Anyone considering the centroid Acorn instead of path pilot?

[mactec54]

There is no dedicated motion chip on the Acorn, it is a beagleboard: BeagleBoard.org - community supported open hardware computers for making
The UC300ETH has a dedicated motion chip.

I think you have a problem understanding English, it is very clear on there web site that they are using a motion control CPU on there Board and it is 1Ghz the UC300ETH is only 400Hz, which is a huge difference in performance

Acorn utilizes an integrated 1Ghz ARM Cortex A8 Motion Control CPU, the BeagleBoard uses the same CPU and that is the only part of the BeagleBoard that is the same, this has been a Motion Control CPU used by many different manufactures because of it's ability to do a great job and is cost affected Motion Control CPU

And with my testing of the Acorn it performs better than the UCCNC software and hardware which I have also, so can do side by side comparison, Eding CNC is also ahead of UCCNC so there are lots of choices and there are other feature rich software and hardware that I will test and compare in the future

[mactec54]

Thank you for the information, I went out and did a little reading. I used to use a Galil controller on my router. I assumed the acorn was similar but see that it is not. It appears the Oak controller may be similar to the Galil as it is closed loop in the controller. As well as addressing the issue I had with Gaili, integrating a software front end.

Having a closed loop system does not mean you have a better system, todays AC Servo Drives can close the loop just as well with less complication

That is a problem when using Gaili Great hardware but very little software support for machine control like CNC machines, Mach4 has just come on line for use with Gaili, one of the software engineer that works for Newfangled Solutions ( Home of Mach4 ) used to work for Gaili so may have perfected the needed plugin for the Gaili hardware, the mach3 plug had problems that was never solved

[Jmhx2]

Having a closed loop system does not mean you have a better system, todays AC Servo Drives can close the loop just as well with less complication

That is a problem when using Gaili Great hardware but very little software support for machine control like CNC machines, Mach4 has just come on line for use with Gaili, one of the software engineer that works for Newfangled Solutions ( Home of Mach4 ) used to work for Gaili so may have perfected the needed plugin for the Gaili hardware, the mach3 plug had problems that was never solved

Agreed, I had issues withe mach3 plugin. Purchased the Mach4 plugin for testing and it wouldn't support my PCI based controller. That's when I went to UCCNC and DMM servos and have never been more satisfied.

[OlfCNC]

Yup Mactec54 I see you still have bad feelings about UCCNC because you have never described and likely connot describe what is better in those controls, it is just your little feelings again.

Arm Cortex A8 is not a motion control CPU, it is a general Arm microcontroller. The beagleboard populates that microcontroller. So you are again wrong.
Acorn did not even put in the effort to design their own motion controller, they just used a beagleboard.
At least all those other controllers having their own motion controller board designs.

[PCW_MESA]

There is no dedicated motion chip on the Acorn, it is a beagleboard: BeagleBoard.org - community supported open hardware computers for making
The UC300ETH has a dedicated motion chip.

Not true, the Beaglebone has 2 PRUs (Programmable Realtime Units)
These are full 32 bit processors running at 200 MHz and dedicated to real
time tasks like motion and independent of the main 1 GHz ARM CPU

[upnorth]

Did you get your PDB setup yet? I just did this a few weeks ago while installing UCCNC / uc300eth-ub1 in my new Torus build.

*Take note* There are 2 white wires, one is spindle direction (pin6) and one is ground (pin3)

6pin---Novacon BOB
W --> Direction Fwd/Rev from Acorn
R --> Vc Spindle speed control from Acorn
Blk -->Ground/Common for I/O from Acorn

W --> Ground
Blu ---> VFD Enable signal from Acorn (may have to configure from Acorn relay)
Grn ---> Estop from Acorn

4pin----Novakon BOB
R ---> 5VDC
Blk ---> Ground
Brn ---> Probe input to Acorn

I assume you have the automation direct VFD, which is already wired. (that would be the easiest) There is one end of the harness that only attaches to VFD. My VFD is a Hitachi Wj200, and I currently do not have jog control from the PDB. I am sure it can be configured but I had to get some parts made before I get back to it. (currently I have to line up spindle break disc manually to change tools)

I have been following your post as I considered the Acorn. I went with UCCNC because I previously installed it on my router and thought it best to keep the same controls. I like it better than mach3. However, the dedicated motion chip in Acorn should give you superior results. The cost is comparable, I should have gone this direction. (perhaps a future upgrade)

I did get the power draw bar hooked up. I got the two connectors hooked up that you mentioned those were the logical ones. The one that I was confused about is the 8 pin one that goes to the motherboard. I was unable to know for sure what it does. So I left it off. The draw bar works fine without it being hooked up. I suspect not hooking it us has disabled some sort of safety device. I do have the Automation direct VFD a GS-2 model. Since I did not change the VFD I just left the programming as is and it all seems to be working.

I decided to take today off so I did not get anything more done on it. Tomorrow the coolant is going in and then I will set up the tool table. Then I'm ready to cut. Going to be a while to learn the centroid software I'm used to Mach 3.

The one big negative of switching to the acorn is the cost of the software upgrade. It costs more to upgrade to be able to fully use the probe than the acorn board costs. I'm trying to decided if its worth $399 USD to get the probe software.

[mactec54]

Yup Mactec54 I see you still have bad feelings about UCCNC because you have never described and likely connot describe what is better in those controls, it is just your little feelings again.

Arm Cortex A8 is not a motion control CPU, it is a general Arm microcontroller. The beagleboard populates that microcontroller. So you are again wrong.
Acorn did not even put in the effort to design their own motion controller, they just used a beagleboard.
At least all those other controllers having their own motion controller board designs.

I have No bad feelings about UCCNC I still use it, and have used it a lot longer than most, still have one of there first UC100s also, I just tell the educated truth that some don't like

UCCNC is just a basic control slightly better than Mach3 with a less features

You have no understanding of the Arm Cortex A8 I would suggest you look up it's specs before you post more BS

The Acorn Board is noting like a Beale Board

[OlfCNC]

It is an Arm Cortect A8 processor which has co processors, it is not a "dedicated motion chip". It can be used for different tasks not for just motion or not only for motion.
If this is an engineering forum then I suggest be specific about what is what not just talk.

And yes it is an actual pocket beagle board used on the acorn: https://beagleboard.org/pocket

UCCNC now has about the same amount of features as Mach3 while the Acorn has much less.

[PCW_MESA]

The Sitara processor on the Beaglebone has two 200 MHz real time processors either or both of
which can be programed to be a "dedicated motion controller" exactly like the general purpose
processor on the UC300Eth has been programed to be a "dedicated motion controller"
The Acorn board itself is mainly a BOB that is a mechanical/electrical fit to the beaglebone

[mactec54]

[QUOTE=OlfCNC;2312092]It is an Arm Cortect A8 processor which has co processors, it is not a "dedicated motion chip". It can be used for different tasks not for just motion or not only for motion.
If this is an engineering forum then I suggest be specific about what is what not just talk.

And yes it is an actual pocket beagle board used on the acorn: https://beagleboard.org/pocket

As far as the Arm Cortex A8 you are showing your lack of knowledge on the subject as usual, it's still a better performer than what UCCNC is using

UCCNC now has about the same amount of features as Mach3 while the Acorn has much less.

No even close to Mach3 or Acorn as it has no lathe support or content

[OlfCNC]

[QUOTE=mactec54;2312128]

It is an Arm Cortect A8 processor which has co processors, it is not a "dedicated motion chip". It can be used for different tasks not for just motion or not only for motion.
If this is an engineering forum then I suggest be specific about what is what not just talk.

And yes it is an actual pocket beagle board used on the acorn: https://beagleboard.org/pocket

As far as the Arm Cortex A8 you are showing your lack of knowledge on the subject as usual, it's still a better performer than what UCCNC is using

No even close to Mach3 or Acorn as it has no lathe support or content

Haha, do you think everybody using these softwares on lathes? You are so wrong again. I do not have and never had a CNC lathe.
Yea, your little feelings again since you still cannot tell why the acorn is better than everybody else.
Acorn does not have plasma THC control, so it is not even close to UCCNC. Especially for me that is a game stopper.

[Jmhx2]

I did get the power draw bar hooked up. I got the two connectors hooked up that you mentioned those were the logical ones. The one that I was confused about is the 8 pin one that goes to the motherboard. I was unable to know for sure what it does. So I left it off. The draw bar works fine without it being hooked up. I suspect not hooking it us has disabled some sort of safety device. I do have the Automation direct VFD a GS-2 model. Since I did not change the VFD I just left the programming as is and it all seems to be working.

I decided to take today off so I did not get anything more done on it. Tomorrow the coolant is going in and then I will set up the tool table. Then I'm ready to cut. Going to be a while to learn the centroid software I'm used to Mach 3.

The one big negative of switching to the acorn is the cost of the software upgrade. It costs more to upgrade to be able to fully use the probe than the acorn board costs. I'm trying to decided if its worth $399 USD to get the probe software.

The 8pin connector receives wires from the 6 &4 pin connector and it outputs back to the 4pin connector in the harness, that feeds to the vfd. There is a schematic at the bottom of the install manual from the novakon site. Good luck when you get back to it. I made a few parts this week and I am really liking the Torus.

[samco]

Hmm linuxcnc....
Lathe? Check
Plasma? Check
Rigid tapping and encoder threading? Check check...
Closed loop? Check
Gear hobbing? Check


Sam

[OlfCNC]

And Linux, Noooooo.

[samco]

Double post

[samco]

That is actually one of the positives...

And Linux, Noooooo.

[OlfCNC]

For someones but not for me.

[upnorth]

The 8pin connector receives wires from the 6 &4 pin connector and it outputs back to the 4pin connector in the harness, that feeds to the vfd. There is a schematic at the bottom of the install manual from the novakon site. Good luck when you get back to it. I made a few parts this week and I am really liking the Torus.

I remembered wrong. It was the 6 pin connector to the motherboard I left disconnected. It seems to make no difference though. The power draw bar works without it. I'm expecting the new power supply for the drawbar tomorrow. I'll get it hooked up soon and see if the torque improves. I'm still using the battery for the drawbar.

[upnorth]

Its now fully wired in and everything is tested and working. I used to have some issues with the acorn not connecting if it was turned on before the computer. That is no longer the case. (Not sure why) I wired in the probe fully this morning. It now has probe protection and it works. Instead of the switch idea like it shows in the manual I used a 1/4" phono jack that closes an input when the jack is inserted. This eliminates any worries about forgetting to activate a probe protection circuit switch. I don't know if this is normal for a phono jack it came from my junk box. It could probably be wired up the same way using a stereo jack that one terminal is jumpered internally. Its probably out of some piece of commercial equipment. I am very happy with the drewtronics probe. It sure beats edge finders and gauge blocks.

I also took out the battery for the power draw bar. Using a switching type power supply now. It seems to work well I have not tested to see how much torque it applies yet though. I had to do some weird wiring here and there to fit things in. When I get the 4th axis upgrade I will have to rethink a few things because I put the acorn power supply where the 4th axis driver goes. I also could not find a good spot for the new drawbar power supply so its in there and functional. Not pretty though. Looking forward to doing some cutting this week.

[Steve303]

That's good news. I'm thinking of picking up a Drewtronics probe as well. My TP1000 probe seems to misbehave from time to time.

Steve