breakout board question

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  1. #1
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    Default breakout board question

    right now i have a c35s bob
    uunless im doing it wrong ..im out of inputs
    estop 10
    probe 11
    x y and z limits 12..13..15

    i want to hook up an index signal for tapping... and also want to add a 5th axis down the road...
    can you guys recommend a BOB that will allow me to do this ..

    or can i add an expansion board ....
    your input is appreciated as always

    rick

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  2. #2
    Member Fastest1's Avatar
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    Default Re: breakout board question

    You could hook all of your limit switches to 1 pin. Mach knows which axis is moving. This would save you pins and the purchase of any new equipment. 5th axis? What software?

    A lazy man does it twice.


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    Default Re: breakout board question

    hey boss

    i tried using pin 11 for all limits... it wont work... im using c35s with the rj45 connectors... im thinking it automatically grabs a pin because of the way the rj45s are setup......the limit switch loom i bought is rj45... im not sure i can assign one pin... unless im doing it wrong..i tried assigning all linits to one pin ..11 then 12 then 13 ... but only one axis at a time would home ... its like the rj45 setup has already decided what pin its going to use..

    unless theres a way to make mach forget what pin it used to have assigned to a particular limit i think im stuck

    im working on a harmonic drive based trunnion table... planning in using powermill



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    Default Re: breakout board question

    Yes if all of the limit switches are connected to a single pin, only one axis will be in motion at a time during the homing sequence. Since I only home during the set up, there is no time advantage.

    A lazy man does it twice.


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    Default Re: breakout board question

    Quote Originally Posted by 1hander View Post
    hey boss
    i tried using pin 11 for all limits... it wont work... im using c35s with the rj45 connectors... im thinking it automatically grabs a pin because of the way the rj45s are setup......the limit switch loom i bought is rj45... im not sure i can assign one pin... unless im doing it wrong..i tried assigning all linits to one pin ..11 then 12 then 13 ... but only one axis at a time would home ... its like the rj45 setup has already decided what pin its going to use..
    Well, first you have to physically rewire your switch harness so all of them are wired in series and connected to the same physical input. Can't do it in the software alone.



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    Default Re: breakout board question

    Quote Originally Posted by CitizenOfDreams View Post
    Well, first you have to physically rewire your switch harness so all of them are wired in series and connected to the same physical input. Can't do it in the software alone.
    In series if using normally closed switches. If using normally open switches you would wire them in parallel



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    Default Re: breakout board question

    Quote Originally Posted by 109jb View Post
    In series if using normally closed switches. If using normally open switches you would wire them in parallel
    Yes, thanks for the clarification. Mechanical limit switches are usually normally closed for safety reasons - if the switch malfunctions, the wire gets broken or the connector gets unplugged, the machine will stop.



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    Default Re: breakout board question

    You could add a second parallel port card to the PC for additional inputs. Not sure how that works in Mach 3 but easy to do in LInuxCNC. The cards are super cheap (~$10) from various china sources.

    Mike



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    Default Re: breakout board question

    Quote Originally Posted by ninefinger View Post
    You could add a second parallel port card to the PC for additional inputs. Not sure how that works in Mach 3 but easy to do in LInuxCNC. The cards are super cheap (~$10) from various china sources.

    Mike
    In Mach3 it is trivial as well, every input in the program configuration is defined by the pin number and the port number.



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    Default Re: breakout board question

    you might find its easier to wire the switches to the terminal block

    breakout board question-c35-input-rj45-terminal-block-jpg

    how are the limit switches wired now ?

    if its like this
    breakout board question-a32r2-jpg

    with 3 pairs of series connected normally closed switches
    you can not simply wire the 3 wires to the RJ45 pins 2,3 & 4 in parallel

    the simple solution is to cut off the RJ45 connector and wire all switches in series and connect them to 1 input

    alternatively find or build an AND gate interface to use the limit switches and C35 as supplied

    breakout board question-c35-input-terminal-jpg
    original input wiring

    breakout board question-c35-input-terminal-3-limit-switches-jpg
    using AND gate to connect 3 axis limit switches to 1 C35 input

    john

    Last edited by john-100; 10-09-2016 at 05:34 PM. Reason: add revised diagram with AND gate plus pull down resistors


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    Default Re: breakout board question

    rewiring is what i didnt want to do... since i am a beginner the rj45 stuff mades it clean tidy and easy ... for dummy like me LOL...
    i can add another parallel port card but i dont think its as easy on mach as it is on linux for extra inputs..
    and since i want a 5th axis capability.... i think im going to have to get a c32s or c62 and a c24 parallel port card

    i see output expansion cards but i dont see any input expansion types...



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    Default Re: breakout board question

    if you had been happy building an adaptor this could of freed up some input pins _


    breakout board question-c35-input-terminal-3-limit-switches-common



    alternatively by adding a second printerport and C10 bidirectional board
    mach3 can either give you an additional 4 outputs and 13 inputs or 12 outputs and 5 inputs

    since you only want to use ready made boards with the RJ45 connectors

    it looks like the CNC4PC C32 dual port multifunction board and second printer port is the only option
    as they don't seem to make a version of the C10 bi direction board with RJ45 connectors

    John

    Last edited by john-100; 10-09-2016 at 05:07 PM. Reason: add missing text from diagram


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    Default Re: breakout board question

    but i dont think its as easy on mach as it is on linux for extra inputs..
    It's probably even easier in Mach3.

    Gerry

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    Default Re: breakout board question

    Plug in the 2nd card and assign the address in Mach. Assign the pins. That is it. Though I didnt say it before, those RJ45's suck. I went that route at one point.

    A lazy man does it twice.


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    Default Re: breakout board question

    expanding on post 12
    for any one taking a DIY approach to connecting the a ready made switch assembly like the A32R2 to the single RJ45-8 input
    one possible solution avoiding cutting off the RJ45 connector from the switches
    breakout board question-rj45-breakout-board-adaptor-jpg

    version 2
    breakout board question-rj45-breakout-board-adaptor-2-jpg

    I must admit I would connect the limit switches directly to the C32 breakout boards terminal block

    John

    Last edited by john-100; 10-10-2016 at 01:11 PM.


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    Default Re: breakout board question

    Quote Originally Posted by john-100 View Post
    I must admit I would connect the limit switches directly to the C32 breakout boards terminal block
    So would I. If you want to have a quick disconnect, there are industry standard two-part terminal blocks - much more robust and flexible. RJ45 does not really belong there.



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    Default Re: breakout board question

    i agree the rj45s make it hella confusing for me because theres no way to see which pin the contacts are assigned to..i know that now LOL



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