A Teensy -> Python Interface Manualmatic MPG/pendant

This is awesome! I've been looking for a while for something like this. I had just started creating my own libraries and source using Platform.IO and stumbled across this. Any interest in a joint development?

Thank you!
Scott...

Hi Scott, good to hear from you - had you asked me about a joint development between Christmas and New Year, I would have jumped at the chance but it's now Almost DoneTM - or at least I'm so very close to publishing the first release image missing /media/kunena/emoticons/w00t.png. However, once that happens, a code review (and review of my LinuxCNC understanding) would be *greatly* appreciated. Neither C++ or Python are my first languages and I only started playing with LinuxCNC and the end of last year... I took a very conscious decision to try to do all the Teensy coding within the Arduino IDE, as I believe it's likely to have the greatest user base  - that may well still bite me on the bum, so a move to PlatformIO is not off the cards yet.

This current phase already does all the 'normal' manual & auto control stuff - the next phase of 'understanding' is to try to make it also be a pseudo  'power feed' - ie move at a consistent speed along one axis while also retaining the ability to manually move the other two. If you can work out (or at least explain to me!) a way to do that... well, we'd be cooking on gas.

And then there's the MDI screen (peck drilling etc).

I have started a github repository here which currently has the 3D models for the proof-of-concept cradle. Hope to get the schematic up there in the next day or so (I've changed if to get an extra(!) switch in, so I have to rewire my prototype & make sure all the pins do the right things...

I forgot to ask - have you published your version? It would be good (for me, at least) to compare notes (ie for me to see how it's done properly...).

fletch wrote:

I forgot to ask - have you published your version? It would be good (for me, at least) to compare notes (ie for me to see how it's done properly...).

 

I've only started today, and found your page today I have the library installed and reading encoder ticks now. I do plan to hook it up to PathPilot today and get a feel for how to control it. What serial type are you using for the Teensy? Are all of your events turned into keypresses?

p.s. 3d printing your models now.

Thanks!
Scott...

Oh wow, you're keen! No pressure then... image missing /media/kunena/emoticons/smile.png

I'm using the LinuxCNC Pyton Interface, so no keystrokes. Commands and payload (if required) are sent via Serial using a very simple (read: efficient) protocol - this allows both the interface and the pendant to maintain state fast enough for a user interface. 115200 baud on a Pi, so plenty of bandwidth.

In principle, the pendant is not restricted to talking just to LinuxCNC (although that is obviously the dialect it uses) so could interface to Tormach if you wrote an interface that translated to/from Serial over USB to whatever interface the machine has (Python, C, or whatever) and assuming Tormach would let you run it. I'm assuming you have a Tormach...?

I did briefly consider using G code as the interface protocol...

fletch wrote:

Oh wow, you're keen! No pressure then... image missing /media/kunena/emoticons/smile.png

Long story, but no I dont not have a Tormach machine. I have multiple machines that were previously running Mach3 that I have converted to PathPilot. So, I have quite a bit of experience at this point working with the .hal, .ini, and .py files that were created by Tormach to create the PP UI. C++ is my primary programming language. 

Scott...