the monitor to the panel. I engraved all the switch labels with a 60 degree V bit and will colour those once I have deburred the panel.
The machining was done tonight – about three hours total due to a low feed rate because I was using a 3mm cutter to keep the corner radii tight.
See photos and to give perspective the panel is 505mm by 355mm. The panel has WD40 residue and a bit of swarf hanging around so it is a bit smeared in the photos. The aluminum sheet was from scrap so it is scratched up as you can see from the photo of the back. Some 1200 wet and dry and a bit of elbow grease revived the front to something more presentable. The 240 volt switches have been separated from the 5 volt momentary switches and all the swiches have been grouped by function and surrounded by engraved lines to make it easy to operate the panel. Once the engraving is coloured it will be easier to see the finer detail in a photo.
Sorry these are long posts but to be a tutorial it does need a lot of words to explain it. That’s enough for one night.