Dry Contact Spindle
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No profanity, no gambling, no illegal activity, so sexual or pornographic material.
Posts not related to the Buildbotic CNC Controller are likely to be moved or deleted.
Dry Contact Spindle
Where would you connect the dry contact input trigger for a plasma cutter or switched 12v for a relay when you are not using a VFD spindle. I have looked over all the documentation and can not find it. Is that what L1 and L2 are for? If not what gcode turns on L1 and L2. The only other outputs I see on the breakout board are for flood and mist coolant.
Last edited by Reset on Thu Jul 09, 2020 5:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Dry Comtact Spindle
M7 turns on L1, M8 turns on L2, and M9 turns them both off. M7, M8, and M9 are normally used for controlling coolant and mist.
The L1 and L2 ports on the back panel of the BB Controller are high power outputs. When turned on, they will present the power supply voltage. They can supply a lot of current as well. When you use these you are limited to only the voltage that you are putting into the BB Controller with your power supply.
L1 and L2 outputs are also found on the DB25 I/O connector at pins. L1 is on pin 2 and L2 is on pin1. These are 3.3Volt outputs and very limited in current.
I think pin 15 on the DB25 connector is what you are looking for. This is the 'tool-enable' pin. It is also a 3.3 Volt output and limited in current. Pin 15 is controlled with the Speed command (S), the Spin Clockwise command (M3), the Spin Counter Clockwise command (M4), and the Stop Spindle command (M5). Note, you have to provide a non-zero speed value along with the spin command to make 'tool-enable' come on. For instance, M3S0 would not cause it to come on, but M3S1000 would.
It is unlikely that the 3.3Volt outputs will drive the input to your torch, so you will probably need a solid state relay. I have used the SSR-40 DA for controlling AC loads. Here is a link to those relays:
https://www.amazon.com/SSR-40DA-Solid-O ... 9125&psc=1
And, I have used the SSR-40 DD for controlling DC loads. Here is a link for those relays.
https://www.amazon.com/Aexit-Temperatur ... =hi&sr=1-8
The L1 and L2 ports on the back panel of the BB Controller are high power outputs. When turned on, they will present the power supply voltage. They can supply a lot of current as well. When you use these you are limited to only the voltage that you are putting into the BB Controller with your power supply.
L1 and L2 outputs are also found on the DB25 I/O connector at pins. L1 is on pin 2 and L2 is on pin1. These are 3.3Volt outputs and very limited in current.
I think pin 15 on the DB25 connector is what you are looking for. This is the 'tool-enable' pin. It is also a 3.3 Volt output and limited in current. Pin 15 is controlled with the Speed command (S), the Spin Clockwise command (M3), the Spin Counter Clockwise command (M4), and the Stop Spindle command (M5). Note, you have to provide a non-zero speed value along with the spin command to make 'tool-enable' come on. For instance, M3S0 would not cause it to come on, but M3S1000 would.
It is unlikely that the 3.3Volt outputs will drive the input to your torch, so you will probably need a solid state relay. I have used the SSR-40 DA for controlling AC loads. Here is a link to those relays:
https://www.amazon.com/SSR-40DA-Solid-O ... 9125&psc=1
And, I have used the SSR-40 DD for controlling DC loads. Here is a link for those relays.
https://www.amazon.com/Aexit-Temperatur ... =hi&sr=1-8
Re: Dry Contact Spindle
Is there any way to map the M3 spindle commands to L1 and L2 or is there a way in the fusion post processor to have it output M7 commands instead of M3?
Re: Dry Contact Spindle
Both can be done. But first, can you explain why you don't want to use pin 15 (tool-enable)?
Re: Dry Contact Spindle
It's definitely possible, but 3 reasons. I have many 12v relays on hand, I don't have any SSR's, not a huge deal but one consideration. Secondly the machine is dual purpose with a removable plasma torch holder and removable router spindle. So I need to send 120vac to the router, dry contact to the plasma. I'm doing this with a double pole relay. You can't get an SSR that is DP so I would have to keep my relay, put them in series, and complicate the wiring. Most importantly though I have built a gantry style machine on the bottom level of a very sturdy work bench that has a 1/2" steel plate on top that I use as a welding table. To keep the high frequency start of the TIG welder from damaging the components I have made my control box completely removable. My router spindle plugs in to the box via a nema 15 outlet, my plasma cutter plugs in via a 1/4" mono audio cable, the stepper cables use the default 4 pin connectors on the buildbotics box, and the endstops are all connected to the DB25 connector. If I have to take a wire from the DB 25 to an SSR inside of the same control box to fire my relay that sends 120vac to my router spindle and dry contact to my plasma cutter, the DB25 is no longer removable unless I unwire it every time or come up with another disconnect.
Again, all 3 of these are probably not the end of the world, I was just trying to see if there was an easier way.
Edit: Also, for the router configuration this actually isn't an issue since coolant and spindle typically turn on at the same time. The issue is with the plasma configuration, you wouldn't want to trigger the plasma before you Z down to the surface.
Again, all 3 of these are probably not the end of the world, I was just trying to see if there was an easier way.
Edit: Also, for the router configuration this actually isn't an issue since coolant and spindle typically turn on at the same time. The issue is with the plasma configuration, you wouldn't want to trigger the plasma before you Z down to the surface.
Re: Dry Contact Spindle
Here's how to use pin 15 to control the high power load outputs. This method will work for either or both.
1. On the tool page, select PWM spindle, set 'tool-enable-mode' to 'lo-hi', and save your work.
2. On the I/O page, change the load output that you want to use to 'disabled'. This allows the load pin on the DB25 connector to become a 3.3 Volt input that controls the hi-power load output on the back panel.
3. Use a jumper inside the DB25 breakout box to connect pin 15 (tool-enable) to pin 2 (load 1).
After you do this, an M3 SXXX command will cause pin 15 to go high which will drive pin 2 high, which will turn on the high power Load 1 connector on the BB Controller. M5 will turn it off.
1. On the tool page, select PWM spindle, set 'tool-enable-mode' to 'lo-hi', and save your work.
2. On the I/O page, change the load output that you want to use to 'disabled'. This allows the load pin on the DB25 connector to become a 3.3 Volt input that controls the hi-power load output on the back panel.
3. Use a jumper inside the DB25 breakout box to connect pin 15 (tool-enable) to pin 2 (load 1).
After you do this, an M3 SXXX command will cause pin 15 to go high which will drive pin 2 high, which will turn on the high power Load 1 connector on the BB Controller. M5 will turn it off.
Re: Dry Contact Spindle
Ah that is perfect, thanks.