[phomann]

Hi Peter

Is the kit available yet? if it is will you supply one to England?

Thanks

Steve

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the prodding. I'm current putting the parts lists together at the moment. I'm also sending a kit of parts to someone who has offerred to create the instruction manual. It should really help with putting it together.

The Kit should be available in a month or two and I ship to all over the world, so England is not a problem.

Cheers,

Peter.

[PoppaBear10]

I have also made a Video of it working and showing all the functions, it should be available to view soon. Google says it may take a day or two for them to release it.

Scott

[PoppaBear10]

Here is a Link to the Google Video of the Pendant in action showing its functions and how it interacts with the Pendant Diag/setup screen.

It is a long video (about 12 minutes), The way Google does there videos is it starts off as a tiny square, but go down to the lower right of the video player, there is an "Expand" button that will bring it up to full screen size. It gets a little grainy at that size but the size Google changes it to when small makes it to small to see details.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...31538426112375

scott

[BobWarfield]

Any more news on this cool project?

I have a question. Can a ModIO pendant like this be used with a Smoothstepper, or do the two have conflicts?

Cheers,

BW

[phomann]

Any more news on this cool project?

I have a question. Can a ModIO pendant like this be used with a Smoothstepper, or do the two have conflicts?

Cheers,

BW

Hi Bob,

I guess things have been a little quiet lately. I've been off for a few weeks over the Christmas break and am flat out catching up.

As top the pendant kit, Scott Schaffer has written a Plugin for the pendant, that is very configurable from what I seen. I haven't tried it out yet as Scott has the Pendant I put together. The plugin will be provided with the Pendant Kit when purchased.

I currently putting a parts list together for the pendant am a little stuck on what to do about the cable to the pendant. The problem I have is that different people will want different terminations. We also need something that is affordable. The black multipole connectors I used on the prototype cost about $30 as a pair. A bit to expensive for a "Cheap" pendant kit.

I'm toying with the idea of a DB-9 serial cable. These come in all different lengths and styles. I'm thinking of a 3 metre cable. The problem with a DB-9 cable is that some may think that it is a serial comms cable and try to plug it into a computer serial port. I can counter this by having a male plug on the end of the cable so that it won't plug into a computer port (It is also a male). I would need to provide a small breakout board that has a male DB-9 connector on it for the pendant to plug into, and a female DB-9 that is the serial comms line to plug into the computer.

I'd really like feedback on this on. Alternatively, I could not provide any cable and connectors, but the amount of support enquiries I'd receive scares me.

Also, I'm waiting on a order of small PCBs to arrive. they are for the multipole switches and potentiometers. The multipole switch pcb will have the resistors and switch mounted onto the pcb. That way it can be wired directly into the ModIO analog port. This will remove having to solder all the resistors between the rotary switch pins. There is also a small screw terminal block on the pcb for the 3 wires to the ModIO. It should speed up putting the pendant together.

The PCB for the potentiometer brings out the 3 connections to a terminal block for easy wiring.


I'm putting a parts list together at the moment, but was planning to sort out the Pendant cable issue first.

Cheers,

Peter.

[phomann]

I'm toying with the idea of a DB-9 serial cable. These come in all different lengths and styles. I'm thinking of a 3 metre cable. The problem with a DB-9 cable is that some may think that it is a serial comms cable and try to plug it into a computer serial port. I can counter this by having a male plug on the end of the cable so that it won't plug into a computer port (It is also a male). I would need to provide a small breakout board that has a male DB-9 connector on it for the pendant to plug into, and a female DB-9 that is the serial comms line to plug into the computer.

I'd really like feedback on this on.

Due to the overwhelming number of responses (None ) I'm going to do the following:

The kit will be supplied with 3 metres of 6 core cable. It will up to the constructor to decide how they want to interface it to their controller box.

Cheers,

Peter.

[PoppaBear10]

Hey Pete Let me make a recommendation if I may.

Put a standard Serial DB 9 at the end of a 10' cable, Use 2 of the Unused wires in the Serial Cable to run your 12V power over. Have that go to a
"Break out Board" in where the DB 9 plug into it from the pendant, at the side it plugs in at has a metal plate, so that if they want to mount it to the side of the control box (Like Serial ports on a computer do), they can, or they can mount it through holes in the PCB to the cabnet internally. Have two screw terminals where they can hook up the 12V power supply. Then on the Other side of the board have One or TWO options, Option One is another DB9 that will connect the BOB to the Host Computers serial port, Option TWO could be that Port and/or another set of screw terminals to bring in serial wiring. I think haveing a path of: Pendant -> Serial BOB (where power can come in) -> Serial cable to computer (mabey 6' cable here). would be good.

OR just sale them all as Optional Hook up hardward, that the user can choose from your shopping cart.

NOTE: Post this on the Mach Support Group, AND make an announcement on the Yahoo Mach Group......

scott

[phomann]

Can a ModIO pendant like this be used with a Smoothstepper, or do the two have conflicts?

Cheers,

BW

Hi Bob,

I forgot to answer your question.

The ModIO uses Modbus as it communications method. The Smoothstepper uses USB. The two may be used together without conflict so you will be OK.

Cheers,

Peter.

[PoppaBear10]

Showed off the Pendant at Cabin Fever, those I showed it to where luvin it!!

The Installer will install a XML, Screen Set, Modbus Config for the serial, the .dll, and a "Users Document".

Note: the XML, Modbus config, and Screen Set are so you can set up, tune and see how your pendant works. The screens have a "Pendant" page. On this page, is ALL the functions the Pendant can do/control. The Screen set uses the "Default" values for the LEDs, and labels. It also allows you to see the "Real Time" values of the state of the Mod IO, for Discrete IN, Out, MPG, Tickcounter, and Ana Inputs. If for some reason you need to "Tune" the Analog values of the ranges for the 2 Twelve position switches you can look at the values coming in across the modbus here, and turn your ranges accordingly.

The Screen also has all the OEM functions that the Pendant can effect, so you can basically Test all functions of the Pendant from this page.
Note: UserLabel 220 is "Hardcoded" to display what function the Right Selector Switch is doing. Since the Left selector switch controls the Messages to the LCD.
The Plug in config gives you the ability to turn off the other User Labels once you have set up the Pendant, (so you can use them somewhere else). Also, from the Plug in config you can choose to Turn on or not External LEDs and/or Internal to Mach User LEDs and your own LCD messages.

There are 15 User definable functions controlled by User LEDs.
These LEDs can trigger functions from a "Brain" or "Macro Pump" that you make for what ever you want.

The Left Switch has 12 User defined UserLEDs, and Messages to display on the LCD (you can choose your own 4 or 6 character codes). The three "Soft Keys" under the LCD are buttons: A, B, and C and the functions they become will be what the Left switch position is in, a "Label" for OEM or UserLabel will appear over the Soft key it goes to.

the Right Switch has 3 User defined UserLEDs only, NO messaging since only the Left switch can write to the LCD. BUT, UserLabel 220 will show Right switch OEM functions and UserLEDs Active 10, 11, 12.

The Installer will put a "Functional Document" on your desktop for you to print out, that has the "How to Use" it stuff in it. Due to the Massive amount that the Pendant can do, some operations have a few steps you have to be aware of, since some of the buttons/position switches have to interact with each other.

Once the installer installs, all you have to do is enable the plug in from the plug in config (put a green check next to the plug in), and set the Serial Modbus config to your Port that you are hooked to. Reboot Mach, to configure the plug in at that point go to the Plugins Top Menu and then configure the Plug in if you need to change things. The defaults will work with the Pendant/screen.

I put all this in a seperate profile, and screen so that once you get it all working and see how it works, you can copy over the Serial Modbus Profile, and what ever Part of the Pendant diagnostics from the Pendant screen set to YOUR screen set (like adding UserLabel 220).

the Pendant will also Cycle your Mach3 screens, you can put in the config how many of your screen pages you want to cycle through, it will cycle through them in serial sequence ONLY, i.e. page 1, then 2, etc., then start back at 1 again. So, if your running custom screens, and you have a Blank screen on page 4 for instance, and your cycling the first 9 screens, when you get to 4 it will show a blank screen...........

As it stands now, If you want to set all/or some of our Output LEDs on the Mod IO to blink when active, you will need to write to them from the Modbus Test Page (follow Peters Mod IO manual). I put the Congigs for those effected "Configuration" registers in the serial Modbus config file, BUT they are Unchecked. IF you need to do some changes, then you will need to follow peters book.

Peter and I are working on a way, I can change these PIC registers from the Plug in, but it is not finalized yet......... and may not be.

Scott

Scott

[PoppaBear10]

Hey Pete,

Any Idea on when the kits will be avail on your site and how much? I got two guys in my area that want one.

scott

[phomann]

Hi Scott,

I sent out 2 kits. One to Steve Beale, and the other to someone who is going to do an instruction manual.

I'm currently working on the website stuff. Should be up by the end of the week.

Cheers,

Peter.

[electrokean]

Peter,

I just found this topic with the latest details on the progress of the kit. I am looking forward to the kit release, and happy to help in any way - being in the Australian electronics/embedded systems industry myself.

I'm going through a similar connector selection process with a client at the moment. We will probably use a DB15 to avoid confusion while keeping cost low (need at least 9 pins). I think for a DIY kit having bare ended cable is fine, with suggestions for connectors and pin outs. You could also offer the DB or industrial connectors as a option (should you wish to stock them).

It isn't like the end users will be moving the pendants between systems often, so interoperability with each other isn't high priority (CNC BBQ's are an obvious exception... :-)

Cheers,
Kean

[stevebeale]

here are a few pictures of Peter H pendent Kit, great build a joy to use
if you want any help just call

[PoppaBear10]

Hey Steve,

Your Kit version is MUCH nicer than mine, I like the integrated 12 pole swithes really cleaned it up. I used 1k ohm resistors between my poles, (except some other that Peter had put on there already). If you are testing with the Plugin, and you are using 1k ohm resistors on both right and left switch, (since your kit will represent the OEM production version, send me the values on the ranges of the Analog values from the pendant Cfg page, for both the Right and left switch, and I will set them as the "default" values at initial loading of the plugin, this should put most users/kit builders with not having to spec thier own ranges since they should all be the same.

scott

[phomann]

Hi Scott,

Yes, Steve did a much better wiring job than myself.


As to the value of the resistors, it does not matter, as long as they are all the same value. This is because the voltage at each switch position is a ratio.

If you have 10 resistors and tap of the voltage at each joint you will get;

1st joint = 1R/10R * 5V = 0.5V
2nd joint = 2R/10R * 5V = 1.0V
3rd joint = 3R/10R * 5V = 1.5V
4th joint = 4R/10R * 5V = 2.0V
5th joint = 5R/10R * 5V = 2.5V

It doesn't matter whether the resistors are 390 Ohm or 1K Ohm, the voltage measurement will be the same.


As to the small PCBs on the switches, I did them so the the builder didn't have to solder all the resistor in. Makes things a bit easier. I also allowed for mounting the Pot into the same PCB, but it ends up being too large for the position it is in.


I'll be including the Switches mounted on the PCB as part of the MP-03 Diy Pendant Kit. I'll also make them available for separate purchase.

Cheers,

Peter.

Hey Steve,

Your Kit version is MUCH nicer than mine, I like the integrated 12 pole swithes really cleaned it up. I used 1k ohm resistors between my poles, (except some other that Peter had put on there already). If you are testing with the Plugin, and you are using 1k ohm resistors on both right and left switch, (since your kit will represent the OEM production version, send me the values on the ranges of the Analog values from the pendant Cfg page, for both the Right and left switch, and I will set them as the "default" values at initial loading of the plugin, this should put most users/kit builders with not having to spec thier own ranges since they should all be the same.

scott

[PoppaBear10]

Pendant Plug in Update!!:

I have added the abiltiy to add a Low and High range for your Feed Over ride range (range from 1-299, default is 5-200). Also, added where you can set your own "Dead Zone" range for the Feed OVR as well, so you can decide how big to make the band that give a 100 (thus not a Feed OVR condition).

Version information is added to the menu title for support issues if they occur.

Flash Help File has been GREATLY expanded, it is a "12 step" program.... hehehe it is in TWO places. it is a stand alone Flash.exe so it comes seperate in the Zip file. so you can open it and walk through the install and configuration/operation of the pendant. Once your done with it you can delete it. The same help file appears from the "Help Button" as well from the Plug in dialog...

Peter has a guy in the US working on a "Detailed" user Document as well...

scott

[PoppaBear10]

the other Video link was bad, here is a good one to see the pendant in action!!

the video was shot by an ameture (me), but, I am sure Peter will do a Good One at some point.........

[ame="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7917331538426112375&ei=a1ibSdf1G6GG_AGLmfzhCw&q=mach3+pendant+kit+and+video"]Ultimate Pendant for Mach3[/ame]

scott

[fatal-exception]

That's one tricked out pendant!

Little to busy for my liking, but cool anyways.

Paul

[Guldberg]

Peter, any news on when the components hits you shop?

[groov]

Will the code (macropump) be available?

I already have all the hardware to put a pendant together (using Homann designs)... all that is required is the code.

Thanks
groov