Al -
Thanks for the fast response! That would work well, except that each E Pack number controls 11 SETS of relays. Each set is 4 relays that form a 4 bit word to control the parameter (voltage, power, wire tension, wire speed, stabilizing circuits, etc). The Mitsubishi Machining Parameters book lists E Pack numbers up to about 1016, starting at #100. There are about 150 unused numbers, so there are probably 7-800 unique settings. To be consitant with the the machine documentation that correlates material type/thickness/surface finish/accuracy with the E Pack number, I would like to use their numbering scheme.
So, using your BCD idea, I need 10 bits (or 16 if it is configured as 4 bits per digit), which should get me to 1024. I could set the 4 wheels to the desired E Pack number then hit a button to read them and set the relays. I have 10 more inputs available on my I/O card, so this would work.
I was hoping for a solution that wouldn't add additional hardware. From a purely aesthetic viewpoint, since many of the early EDMs used thumbwheels for various settings, I would like to stay away from them. Maybe I can find an LED/LCD type on eBay if I can't get it in through the display!
Thanks again Al !  |