For any of you that are also religious about your warmup procedures…
CNCdepot spindles have a specific warmup procedure dictated by their bearing manufacturer which is not yet represented in the macros. Their routine calls for a 1 min dwell between each rpm cycle. If you go to cncm > AvidMacros > spindlewarm you can paste this adapted version of their warmup procedure in the Generic N20 section (line 35ish)
;Generic
N20
S[#9747 *.25 ] ;set spindle speed to 25% of max RPM
m94 /1 ;turn spindle on
G4 P180 ;pause for 3 min
m95 /1 ;turn spindle off
G4 P60 ;pause for 1 min
S[#9747 *.50 ] ;set spindle speed to 50% of max RPM
m94 /1 ;turn spindle on
G4 P240 ;pause for 4 min
m95 /1 ;turn spindle off
G4 P60 ;pause for 1 min
S[#9747 *.75 ] ;set spindle speed to 75% of max RPM
m94 /1 ;turn spindle on
G4 P240 ;pause for 4 min
m95 /1 ;turn spindle off
m225 #130 “Warmup Complete!”
GOTO 1000
Per their instructions: “For ambient temperatures less than 70 deg F, please ensure that the spindle is at least 85deg F before operating above 75% of maximum speed. This may require additional warm up time.”
It gets sub-70 in my shop during the winter so I’ve broken the original into 5 cycles.
;Generic
N20
S[#9747 *.25 ] ;set spindle speed to 25% of max RPM
m94 /1 ;turn spindle on
G4 P180 ;pause for 3 min
m95 /1 ;turn spindle off
G4 P60 ;pause for 1 min
S[#9747 *.38 ] ;set spindle speed to 38% of max RPM
m94 /1 ;turn spindle on
G4 P180 ;pause for 3 min
m95 /1 ;turn spindle off
G4 P60 ;pause for 1 min
S[#9747 *.50 ] ;set spindle speed to 50% of max RPM
m94 /1 ;turn spindle on
G4 P240 ;pause for 4 min
m95 /1 ;turn spindle off
G4 P60 ;pause for 1 min
S[#9747 *.62 ] ;set spindle speed to 62% of max RPM
m94 /1 ;turn spindle on
G4 P240 ;pause for 4 min
m95 /1 ;turn spindle off
G4 P60 ;pause for 1 min
S[#9747 *.75 ] ;set spindle speed to 75% of max RPM
m94 /1 ;turn spindle on
G4 P240 ;pause for 4 min
m95 /1 ;turn spindle off
m225 #130 “Warmup Complete!”
GOTO 1000
I added the CNC Depot file. I got the button, and it controls the drawbar. But when I do the release, it opens the bar, and my tool is inserted and stays there, but when I hit the cycle button, it drops(releases) my tool. I have a question about the wiring.
From the first picture, where the plug goes, there is a three-pin with three wires plugged in. Are those just disconnected, and the white and black go there instead?
Looks like in that second picture your connector isn’t seated in all the way…
However if you are getting the control to release the drawbar things should be working.
We did a few updates to that script, when did you last download the macros/scripts and install them? You may want to refresh them to get the latest changes.
I installed it yesterday. I had to wait for the terminal connector to arrive. Does the black-and-white terminal plug replace the black, blue, and white terminal plug shown in the picture right of the one you said looks loose? Or does it go to the two pins to the right of the one you noted looks loose?
I do have the servos, so I made the connections as you instructed. When I hit the icon to release a tool and open the drawbar, it counts for 3 seconds, and the drawbar opens and clamps my tool. Then the part that says hit cycle start, which says it will clamp my tool instead that causes it to release the tool. I am not sure why it is reversed. From the instructions hitting the added icon should open the drawbar then insert the tool and hit cycle start to close the drawbar.
From what I can tell when I first start the machine the bar is already in the open so the the icon that is suppose to cause it to open is closing it and the cycle start is causing it to open.
A really simple test to see if you wired the relay backwards would be to:
Start up the control and make sure it’s powered up (not in a reset state)
See if he draw bar is open
If it is, unplug relay 6 from that relay board.
If the drawbar closes you may have it wired backwards.
The other possibility could be if you were messing around in the “PLC Diagnostic” window and you accidentally forced the output open in software… If you were in that menu I could talk you through fixing that…
What would be causing the Air Indicator on the VCP to register NORM (green/on) when there is no air supply or input signal and the opposite when there is?
How do you have air pressure set in the wizard under “Warnings”
If you have it set to “do nothing” it will always be “norm”
If you have it set to anything other than “do nothing” it will look at the air pressure input and indicate if it’s low or now.
It should be noted: Our air pressure input is just a switch. it’s normally meant to be hooked up to the laser control box, which has a calibrated air pressure switch in it to trigger that input.
So here’s a thing…
The cncdepot spindle calls for 110psi minimum which I’ve got a pressure switch to monitor as one should for an atc. The DLS laser’s air pressure switch is regulated to only 40psi.
I’m confused about where to wire the spindle’s pressure switch when coupled with the Avid laser or if it’s even possible
With the laser installed, and even when it’s box is powered off, it’s still sending a signal to the control box and continues to do so all the way down to 40psi which is a hole in the safety net for the spindle b/c under the 110psi minimum is still registering positive.
RE different pressures: you’d have to have another input, there’s no real way around it. I could make my code have a parameter it reads, which could (by default) be equal to the one that is for the “air pressure on” macro and be customized for another input.
I’d suggest just having one air sensor, and have it set on your input air at 110; if it isn’t on, then everything will fail.
That is correct, so when the laser box says “air pressure is good” it’s above that threshold.
Ditto
This is the correct solution. To add to this: The ATC system that we are currently engineering takes care of all of this. We will have an external control box with all of the IO and sensors needed for ATC.
OK, so there’s nothing inside the Avid laser box that needs to be reading it’s onboard pressure switch signal - it’s really just as simple as the signal originating from and returning to J17 in the control box.
That would make sense to a toddler.
Think I might have the long covid…
