Hey folks! We have had a lot of questions from folks that have CNC Depot spindles, and have upgraded to our new EX controls.
We have just created a retrofit guide that shows the steps that you will have to take to get your CNC Depot spindle working on your EX controller. The guide is in it’s first draft. If you would like to “test” the guide please message me directly or respond here and I’ll get you access.
Hi Eric - I would like access to the guide. I haven’t placed my EX order yet, but would like to understand the complexity before pulling the trigger. Thanks
You’ll have it in a few moments!
@Eric could you share the guide with me as well? I have the CNC Depot spindle awaiting install and might just upgrade to the EX system as well before I install the ATC
@Eric I just received my EX upgrade kit so I’d like to have access to the CNCdepot instructions. Thanks.
Just messaged it to you
Hi everyone! I also wanted to let you all know that I should have updated macros and UI to support an ATC with Centroid / EX Controllers. I’ve got a few people testing it, but I’m hoping to open it up to more people soon. It’ll work similar to the Mach 4 system I did, but with automatic tool height measuring using Eric’s touch off plate code.
If you want to beta test it, please let me know.
-Corbin
Awesome Corbin. I just placed my EX order last week, so I’m 4-5 weeks out. If you are still in testing then, I’d love to help.
-Mark
@corbin. I would like to be a beta tester.
Sure! I opened it up for everyone to try:
https://www.corbinstreehouse.com/blog/atc-automatic-tool-changer-for-centroid-cnc12/
If you do try it, it would be useful to know what spindle you have and how it works for you, and if you have any issues that I might need to fix or change.
Hey Corbin, I think I found a work around on the laser not working. I discovered that if you set tool 99 load a laser cut file it will run and fire laser, you can feed hold and tool check with a restart, but if you stop the run you have to delete the height in the tool library for it to work again.
Ooooh – I think this might be a good glue to help me get the laser to work for people. Let me take a look at the code again sometime today.
The latest releases have a tool table now!
Corbin
Some things to note:
The laser requires some special G code commands to activate it. Specifically it to put it into PWM VM mode (Pulse Width Modulation Velocity Mode) This mode re-routes spindle speed commands to laser power level.
The laser is also the only tool that will hold onto it’s measured tool height. This lets you swap back and forth from routing to laser in the same job.
The M6 script also applies the laser offset as well, and the method of doing that may change in an update that’s around the corner.
This is all to say you’re welcome to mess with the M6 script, but there’s a fair bit under the hood to make it all work properly.
This is why I architected OUR m6 script to hand off to the CNC Depot M6 script for tool pickup/dropoff. This way Avid’s M6 script gets to do all of its magic (like for laser) yet still work with a tool rack.
@corbin I haven’t had a chance to use your tool library just yet. If you can’t figure out what’s going on in the M6 script I’m happy to walk you through it so you can make your stuff work.
I’m pretty sure I skip a bunch of work if the tool number has a height, but like you noted, I have to do some stuff if the target is the laser. It shouldn’t be too hard for me to fix!
Definitely check out the stuff I did – it is getting more complete each day. I think I’m about ready to call it mostly done.
Eric,
New to the community and currently evaluating an upgrade to Avid’s EX platform. Currently using a CNC Depot RM 70C spindle. Appreciate if you could forward your draft on retrofitting the spindle to operate on the new EX system.
Invite sent!