[BTP]

Well I guess I have to buy a Torus Pro then...

[bill south]

Nice Job Ray!
Need some black screws to match the anodizing though!
Hope the hand heals soon!
Bill

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Bill,

The "production" units will have black screws. Using black anodize was a last-minute change, so I didn't have time to get black screws on-hand for these beta units.

Regards,
Ray L.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Getting close! Yesterday I was able to complete the three mechanical assemblies, despite only having 1-1/2 good hands. Today I completed the first electronic assembly. With luck, tomorrow I'll get two more built up, and at least start on the wiring harnesses.

Attachment 193996



Attachment 193998

Regards,
Ray L.

[AiR_GuNNeR]

They look professional as always Ray. Sorry to hear about your hand. Good thing you had your specs on though!
By the way, I'm coming along pretty well with the KFlop. I've put a probing screen together, much like in Gerry's 2010 screen set for Mach. Next, I need to rewrite the Mach plugin for the ShuttleRU pendent. I'm not sure if I should try to adapt it as a "plugin" in the same manner as Mach uses it, or simply embed the code directly into KMotionCNC.
Eric

[SCzEngrgGroup]

They look professional as always Ray. Sorry to hear about your hand. Good thing you had your specs on though!
By the way, I'm coming along pretty well with the KFlop. I've put a probing screen together, much like in Gerry's 2010 screen set for Mach. Next, I need to rewrite the Mach plugin for the ShuttleRU pendent. I'm not sure if I should try to adapt it as a "plugin" in the same manner as Mach uses it, or simply embed the code directly into KMotionCNC.
Eric

Eric,

Glad to hear the KFlop is coming along. Do I remember right you're doing all this in KMotionCNC using MFC?

Regards,
Ray L.

[AiR_GuNNeR]

Eric,
Glad to hear the KFlop is coming along. Do I remember right you're doing all this in KMotionCNC using MFC?
Regards,
Ray L.

That's correct. I hope to work on a C# version in the future, but I'm much more familiar with MFC, (I code window's tools for the automotive industry for a living), and I want to get this operational ASAP. I just can't do without my probing and my pendant. There would be no advantage to using the KFlop plugin for Mach since I would still be using Mach's trajectory planner correct?
Eric

[SCzEngrgGroup]

There would be no advantage to using the KFlop plugin for Mach since I would still be using Mach's trajectory planner correct?
Eric

That's how I look at it....

Regards,
Ray L.

[bill south]

Ray;
What kind of motors are you using on the PDB? The must be small and powerful! Looking at the pix, not a bad days work for 1.5 hands!
They look great. Also, how is the new design ATC coming? I'm curious to see how you handle the unloading of the tool back into the carousel.
Keep up the good work. I'm still trying to justify a new Novakon machine but most likely will have to wait a couple of more years for retirement so I can figure out how to make it (help) pay for itself.
Bill

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Bill,

The motor is a high-torque, high-RPM DC motor, driving a high-ratio planetary gearbox. Together they can generate in excess of 30 ft-lbs at the drawbar.

The ATC is progressing, although I've been more focused on the PDB the last few weeks. Once the first production run of PDBs is out the door, I'll be pretty much full-time on the ATC, and should make lots of progress.

Moving the tool from the carousel to the transfer arm, and back, is accomplished by a simple, motor-driven mechanism that grabs the tool shank, and slides it over.

Regards,
Ray L.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

The first set of electronics is now fully functional. It would have come right up and worked on the first try, but the new batch of LCD displays came configured differently from the previous set, which made them basically not work at all. It took me a while to figure out what had changed, and correct it, at which point everything was working perfectly. I tested spent a few hours making some test harnesses, then tested one full assembly. I found a few areas of critical fit where the thickness of the anodizing was enough to adversely affect operation. So, I dis-assembled all three mechanical assemblies, addressed the issues, and re-assembled them. All three now seem to be working perfectly.

Tonight I'll be putting the new "calibration" mode into the firmware. Tomorrow I'll have to be away most of the day, so there won't be a lot of progress. But I hope to have the other sets of electronics built up sometime Thursday. They will go together much faster than the first set.

Regards,
Ray L.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Not a lot of progress today, as I had to be away most of the day. But, last night I did get the new "configuration" mode implemented in the firmware, got all the boards mounted on the remaining three electronics panels, and have everything lined up to wire them all tomorrow. Plus, I get my stitches out tomorrow!

Attachment 194198

Attachment 194200

Attachment 194196

Yeah, yeah, I know! Black screws! :-)

Regards,
Ray L.

[BAMCNC.COM]

Blue screws

[slowtwitch]

Ray, that looks fantastic !!!! Great work !!!!!!

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Four complete, working, sets of electronics!



Tomorrow I will install one on my machine, to take photos for the installation manual. Then start packing up the three kits that will get shipped out (probably go in the mail Monday) for beta testing!

Regards,
Ray L.

[AUSTINMACHINING]

Yeeaaa!!!

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Sadly, today was an absolute train wreck. I had bought 9-conductor cable for the signal wiring between the PDB and the machine. Unfortunately, this cable is completely unusable. Not only is it very stiff, with a nearly indestructible outer insulation, but the color coding of the conductors was obviously chosen by someone who was color-blind. The nine conductors are colored red, blue, orange, green, white, black, black, black, and black! Why on earth would they put in FOUR black conductors?? I wasted the entire day trying to make it work, with no luck - the stiffness alone is a show-stopper. End of the day, I have nothing to show for all that time, and a pile of wire, connectors, and heat-shrink wasted. I got most of the way through building one harness using two 5-conductor cables, but I just don't think that's a viable solution, and I only have enough for one harness anyway. I'll have to find a more suitable cable and start over, which unfortunately means another delay.

Regards,
Ray L.

[LeeWay]

Welcome to the world of new product release.
I have lots of stuff here that I acquired for testing on prototypes and did not meet my standard for one reason or two. You can spend days and weeks sometimes trying to source stuff locally and online is hit or miss sometimes because you don't have the product in hand.

Also when you do finally find a good solution for hard to source materials or supplies, don't stop looking for a secondary supply source.
Supplies, sources and quality can change with anything without warning. It can leave you scrambling for sure. BTDT far too often.

You might want to source a small amount from someone like McMaster Carr first. They do list a lot of the qualities of particular wiring that will help with selection.
Then with it in hand, you have a brand name sometimes and may find it more reasonable somewhere else.

You will find it and hopefully without too much more frustration.

[BAMCNC.COM]

Can always make your own for now, they sell rolls of heat shrink.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Can always make your own for now, they sell rolls of heat shrink.

Pretty hard to make your own shielded cable.....

Regards,
Ray L.