When will "acorn" release?

[Marty_Escarcega]

Are you guys using the free software? it seems to be useless. The pro version $ 499.00 ?

I wouldn't say useless. It all depends on what you want to run it on. The software that is provided at no cost with the Acorn is will get board running and operational and actually let you use the machine. If you want the other features, you can always buy the software package to suit your needs at a later date.

Look at the hardware you are getting for the current price of $265. Ethernet based 4 axis step and direction control. 0-10V analog control for a VFD or you can drive a KB Electronics DC controller with a signal isolator for DC motors. You are getting a TRUE encoder input. This in a lathe, could give you accurate threading as well as CSS (Constant Surface Speed) on a mill, the hardware gives you potential for rigid tapping. Of course you have to have an encoder on the spindle of your machine and the mechanical ability to take advantage of the features. 8 inputs and 8 outputs, two of which have dry contact relays are provided on Acorn.

The software has many other features. Check out the Acorn resource page for more info.
Centroid Acorn CNC controller, Step and Direction 4 axis CNC Control board with ethernet communication

Marty

[DICKEYBIRD]

Don't waste your time fellows. I think the "useless" software post was from a LinuxCNC fan and as such will not be interested in an Acorn at all. Methinks we won't be "converting" any Linux fans.

I have a lot of respect for those folks that are fluent in the internal workings of LinuxCNC. (They are zealots though!)

[Marty_Escarcega]

Dickybird,

That's ok. Acorn is just another option for users to consider. What a wonderful time for the DIY crowd as well as Engineering students studying motion control. Many options to consider. The products become more affordable and the hardware/software get better and better.

User's drive the products they like to use. I respect whatever one decides to use.

A lot of heart, soul, time and effort in engineering and innovation went into Acorn from a lot of people including the beta test team.

Acorn will be primarily peer based support with Centroid CNC support staff monitoring the Centroid User forums. Questions/comments/suggestions/success stories should be directed there so that all users can benefit from the information. Centroid Community CNC Support Forum - Centroid Community CNC Support Forum (Keep in mind EVERYTHING is in its SUPER early stages, and like anything new, the software and hardware might go through some growing pains and delays. The staff at Centroid will do their best to resolve anything that pops up)

I'm looking forward to seeing what other users do with Acorn.

Marty

[hoecken]

No dickeybird , I'm not a linux fan. I just got the 2 paid versions of the software mixed up.
I'm not an experienced user of a cnc machine but I thought that 4 MB for g-code might not be much. Thats on the pro version.

[cnckeith]

hoecken, Hello. for 2.5 D work it is really hard to run into the 4mb limit. There are thousand of job shops running the Centroid Pro level software (on the Centroid Oak and Allin1DC cnc controllers) that never need more that 4mb to run their day to day jobs.
typically mold shops need more than 4mb...and they have to be doing serious short vector 3D surfacing work and typically use and appreciate the other high end features that come with the ultimate software level.
with the Acorn CNC control at $265 at the three software levels, Free, Pro and Ultimate, we are trying our best to offer an affordable entry level CNC control with industrial quality software that works with proven features backed by 30 years of cnc shop experience and ten of thousands of cnc controls in the field, this level of functionality, performance and reliability is typically is out of reach of the average DIY shop until now. What kind of machine do you have? -Keith

[hondo]

Anyone else (besides me) place their order this morning? Hoo-rah!

I ordered mine on April 3rd, still waiting on it...

[cnckeith]

Acorn CNC kits are shipping this Friday August 11th!

[DICKEYBIRD]

I ordered mine on April 3rd, still waiting on it...

I'm curious as to how you were able to do that? I've been watching the Centroid website like a hawk since the beginning & it wasn't available for pre-order (online anyway) until last Tuesday. Did they let you pre-order it via phone or something?

[hondo]

Acorn CNC kits are shipping this Friday August 11th!

Nice to hear, and I just saw it on the website! Thanks

[hondo]

I'm curious as to how you were able to do that? I've been watching the Centroid website like a hawk since the beginning & it wasn't available for pre-order (online anyway) until last Tuesday. Did they let you pre-order it via phone or something?

If I remember correctly, I called and bugged.

[Beevo]

A little about me, I got dragged kicking and fighting into the CNC hobby in November of '15 when I purchased a MicroKinetics CNC conversion of the ubiquitous RongFu/Grizzly/Jet/whoever bench mill.
The conversion left a number of wants and desires, the biggest being the clumsy software controls and the lack of a true three axis move which prevented doing a helical plunge. As I got more proficient with the concept of the CNC process (a huge story in and of itself) I started looking in the direction of another type of controller. Most options were either very expensive or very complicated.
The Acorn is neither!
Marty asked me if I would be willing to help beta test the system and I readily agreed as I had pretty much decided this was the answer to my problems and was waiting for it to release. I had been watching him work with it for a few days at that time and was greatly impressed. Even without my involvement in the testing of the device I would have laid my wallet on the counter as soon as it was released. Can't beat the functionality or the price...
Setup is fairly straight forward and with some help from Marty we had the system up in about 3-4 hours. There were issues to overcome that prolonged the process a bit more, notable the MK (MicroKinetics) use of NO limit switches instead of NC. Not sure why they went this way as a NC setup will also trip if the wiring is broken, kind of a fail safe.
Testing commenced and aside from the typical hiccups that occur when writing software to run on a PC powered b the boyz in Redmond things (from this vantage pint) went fairly smoothly.
As part of the conversion I replaced the half stepping motor drivers with new Micro stepping models to get the resolution down to where I wanted it. The software setup in the CNC12 software that the Acorn is driven with is easy and straight forward. The initial installation occurred before the Setup Wizard was launched, but even the manual configuration is not to hard to use.
Tooling is pretty cool as well. The system will support and input from a tool set device (I made mine) and you can auto set the tool lengths. here is a short clip when I first tested this feature:
All the fumbling around I dealt with using the previous controller and software ended the day the CNC12/Acorn got switched on. The on screen Virtual Control panel is a thing to behold. Ya gotta have a 22" touch screen monitor!! Several of us banded together and did a group buy on some nice monitors (I got 4) that were on ebay. You don't want to run this without touch, though the software will allow you to mouse it.
CNC12 also has inputs to use the Xkeys programmable keypad and this is a very good way to have a hand held controller to have right at the machine when doing little nudges like when you are setting tooling and parts edges. http://www.beevo.org/MetalWorking/Ac...l/img_3041.htm
Here are a few YouTube videos I uploaded along the way:
Really conservative cuts as I was still testing out the system early on. This bracket allows one to mount a short digital scale on the tailstock of a lathe.
I am building one of the Miser Sterling engines and this is the CNC12 making a pass cutting the bolt head reliefs for some 0-80 Allen bolts in a 3/16" piece of aluminum.
I made a fixture plate to clamp in the vice of the machine to use when making small parts that are best clamped down instead of being held in a vice. (Seen in the video above)
The company I work for had me cut some enclosure plates for some protocol analyzers we made for in house use on our electronic devices.
I made a small blog about the conversion process here: http://www.beevo.org/MetalWorking/Ac...cornIndex.html
This system rocks (and I HATE that cliché')

[hoecken]

I was seriously considering the Acorn controller But then I saw that I would have to buy the ultimate software for lathe and mill at $ 499.00 each , that's to much for a hobby.

I'll have to look for something else.

[Marty_Escarcega]

I was seriously considering the Acorn controller But then I saw that I would have to buy the ultimate software for lathe and mill at $ 499.00 each , that's to much for a hobby.

I'll have to look for something else.

Acorn comes with software to get you started.

First, what kind of machine do you have you want to convert? Picture you could post?
What does it have for a control now?

We can try and help give you some advice if we have more details about what you would like to do.

My two test machines are running on the software you get at no extra cost with Acorn.


Marty

[hoecken]

Marty, I'm a hobby machinist and I just got all the steppers mounted on my 3 in 1 machine and I'm ready to build the control panel.
The free software I don't think will work G-code wise and 4mb on the pro software I'm just not convinced is enough.

[Beevo]

I was seriously considering the Acorn controller But then I saw that I would have to buy the ultimate software for lathe and mill at $ 499.00 each , that's to much for a hobby.

I'll have to look for something else.

Look carefully, the software is included at no charge. The limitations that are likely to affect you the most on the free version are going to be:

• the number of tools (10 on basic, 200 on the others)
• Intercon blocks (20 on basic, no limit on others) A complex extensive part may need more than 20, I have not experimented enough to know.
• G Code file size (50K on Basic, 4M on others) I have done some fairly complex parts here at home and most were under the limit. The example of the tail stock bracket was 12K
• Simultaneous Axis Motion (3 on the basic, 4 on the others)

Those are the biggies as I see it. Unless you have a ton of tooling you want in the machine at all time or are running some real complex parts the basic version will do the job.
The basic version will do everything that a home machinist is likely to do IMHO

Beevo

[Marty_Escarcega]

Marty, I'm a hobby machinist and I just got all the steppers mounted on my 3 in 1 machine and I'm ready to build the control panel.
The free software I don't think will work G-code wise and 4mb on the pro software I'm just not convinced is enough.

Did the 3 in 1 come as a CNC machine? Or did you install ballscrews? Or are you just using the original Acme leadscrews?

I believe there are 3 in 1's out there that came as CNC machines. I have found that dedicated CNC machines are best for control retrofits.

To answer your question about Acorn running your 3 in 1 YES, it is possible. You would install both MILL and LATHE software when you load the software. When you want to run MILL click on the MILL desktop Icon. When you want to run LATHE click on the LATHE desktop ICON.

NO you don't have to buy Lathe and Mill ULTIMATE software packages! 4meg is A HUGE program. Can you explain the type of parts you want to run? That would help.

I think after you get the machine up and running, cutting parts, you could then decide if you want to move up to PRO MILL and PRO LATHE software upgrades but by no means do you have to do that when you start and you will have a capable machine. Keep in mind that the LATHE software will be about 4-8 weeks before its ready. It is running at Centroid, but we Beta testers still need to run it through its paces. I'm getting a lathe ready now to do testing with.

Do you have basic electrical/electronic skills to do the conversion?
Do tell us what kind of parts you want to cut.

In a nutshell, Acorn could do what you want it to do. Costs you under $300 and you get the software to get started for FREE.

Marty

- - - Updated - - -

Look carefully, the software is included at no charge. The limitations that are likely to affect you the most on the free version are going to be:

• the number of tools (10 on basic, 200 on the others)
• Intercon blocks (20 on basic, no limit on others) A complex extensive part may need more than 20, I have not experimented enough to know.
• G Code file size (50K on Basic, 4M on others) I have done some fairly complex parts here at home and most were under the limit. The example of the tail stock bracket was 12K
• Simultaneous Axis Motion (3 on the basic, 4 on the others)

Those are the biggies as I see it. Unless you have a ton of tooling you want in the machine at all time or are running some real complex parts the basic version will do the job.
The basic version will do everything that a home machinist is likely to do IMHO

Beevo

All good points Beevo!
Marty

[cnckeith]

I was seriously considering the Acorn controller But then I saw that I would have to buy the ultimate software for lathe and mill at $ 499.00 each , that's to much for a hobby.

I'll have to look for something else.

Hoecken,
Hello.
maybe i can help by example. on our website is a part program for a SEM DC servo motor cover plate. this is what it looks like.


below is the G code program used to machine this part..here is what that tool path looks like



this is pretty typical of a home hobby shop type part.
the G code file generated by a cad cam system or in this case Centroid's Intercon conversational programming software (with comments!) to make this part is 5kb in size.
The Centroid FREE version of CNC12 has a file size limitation of 50KB so you could run a G code program 10 times this size. So you can see you can do alot even with the free version of the software.
The $99 Centroid PRO version of CNC12 has a file size limitation of 4MB so you could run a file 800 times this size.

here is the G code program to make the adapter plate..

; ICN_PATH = c:\MillDemo\ncfiles\SEM_coverplat.icn
; --- Header ---
N0001 ; CNC code generated by Intercon v3.15 Dev Test, Rev 10
; Description: eztrak motor cover
; Programmer: jkm
; Date: 13-Jan-2015
M25 G49 ; Goto Z home, cancel tool length offset
G17 G40 ; Setup for XY plane, no cutter comp
G20 ; inch measurements
G80 ; Cancel canned cycles
G90 ; absolute positioning
G98 ; canned cycle initial point return
; --- Tool #13 ---
;Tool Diameter = 0.0000 Spindle Speed = 0
;
G49 H0 M25
G0 X0.0 Y0.0
N0002 T13 M6
S0
G4 P1.00 ; pause for dwell
G43 D13
; --- Drill Array ---
N0003 X0.37 Y0.402 Z0.1 H13
G81 X0.37 Y0.402 Z-0.05 R0.1 F15.0
X1.88 Y0.402
X1.88 Y3.038
X0.37 Y3.038
G80
; --- Drill Bolt Hole Circle ---
N0004 X1.8166 Y2.5916 Z0.1
G81 X1.8166 Y2.5916 Z-0.025 R0.1 F15.0
X0.4334 Y2.5916
X0.4334 Y1.2084
X1.8166 Y1.2084
G80
; --- Tool #16 ---
;Tool Diameter = 0.0000 Spindle Speed = 0
;
G49 H0 M25
G0 X0.0 Y0.0
N0005 T16 M6
F15.0 S0
G4 P1.00 ; pause for dwell
G43 D16
; --- Drill Array ---
N0006 X0.37 Y0.402 Z0.1 H16
G10 P73 R0.025
G73 X0.37 Y0.402 Z-0.35 R0.1 Q0.05 F15.0
X1.88 Y0.402
X1.88 Y3.038
X0.37 Y3.038
G80
; --- Tool #20 ---
;Tool Diameter = 0.0000 Spindle Speed = 0
;
G49 H0 M25
G0 X0.0 Y0.0
N0007 T20 M6
F15.0 S0
G4 P1.00 ; pause for dwell
G43 D20
; --- Drill Array ---
N0008 X0.37 Y0.402 Z0.1 H20
G81 X0.37 Y0.402 Z-0.23 R0.1 F10.0
X1.88 Y0.402
X1.88 Y3.038
X0.37 Y3.038
G80
; --- Tool #12 ---
;Tool Diameter = 0.0000 Spindle Speed = 0
;
G49 H0 M25
G0 X0.0 Y0.0
N0009 T12 M6
F10.0 S0
G4 P1.00 ; pause for dwell
G43 D12
; --- Drill Bolt Hole Circle ---
N0010 X1.8166 Y2.5916 Z0.1 H12
G10 P73 R0.015
G73 X1.8166 Y2.5916 Z-0.375 R0.1 Q0.04 F10.0
X0.4334 Y2.5916
X0.4334 Y1.2084
X1.8166 Y1.2084
G80
; --- Tool #1 ---
;Tool Diameter = 0.2480 Spindle Speed = 0
;
G49 H0 M25
G0 X0.0 Y0.0
N0011 T1 M6
F10.0 S0
G4 P1.00 ; pause for dwell
G43 D1
; --- Circular Pocket ---
N0012 X1.125 Y1.8 Z0.1 H1
G1 G91 X0.0 Y0.0 Z-0.1
X0.0 Y0.0 Z0.0 F18.75
X0.0 Y0.1 Z-0.1 F10.0
G3 X0.0 Y0.1371 Z0.0 J0.0686 F18.75
X0.1371 Y-0.1371 Z0.0 J-0.1371
X-0.1371 Y0.2743 Z0.0 I-0.3428
X0.2743 Y-0.2743 Z0.0 J-0.2743 F25.0
X-0.2743 Y0.4114 Z0.0 I-0.4457
X0.4114 Y-0.4114 Z0.0 J-0.4114
X-0.4114 Y0.5485 Z0.0 I-0.5714
X0.0 Y0.0 Z0.0 J-0.5485
G1 X0.0 Y-0.6485 Z0.0 F18.75
X0.0 Y0.1 Z-0.1 F10.0
G3 X0.0 Y0.1371 Z0.0 J0.0686 F18.75
X0.1371 Y-0.1371 Z0.0 J-0.1371
X-0.1371 Y0.2743 Z0.0 I-0.3428
X0.2743 Y-0.2743 Z0.0 J-0.2743 F25.0
X-0.2743 Y0.4114 Z0.0 I-0.4457
X0.4114 Y-0.4114 Z0.0 J-0.4114
X-0.4114 Y0.5485 Z0.0 I-0.5714
X0.0 Y0.0 Z0.0 J-0.5485
G1 X0.0 Y-0.6485 Z0.0 F18.75
X0.0 Y0.1 Z-0.06 F10.0
G3 X0.0 Y0.1371 Z0.0 J0.0686 F18.75
X0.1371 Y-0.1371 Z0.0 J-0.1371
X-0.1371 Y0.2743 Z0.0 I-0.3428
X0.2743 Y-0.2743 Z0.0 J-0.2743 F25.0
X-0.2743 Y0.4114 Z0.0 I-0.4457
X0.4114 Y-0.4114 Z0.0 J-0.4114
X-0.4114 Y0.5485 Z0.0 I-0.5714
X0.0 Y0.0 Z0.0 J-0.5485
X-0.5635 Y-0.5485 Z0.0 J-0.5637
X0.0 Y0.0 Z0.0 I0.5635
X0.5635 Y0.0 Z0.0 I0.2817
G0 G90 X1.125 Y1.9 Z0.1
; --- Frame (Outside Rect) ---
N0013 X-0.124 Y3.325 Z0.1
G1 G91 X0.0 Y0.0 Z-0.1 F8.0
X0.0 Y0.0 Z0.0 F25.0
X0.0 Y0.1 Z-0.1 F8.0
G2 X0.139 Y0.139 Z0.0 I0.139 F25.0
G1 X2.22 Y0.0 Z0.0
G2 X0.139 Y-0.139 Z0.0 J-0.139
G1 X0.0 Y-3.41 Z0.0
G2 X-0.139 Y-0.139 Z0.0 I-0.139
G1 X-2.22 Y0.0 Z0.0
G2 X-0.139 Y0.139 Z0.0 J0.139
G1 X0.0 Y3.41 Z0.0
X0.0 Y-0.1 Z0.0
X0.0 Y0.1 Z-0.1 F8.0
G2 X0.139 Y0.139 Z0.0 I0.139 F25.0
G1 X2.22 Y0.0 Z0.0
G2 X0.139 Y-0.139 Z0.0 J-0.139
G1 X0.0 Y-3.41 Z0.0
G2 X-0.139 Y-0.139 Z0.0 I-0.139
G1 X-2.22 Y0.0 Z0.0
G2 X-0.139 Y0.139 Z0.0 J0.139
G1 X0.0 Y3.41 Z0.0
X0.0 Y-0.1 Z0.0
X0.0 Y0.1 Z-0.06 F8.0
G2 X0.139 Y0.139 Z0.0 I0.139 F25.0
G1 X2.22 Y0.0 Z0.0
G2 X0.139 Y-0.139 Z0.0 J-0.139
G1 X0.0 Y-3.41 Z0.0
G2 X-0.139 Y-0.139 Z0.0 I-0.139
G1 X-2.22 Y0.0 Z0.0
G2 X-0.139 Y0.139 Z0.0 J0.139
G1 X0.0 Y3.41 Z0.0
G0 G90 X-0.124 Y3.425 Z0.1
; --- End of Program ---
N0014 G49 H0 M25
G40 ; Cutter Comp Off
M5 ; Spindle Off
M9 ; Coolant Off
G80 ; Cancel canned cycles
M30 ; End of program

[hoecken]

I bought the 3in1 used from someone trying to convert it to cnc. He did a bit of damage to the ways and then gave up and sold it to me.
Bought and installed Acme screws and made Acetal nuts. they are a bit tight so I'm going to do some tests soon with a simple square wave stepper controller.
I will get the acorn board and basic software.
cnckeith, thanks for giving me some idea on how much g-code I need. I have no idea what I'm going to make. As a pensioner I have just to much time on my hands and I don't
want to spend it watching TV.
I converted a minimill and a minilathe 2 years ago and sold them right away, they were just to inaccurate.
Used to an electrician before I retired so I don't have much trouble with the wiring but software leaves me a bit baffled.
John.

[Beevo]

I bought the 3in1 used from someone trying to convert it to cnc. He did a bit of damage to the ways and then gave up and sold it to me.
Bought and installed Acme screws and made Acetal nuts. they are a bit tight so I'm going to do some tests soon with a simple square wave stepper controller.
I will get the acorn board and basic software.
cnckeith, thanks for giving me some idea on how much g-code I need. I have no idea what I'm going to make. As a pensioner I have just to much time on my hands and I don't
want to spend it watching TV.
I converted a minimill and a minilathe 2 years ago and sold them right away, they were just to inaccurate.
Used to an electrician before I retired so I don't have much trouble with the wiring but software leaves me a bit baffled.
John.

Just shout out to us if you need help! This will be a fun project for you and the Acorn is quite flexible and reasonably easy to set up, more so now that they have the Wizard in the program. When I started messing with it the wizard was a few revisions off. I had to lean on Marty for set up help as I had no real experience with the CNC controls. Once I got familiar with what is going on it became quite easy. I did a lot of stepper drive conversions of telescopes to computerize them and under stand micro stepping and tuning. However, I still drive Keith and Marty nuts by using astronomical terms such as slewing instead of rapids

{;o)

[hoecken]

Beevo, does the basic software have that Wizard? If so that would be great.