ATC under EMC2

[davidmb]

Anyone have prior knowledge of integrating ATC's with EMC2, I'm getting to the point with my ATC design/build where I need to start looking at the interface into EMC2, do I use a series of fixed tool locations or go to a carousel type of design. I'll be using a pneumatic drawbar with bellville springs to set the tool retention force. I have plenty of spare I/O pins and can do something with a PIC micro to drive the tool change pneumatic solonoids.

[jthornton]

David, there is quite a bit of info on the EMC web site and forum. I used classicladder combined with HAL on my Hardinge CHNC turret.

John

[perigo]

I have been using emc2 for quite a while now.
With the Stepconf Wizard it is easy enough.
This is sufficient for someone who has a single tool application, or is running a single stepper per axis.
But most of us don’t.
A gantry is the most common application as far as I know. Which means duel x or y steppers.
In the Stepconf Wizard it is possible to allocate multiple pins to a single axis.
My biggest fear is having one of these motors staling.
That would be a catastrophe, destroying linier guide ways or the frame, probably both.
The easiest solution would be to have encoders on these two motors not for closed loop, but for comparison. If there is a deferens of 3 pulses activate e stop.

HEDS-5540-A06 datasheet pdf datenblatt - Agilent(Hewlett-Packard) - Quick Assembly Two and Three Channel Optical Encoders ::: ALLDATASHEET :::

HEDS-5540#A06

As far as tool change is concerned the era of more affordable atc’s has arrived.

Sorotec - Werkzeugwechsler

Configuring these things is not within the scope of the average user (including me)
I am proficient in basic (programming language of yesteryear) but it’s of no help when it comes to emc2 hal files or ladder.

Is there someone out there that runs a similar setup that would be willing to share there config files. That would be highly appreciated.

[cncbasher]

sorotec : this is simply an air is on to release tool , so a simple relay controlled from a hal pin will suffice , the type of toolchanger used can be either a carousel or rack dependant on design , emc can resonabley support both idea's , although i can see a need for an additional parrell port here , or use other io cards to support the toolchange connections

their are a number of ways to connect 2 axis together either use 2 pins in hall or connect both stepper drives in parrell input will work , although i favour using 2 pins in hal

[perigo]

As previously mentioned getting a second stepper to work on one axis is chills play.
The problem is if one stepper stalls on a gantry it will destroy it.
The question is how to set up HAL or ladder to compare two encoders to e-stop if they differ by more then 3 pulses.

On the atc side, creating a pin for the release of the tool is far from having a fully functioning atc.

[davidmb]

I have been thinking long and hard about safety since starting this thread, work on the spindle has now progressed to a point where I can start making adaptions to the existing system. I intend to use a spare pair of connection that are on the spindle motor power supply to lock out the supply to the ATC tool release solonoid, this way it should not be possible to eject the tool with the spindle powered ( this would not preclude the tool eject whilst the spindle is slowing down - may be worth fitting a brake of some sort / mechanical or electrical ). I'll try and get some pictures uploaded.

[cncbasher]

it's usual for spindle toolchangers to have a braking system of some sort , popular ones use an electromagnet coil

[perigo]

David, would you be as kind as to post your config files.
That would give me some building blocks to hopefully build my configuration.
If one has some examples it makes it easier for a novice.

[Tkamsker]

Hi
I am now abroad here a Video of what i have achieved.

MF70_Emc2_Toolchanger_V1 - Computer.m4v - YouTube

MF70_Emc2_Toolchanger_V1 - Computer.m4v - YouTube

I am only fighting with g30 length probing

So let me know if this helps
Wednesday i get an atc for my Big Mill ,..
The small One is only for pcb' s -
So let me
Know
Cu
Thomas

[kudos]

i have done it, bidirection ATC i think i put some info on the Wiki but if not let me know

EMC2 Spindle orientation with VFD - YouTube

EMC2 Spindle orientation with VFD - YouTube

[andypugh]

A recent update to EMC2 is that you can now re-map M6 to call an arbitrary G-code subroutine or Python code. This makes rack-type toolchangers a lot easier.
Extending EMC

[perigo]

Thomas
Thanks for the reply.
Are you running it throw g-code or have you configured it in Hal file
If you have please share conf. files.
Or if any one has discovered a webpage called configuring a rack tool changer for dummies, please let me know.