Push button on 7i77 to set work coordinates and cycle start.

Hi all,

I have a P 2 P machine converted but need to set up zones. The way it works is the machine is working running a file in G54 in zone 1, and the operator is setting up the stock in zone G55, once the machine is done on the G54 zone it stops. When the operator pushes the green button, the CNC needs to change from G54 to G55 and cycle start.

Is this possible and if so, can I get a overview on how it could be initiated?

/edit there is four green buttons. One for each zone.

That is very simple you connect up each button to a MDI command that runs the correct file for that button. Just make your G code file a subroutine and call it with MDI o<sub_1> call etc.
linuxcnc.org/docs/2.7/html/config/ini-co....html#_halui_section

I have a rapid to home button on my plasma connected just like that.

JT

BigJohnT wrote: That is very simple you connect up each button to a MDI command that runs the correct file for that button. Just make your G code file a subroutine and call it with MDI o<sub_1> call etc.
linuxcnc.org/docs/2.7/html/config/ini-co....html#_halui_section

I have a rapid to home button on my plasma connected just like that.

JT

to change to

OK, I see how that would work except, the gcode is already done. The customer has many files they use already done.
I am converting the filesso they work with Linuxcnc. So this cannot be specific to certain gcode files.

I can connect two mdi-commands to input so that both commands run. One is G55 to change work offset and the other would be cycle start.

Would this work?

Tell us more about your this "green button". Do you have one of these cycle start buttons for each zone, or is there only one button?

If you have a dedicated cycle start button for each zone, it should be pretty simple, and straight forward.

If you want to run pendulum operation using only 1 normal cycle start button, I think the answer is to slightly modify your G-code files that you want to behave this way. There are a couple of ways this could be done. One way is that you could have a couple of conditional statements that A-checks the state G54/G55 at the start of the file, and B-changes the G54/G55 state at the end of the file. Another way you could do this would be to configure the whole file as an infinite loop that alternates zones and just pauses between cycles but never really ends.

We can go into more detail after you tell us which approach sounds better to you.

(never mind you already answered that question (4 buttons)

bevins wrote: OK, I see how that would work except, the gcode is already done. The customer has many files they use already done.
I am converting the files so they work with Linuxcnc. So this cannot be specific to certain gcode files.

I can connect two mdi-commands to input so that both commands run. One is G55 to change work offset and the other would be cycle start.

Would this work?

You can only connect 1 MDI command to an input AFAIK. If I understand you need to switch coordinate systems then issue a cycle start and the coordinate system is defined by the push button. Hmm, this is complicated now.

JT

BigJohnT wrote:

bevins wrote: OK, I see how that would work except, the gcode is already done. The customer has many files they use already done.
I am converting the files so they work with Linuxcnc. So this cannot be specific to certain gcode files.

I can connect two mdi-commands to input so that both commands run. One is G55 to change work offset and the other would be cycle start.

Would this work?

You can only connect 1 MDI command to an input AFAIK. If I understand you need to switch coordinate systems then issue a cycle start and the coordinate system is defined by the push button. Hmm, this is complicated now.

JT

Thats correct JT. 4 buttons, one for each zone. when the button is pressed, it needs to switch corrdinates and run the loaded gcode file. When that file is done, they press another button which switches coordinate system and runs the file again.

If we cannot connect two mdi-commands with an input, can we do it with an mcode?

I tested a little in a simulation, and here I how I could make it work.

1st in your ini file in the [HALUI] section create 4 entries
That should create four halui mdi hal pins.
halui.mdi-command-0n
You can connect those halpins directly to the outputs of your buttons. They would set the coordinate system for your zones when the appropriate button is pushed.

That is the easy part, now to make the button press start the program. For that you will need three or2 components and one oneshot (or an edge but for some reason I could not make the edge component load in my sim).
Connect them like so:
If you want to there are other components that could replace the 3 or2s with a single one, such as logic or lut5, but I think this makes it a little easier for the beginner to follow.

Thanks Todd, I'll try that.

I think I would be tempted to handle this in a userspace Python HAL component. It gives a little more scope for interlocking and safety.

1) Ignore buttons while a program is running
2) Warn if the button pressed matches the last-selected zone
3) Maybe rapid to the new zone and then pop up a question dialog before proceeding?
4) Have the option of a "stop/reset" button to halt the programme and do sensible things.

linuxcnc.org/docs/2.7/html/config/python-interface.html

Specifically linuxcnc.stat.file() could be useful to display/check the loaded file. I think that the rest would use command.mdi() to set the CS and c.auto(linuxcnc.AUTO_RUN) to start the programme.
This would also allow the system to associate a different G-code file with each zone. This might not be required now, but would be a useful feature.