DIY CNC Milling Machine Control Panel for EMC2

[gschoep]

I am wondering what people look for in a control panel that is both like a commercial unit and made for DIY.

This panel is meant to be an addition to a regular industrial style alphanumeric keyboard with trackball. It contains the most widely used functions as far as I now know. All these functions are available on the keyboard within EMC2 and will not require a separate input. Since I am using a CNC4PC C11G I only have 5 inputs. This panel will require a keyboard encoder either bought, ripped from an old keyboard, or made with a custom pcb. Keyboard encoders are available from Hagstrom, Ultimarc ($40) and Vetra. There is another good thread here on keyboard encoders.

This control panel is meant to be a cheap way of controlling the machine before or in conjunction with an MPG. This panel can be made for less than $200.

One of the things this is missing is indicators/blinken lights. The power button is meant to be lit when on. Suggestions?

Machine Functions

* Emergency Stop - with an added contact for drivers/vfd input
* Machine On - Lit - with an added contact for machine functions/relay/contactor/etc
* Coolant toggle
* Spindle toggle (Turns the spindle on CW, could be more advanced as my Bridgeport has 2 speeds for Hi/Lo. But when do you need a button to control the spindle speed otherwise?)
* Touch Off

Program Functions

* Run
* Stop
* Feed Hold/Pause
* Resume

Jog Functions

* X increase / X decrease
* Y increase / Y decrease
* Z increase / Z decrease
* A increase / A decrease
* Jog Feed rate increase / decrease
* Continuous Jog
* Incremental Jog increase / decrease (first press selects incremental and second moves in 0.001,0.01,0.1)
* Limits Override

Display Functions

* DRO/Path Preview Toggle
* Jog (Jog keys do not work in MDI so this button selects the jog page. MDI can be selected by the track ball or keyboard but will not have a button as it is a keyboard function)

Expansion

* 3 buttons without functions.

I would like to have a feed override but EMC2 does not have an easy buttons for this function. Instead EMC2 uses the number keys to select a percentage. I think that a potentiometer would be the most useful for feed override but that would require an analog input into the computer which I do not have.

For your reference I have included the list of keyboard commands for EMC2 from the Axis Quick Reference help page.

[sad-products]

I too am very interested in making a custom control panel for my mill. Have you made any progress with this?

[chester88]

for single button feed override check out HALU:

halui.feed-override.decrease
halui.feed-override.increase

well ok two buttons

[gschoep]

I really had hoped for some feedback and critique. These buttons are what I use on the keyboard now but I am a newbie.

This box will be an easy build. I am going to start the g-code this weekend.

[chester88]

The CNC lathe I used at work had a rotary switch with 12 ? positions for feed override.
I think I would like this better then a potentiometer as it gave tactile feedback to me.
If you have extra Inputs available it's pretty easy to add to EMC.

Chris M

[skullworks]

Yeah - I been hunting for a good 3bit and 4bit BCD rotary switch.

2Bit BCD offers selection for 10%, 25%, 50%, and 100% for rapid overrides using 2 pins.
3Bit BCD offers 50%-120% in 10% steps for spindle override using 3 pins
4Bit BCD offers 0%-150% in 10% steps for feed rate override using 4 pins

I hope to design a basic/generic panel that could be part of a lathe or mill control.