Bridgeport Series 1 Anilam GXM retrofit

Now that I've isolated the old control from the remaining electronics, I can power up the servos using a manual momentary push button switch (this was part of the original control). The original control also had a reset soft button which would do the same thing. I'd like to add this capability to LinuxCNC.

The question I have is how to do this. I've identified two ways:

1) add a 24v relay which would be controlled by one of the field outputs. The other side of the relay would be normally open and when closed would connect the two wires that the momentary push button connects.

2) drive the circuit that the momentary switch closes directly with the field circuit. Not to crazy about this approach as I don't know exactly how the momentary switch is controlling the servo circuit.

Is there a "normal" way of doing this?

Hi

I don't know about a 'normal' way of doing it, everybody seems to end up with a slightly different approach.

When do you want your motors to be powered up?

If it is whenever LinuxCNC is powered up, you can just link halui.machine.is-on to an output pin controlling a relay as per your option 1)

If, more in line with the original controller, you want to be able to switch them off whilst you load programs etc after homing and touching off, and power down between programs whilst repositioning etc., you could have a pyvcp button which switches the same relay and switch them on /off as required.

I have a physical latched momentary switch and connected Estop from the old controller, which does this on my mill.

The EStop cuts power to the drives and drivers, by unlatching the switch, but it is semi-independent of LinuxCNC, so I can continue to use Axis after the physical Estop is activated and released, with the momentary switch unlatched.

There is a further software Estop on the pendant, as I will often be too far away to reach the hardware one when using it.

This is what the old controller ended up looking like, Estop and power-up switch and LED are bottom left.



regards

John and Arceye, thanks for your input. Its helpful to see how others have implemented theirs especially when there are multiple ways it can be done but some ways are better than others.

Now on to my next question...

I've got my glass scales and rotary encoder (for the Z axis) wired up but I still needed to set my INPUT_SCALE values in my .ini file for each of these axis.

My Bridgeport has Anilam scales but I've had a heck of a time finding the information needed to set the INPUT_SCALE values. The Z axis encoder is even worse as it doesn't even have any markings on it.

So my thinking was that I'd use the HAL Meter and dial indicator on each axis. Then move that axis 0.1" on the dial indicator and see how much the COUNTS value changed in the HAL Meter.

This seemed to work for the X and Y and my INPUT_SCALE value is 2560. Does that seem correct?

But my Z axis is giving me fits. The value I"m getting for COUNTS in the HAL Meter isn't consistent when the dial indicator shows 0.1" of movement. What makes it even more difficult is that the Z axis servo makes it very hard to pull the Z axis arm to move the quill.

Also, in the HAL Meter what are the encode raw counts value?

John, does your Z quill assembly look like mine?

Grrrrrrrr, image file size limitation. What a PIA. Heres my Z drive assembly.