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Yes, I am actively using it. I just finished hooking it up in a closed loop system so it can do canned cycles on my lathe. So far the results look good, it works great!

I have my own ELS system for which I use it for: github.com/tinic/el-linuxcnc-electron

My hal file is here, though I doubt this will be meaningful to you since my system is rather complicated: github.com/tinic/el-linuxcnc-electron/bl...p/elle-hal/lathe.hal

what do you think of my configuration:

# --- Encodeur configuration ---
setp [HMOT](CARD0).encoder.00.counter-mode 0
setp [HMOT](CARD0).encoder.00.filter 0
setp [HMOT](CARD0).encoder.00.scale [JOINT_3]ENCODER_B_SCALE
#setp [HMOT](CARD0).encoder.00.index-enable true
setp [HMOT](CARD0).encoder.00.index-mask 1
setp [HMOT](CARD0).encoder.00.index-invert 0
setp [HMOT](CARD0).encoder.00.index-mask-invert 0

# --- Feedback position/velocity via encodeur ---
net b-pos-fb <= [HMOT](CARD0).encoder.00.position
net b-pos-fb => pid.b.feedback
net b-pos-fb => joint.3.motor-pos-fb
net b-vel-fb <= [HMOT](CARD0).encoder.00.velocity

# --- Index pour homing ---
net b-index-enable joint.3.index-enable <=> [HMOT](CARD0).encoder.00.index-enable
net phaseZ [HMOT](CARD0).encoder.00.input-index

# --- Raw counts (optionnel debug) ---
net b-pos-rawcounts <= [HMOT](CARD0).encoder.00.rawcounts

# --- Switches (home et fins de course) ---
net b-home-sw => joint.3.home-sw-in
net b-neg-limit => joint.3.neg-lim-sw-in
net b-pos-limit => joint.3.pos-lim-sw-in

So, has there been any progress on getting this sensor to market? 

I'm trying to get a laser machine built, but, this is one of the toughest issues I'm facing.  I have a MESA 7i76EU that I have been trying to interface a BCL-AMP output to.  I have the BCL-AMP connected to a Raytools BT210S002A cutting head sitting on the bench with a chunk of steel in front of it and grounded to the case of the Raytools cutting head.  Between the BCL-AMP and the 7i76EU, I have a TI SN74HCS74DR dual Schmidt Trigger Flip Flop that I'm using to divide the BCL-AMP output frequency by 2 and "clean it up" at the same time.  However, it's just not very stable.  The velocity measured by the 7i76EU jumps around about 600-700 hz.  The velocity range only seems to be around 6500 hz from 0-10mm (3/8") sensing distance, so, my positional sensitivity sucks at around 0.1 inches.  Just for giggles, I ran the signal through 4 Flip Flops to see if the 'jumping around' would decrease.  It didn't.  Which leads me to believe the instability is introduced somewhere in my circuitry or wiring.  I even tried connecting Q and Q not outputs into the MESA card as differential signals and twisted the wires.  No help.

Anyhow, This CV2 height sensing device sounds very promising.  

I can't drive EC500 spindle encoder to work.
(The counter works properly, but index not. I can use encoder's index output as ordinary I/O, but this not satisfied me due to delays)
I suspect, this never will work, because the used code is wrong way.
I'm developing similar project (but only spindle support) on STM32F103, and my code seems works properly.
Here you are most important fragments:[/code]

The differential input is because the full XY2-100 interface has a status channel
but its not required for operation.

Yes, a configuration could be made using the sserial tx channels and one stepgen.

The serial TXEna pins would end up as GPIO pins and have to be set into the enabled
state in the hal file.
 

 

@pippin88, Thanks for the move on the shutdown workaround! It will help with the symptom.

Thinking about this more and doing some more testing. Adding more limits will not address the root issue, as any we could be at that new limit and this could still exceed it.

I believe it's a limit resolution issue. Note, I do not know how the code works in comparing and testing for limits. I should be able to specify the resolution of the comparison. In the current case it looks like is doing the comparison at 10ths (.0001) and that scale is just too small. One should be able to set limits at the granularity required for their hardware. My max machine limit is 0.3 absolute in this case. I tried changing my limits to 0.3, 0.30, 0.300, etc. But is seem to compare .3 to the current position of 0.3007 (example). Again, in my case, the axis can shift by 0.0005 +/- .0002. So I would like my limit to be 0.300 (truncated (not rounded) at thou) thus 0.3007 would not be beyond the limit. Think 0.30007 > 3.000 vs 0.300 > 0.300.  Another means would be to add a VARIANCE ini setting to use to calculate the amount of variability in the limit comparison.

Also, this could be a issue for anyone with limits, but maybe due to off_set on the hard limit people don't see it. Or I am completely wrong in my limited understanding of limits work....

In addition, I am more sure the JOINT vs AXIS limit works as documented. (more on that later)

This is very interesting, Thanks. Do you have working setup? how it behaves ?  Is that link of DRO scales actually closes the loop and creates feedback) or it is providing only readout on LinuxCNC ? 

scsmith1451 wrote:

As I mentioned the 24v power supply is holding steady at 24.1v. I've had my DVM connected for several hours without a single deviation, so I'm confident the PS is good.

I am glad you are confident, but DVM will not show ripple and high frequency mess that supply is causing, scope does, and does require using AC and DC coupling for all the checks.
You can try adding a capacitor in parallel to power output and check LinuxCNC if it stabilizes at all, but if the power supply has no inductor filtering on the output still might not be enough.
Sorry for insisting on this, but all china power supplies are getting utterly useless, been dealing with those daily for the last 17 years and seen terrible implementations to the point where the output inductor would burn to a crisp after 2-3 hours of being on with 10-50% of rated load. These were made by Horoz and all failed the same, by the hundreds.

What is the 1 differential input for? I thought just 4 differential outputs were needed for XY2-100 2-axis galvo setup.

Instead of stealing 2 step/dir channels, could the two Serial channels and one step/dir channel be used?

I’ll dig through it for a bit this morning. It’s been a year since I did serious work on the machine; have to see if I’m forgetting something. I’m pretty sure it’s Modbus only. Machine was rewired a little over a year ago; it’s pretty clean and fresh if I do say so myself

VFD is not showing faults. I guess I’ll try running the spindle directly from the VFD panel. I hate that UI.

I realized I solved this problem, but never finished up this thread.  Parts of the solution might help someone else, so here goes.  It's a bit of a hack.  But a clean hack, as hacks go.  

To recap:  what I needed was the glue board(s) between the mill, the steppers, their drivers, and my Mesa card.  I'm not ready to switch to something like the TB6600 for the drivers, and even if I did, I'd still need mounting hardware, a new box, etc.  My shop is very small -- my mill basically fills the space it's in, up against a wall, tucked in between the workbench and some shelving.  No room for big new boxes.  Only small new boxes.

I searched for carrier boards which would hold multiple Polulu style driver modules, but came up empty.  Lots of carriers for just one, but none for four of them.  Seems odd, but I looked pretty hard.

What I ended up doing is leveraging the MKS router controller that came with the new mill.  It had the power distribution I needed, the sockets for the A4988 modules, headers that matched the stepper motor wiring, of course all of which I needed.  It also had the Atmel processor running Grbl, laser outputs, and some other stuff, which I didn't need.

And very conveniently, and unexpected, there is a header next to each Polulu socket which gives access to the step/dir/enable signals between the processor and each driver module.  I think these are probably there so that you could use the controller to drive external stepper drivers instead of the Polulus, but I realized that if I simply kept the processor in reset, it would be tri-stated, and I could instead use those headers as external inputs to the A4988 drivers.  In other words, I could use my existing controller as the "carrier" board I'd been looking for, with no modifications at all.  (The board has a header which makes the board reset signal available, normally connected e-stop.  I just jumpered it to ground.)

So that's what I did.  I have a (very small) box sitting next to the mill that contains the original mill controller (relocated -- it used to be mounted on the gantry), and the Mesa card.  The pre-made cables from the motors to the controller card were all long enough to reach the box, with no splicing.  (Yes, I know cardboard isn't optimum.  But getting it all working and enclosed came first.  I'll make a better box soon.)

 

I still needed a small interface board to make wiring the limit switches more tidy.  They're all too short to reach the Mesa directly.  At Adafruit, I found a small breakout board, intended for an RPi pico.  It's basically a bunch of screw terminals, .1" headers, and solderable grid, in a compact form factor, all for just $12.50:   www.adafruit.com/product/5907 .  That went into a small project box mounted on the gantry, and serves as the junction box where the limit switches, e-stop, and probe inputs all gather, and are wired in a bundle to the Mesa.  It gave me an organized place to join the +/- limit switches into single inputs, etc, but mostly it just a place to screw down wires in order to connect them together.

 

I know it wouldn't be everyone's design, but I'm happy with it for now, and it went together cleanly.

 

 

Thanks for responding Tommy.

As I mentioned the 24v power supply is holding steady at 24.1v. I've had my DVM connected for several hours without a single deviation, so I'm confident the PS is good. I've just sent the results of my findings to MESA tech support to get their input on the issues.

Maybe a wiring issue?

Transient electrical problem that came from or damaged the VFD?

Does the VFD have any connections to the 7I76 or is it entirely controlled by MODBUS?
 

scsmith1451 wrote:

I'm using a dedicated 24v switching power supply which is holding a constant 24.1 output. Setting the sserial_port_0=20xxxxxx and reading the fieldvoltage I'm seeing a constantly fluctuating value from 22.01 - 23.9 v

Get a good quality power supply, that is way to much fluctuation, MeanWell or Delta preferably.
Or an old used original laptop power supply, they work just fine for everything 24V, and have clean power. Do not buy e-bay or aliexpress laptop supplies they are terrible.

Hey!

We are working on an interesting project that requires a middle/senior developer with knowledge of 5 axis RTCP motion control.
Looking primarily for a freelancer, I will be happy to share more details in private. 

If you are interested please contact me on - 
WhatsApp or Telegram: +7 999 135 48 73

Thanks! 
Yury.