Generic CNC keyboard/ Controller keypad for mill/lathe retrofits and custom machines

[PIVOTALCUSTOMS]

So I have been on the forum for a while now. I have a build thread going on a brother TC225 that I have been working on doing a full rebuild and retrofit to pc based control on.

One thing that I have found the whole retrofit industry seems to be lacking is a good controller keypad to interface with a pc based retrofit. I have seen a few options here and there, but none of them are a quality OEM styled fully functional option. They don't have full keypads, they don't have the needed options, they aren't designed for pc retrofits, ect, ect.

Needless to say I am in need of a good option for a control pad. I will be building one for myself one way or the other. What I want to know is if anyone else would be interested in something like this. I would really like to draw on all the knowledge of this community to create a great product will benefit our community.

Whats everyone's thoughts on something like this?

Post up your thoughts and ideas, this is just a feeler to get some feedback.


Thanks guys!

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[Al_The_Man]

Something along these lines? They have a replaceable rubber membrane cover.
I used these in retrofits, I am not sure if they are still around, but there are others with industrial strength keyboards, but not cheap.
Another PM-5K - iKey
Some also use the cheap $10.00 rubber flexible ones.
Al.

[RustedOut]

I'm in the process of building a console for my mill conversion these days. I gave thought to the large keypad use for quite some time, but as you're finding, something to hit a mark is tough to find. I finally bought a control panel that had been removed from a commercial mill and stripped all the switches from that for re-use in my console. That got me a lot of quality push button and rotary binary switches that I know now would have cost quite a lot. It also got me a path into a 24v control system and into a modbus system to pass on the state of the switches. I wanted more than that though as I wanted my console to be an all-in-one box containing my monitor and the control pc as well. So as my projects tend to do, it's grown from the simple idea of adding some switch control to redoing the whole control system of my mill. Not a bad thing though as it's going to be darn cool when it's done. But it's pretty involved and is taking some time to get to a point of completion.

But back to the original question, I did finally add a keypad as part of this console. But I went with a 4x5, adding in 20 more functions to the 23 hard wired switch functions I was adding already. It's a plug in to the modbus card I purchased. The plan now is to retain the pc keyboard and mouse and add the console for direct operator control of the main functions of my mill. I could have added as large as an 8x8 keypad, but finding one and buying one proved to be near impossible for one off use. I really do like the individual switches better than a keypad, but some functions fit well into a keypad. I now have all the switch functions worked out in the modbus control, but have yet to add the keypad functions. This all is talking directly to Mach3 or to downstream relays for control of 110v items. Like Al mentioned, the flexible rubber keyboard can be used quite successfully, I'm considering making a cutout panel to mount mine to so it's vertical, then just add a platform for the mouse. But the keyboard functions will remain the same as they are today.

Bob

[PIVOTALCUSTOMS]

Al, this is more along the lines that I am thinking of, though this dose not have a full keyboard that I want..

Rustedout any pics of your panel?

[RustedOut]

I got the first draft of the graphics vinyl in the pic below, but don't have a recent pic of the metal panel. I took out the word CNC in the text and left it as Bob Mill and have the finished graphic on hand. I tore the panel apart today to add a few more holes and spot weld some brackets to the inside of it to hold the push button guides for the switches for the monitor. Couldn't figure out a way to adapt the old push buttons as they were all set on an angle, but the switch panels attached to the monitor were kept. So today I made new push buttons and guides. I'll try to get a pic of it tomorrow, but right now there's not much to look at, just a folded panel with a bunch of holes punched in it. There's 4 rotary switches along the bottom, 7 push button switches with led's housed in them for Mach3 control, an E-Stop switch and the rest of the switches are toggle switches except for the system lock which is a key lock switch. Then there's 11 led's to reflect the on state of the toggle switches and the homed axis. There will also be a spindle load meter. If memory serves me here, I think the size is 17.5" high x 22" long. Thinking I'm heading for starting the wiring of it the last part of next week, then I'll have something to look at. The rotary switches and push button switches are all Fuji binary switches. The keypad will reside in the blank area above the spindle speed control switch. That keypad was a real late addition and the area was setup originally for pushbutton switches. They fell out in favor of the keypad. I'm adding a couple of usb ports to the left hand lower area of the panel. Those are the holes I'm cutting in it tomorrow.

Here's the panel as it is this morning.

Bob

[RustedOut]

So here's the console today after attaching the graphics and assembling all the components. Not wired at this point and not functional, but a big step forward. The keypad has some little buttons and I don't like it at all. But I couldn't come up with anything better in the time frame I've been working to.


Before I went this route, I explored ready made products. I found a number of available keypads. One company has several they state are available stock items. But I just couldn't get anywhere with them. Several of the keypads they describe have much larger buttons and I believe the key count goes up to 40. That company is Xyxon. I'm pretty sure there isn't an overlay with the keypads though. And they won't do one off's. But making a silicone overlay is pretty easy with a mill to make the mold with. It's the lettering that's tough. I did find some ink that is made to adhere to silicone and I thought of debossing the lettering and filling the cavities with that ink. But I took the route above instead. Another company that has stock keypads that look interesting to me is Ergo Canada. I think their key count goes up to 84 or so. I liked their 60 key model. But the more I work on this console, the more I'm liking the hard switches. Making the right selection is just a push or a turn away.

I really want to incorporate the regular keyboard I've been using into the vertical, or near vertical, surface of the console. It's a water proof flexible usb keyboard, so I'll most likely just mill a panel allowing the keys to stick through and add it to the bottom of this panel. Still need to map the key sizes and locations for that though.

Bob

[chevydyl]

whats the deal with the spindle load meter? is it just an ampere gauge that shows amp/current draw?

[RustedOut]

I'm pretty sure it's something along that line, but it doesn't read in amperes. I've had it connected to the vfd some time back and had it working. There's connections on the vfd for it, so it got included in the console. A friend and I disassembled the pc tonight getting it ready to be mounted inside the console. So I'll start making the back panel here in a few days and try to wrap this thing up. But there's a lot of wiring to be done first. Decided to make the front hinge down while the back is stationary so it can be worked on if it ever becomes necessary.

Bob