I had in my head that Rapidchange refused to execute from the MDI screen until I did a home so I left that out. Now you have me paranoid so I will double check that as soon as I am done with a couple of jobs. Thanks for the heads up, should have double checked that to start.
Yeah- I tried a simple tool change button without homing and without a check and it set off merrily flailing about in thin air
I’m going to send a note to James at RC. They absolutely need to check the home status before executing. I failed to test for that.
From James:
"On the M6 and M131 there is a commented out line of code:
– rcSub.Validate_HomeXYZ()
Just uncomment this, and it will verify that the machine is homed."
I tried it on my machine and it works correctly.
1 Like
What’s the software config for Mach 4 for the Rapidchange? On the discord they noted that it must be a specific version of Mach 4 which is newer than the Avid setup. I was playing around with trying to transfer the Avid config to the base version of Mach 4. Does the macro setup work with the Avid version?
EDIT: Actually I see that there’s a very new update to the Mach4 package for Avid
Yes the latest avid update meets the rapid change recommended version. I didn’t have any issues running it on the previous version of Avid’s mach4 though.
There’s a pdf in the rapid change mach4 download with basic instructions of what to put where. It’s very basic - unzip into the Mach 4 folder, copy modules and macros to certain folders etc. run the wizard and set up pocket location, spindle speeds etc.
Make sure you’ve done the reverse spindle and speed mods we discussed earlier in the thread.
You need to use the rapid change tool setter macro to set z height, rather than avid’s wizard.
That’s pretty much it- very simple setup.
Re enabling home check in the macros: Reckon this should be enabled by default. It’s something we’ll need to remember to check/set if we ever upgrade the RapidChange mach4 installation
I agree, not sure why they had it commented out.
Did you get anywhere on figuring out a macro or otherwise to cause a pause in the gcode and stop the spindle to allow removal and reinstall of dust shoe before and after tool change?
Any help would be gratefully received.
David
Got my magazine in, and got the relay in. @jjneeb is it possible to use one of the MOTOR 6 output pins to trigger the relay for REV? Or even the replicated outputs, as I do not use the AC in/out plugs on the controller. Is it just changing the pin mapping, or must we use something from Port 3?
Ya, you can use any outputs for that. You’re just mapping the Mach4 Spindle REV signal to an output. Any spares that aren’t used are fine.
Awesome, thank you. And then any of the inputs for the IR sensor itself right? just map accordingly?
I just realized I have a larger problem. The new servo controlled version runs of 24V, and I don’t think there is a 24V power supply in the Avid control box, and I don’t htink it would be a good idea to add 24v supply when the IR sensor wire and dust cover control pin go back to the breakout board which is using 12V I think.
At least, Don told me to connect 24V supply to the dustcover/IR sensor box, so I’ll check with him first.
Yep, same deal, just find one thats open that hopefully there is a connector for.
I don’t know what the new lid and IR sensor configuration looks like. You can add a power supply if you want, but whether you use 24V or 12V, you should always try to keep them isolated from the 5V power domain that the ESS uses. I put the sensor directly to the 5V on the ESS, but on my ATC the sensor is completely isolated from the stepper driver stuff for the lid. The stepper driver isolated the motor power from the inputs, so I just ran the stepper uController board off the 5V supply that powers the ESS as well.
Looks like there is already a relay working in there . Other item seems like a buck or boost converter of some sort. I’ll verify with Don which voltage range it can take.
NOTE: my actual version I just got has color coded wires.
Just did some testing:
It is indeed a buck converter, I tested on 24V and 12 V, puts out 5V to the relay. When the relay is activated, it activates the dust cover.
Triggering the IR sensor sends back voltage the same as source voltage.
So I believe it should work fine with the Avid breakout board, as the inputs are expecting 12v, and the relay is expecting 5v from an output on the breakout board.