[wwendorf]

I use the fogbuster system for coolant for my machining. It's worked really well all these years. Now that I am getting the Tormach 770, I'm really looking forward to the tool changer and not having to change tools all the time. However, I have realized that there seems to be one thing that is still not automated, and that is the coolant position.

I can build a simple device to aim the fogbuster coolant nozzle, but the position of a servo still needs to be controlled by the computer. I asked Tormach if there was any extra input/outputs to use with a programmable coolant system and was told with all the accessories that I have for my machine, that all the inputs/outputs are maxed, and that I should ask on the forum how to add additional input/outputs to the controller in order to use a programmable coolant, as a few people have added stuff like this to a Tormach mill.

That being said, does anyone have any idea how to do this? I have one idea, and that is to add another parallel port card to the controller, and just add the necessary stuff via another parallel port.

Another idea is a programmable input/output card that uses a usb port, similar to how the Tormach ATC works (from what I've read so far).

Has anyone does this? If so, what did you do?

Thanks much,
Wade

[MichaelHenry]

I haven't used a fogbuster yet, but can you use the 120 VAC circuit on the mill that is intended for flood coolant? That circuit can be controlled programatically with an M-code. I'm assuming here that you don't need more than one circuit for the fogbuster and that you don't want to independently control both flood coolant and the fogbuster at the same time. You could put both on the same circuit and use external switch(es) to use one or the other during a run with manual control.

That said, I'm also interested in ways to get more I/O with a PCNC 1100 and am gradually starting to look at options. The USB or Ethernet Smoothstepper looks interesting, especially if it can be used to replace the built-in parallel port control that the Tormach mills use. I think that it needs a more recent rev of Mach 3 than Tormach has approved for the Tormach mills, though.

Mike

[wwendorf]

I know I can turn on/off the coolant without a problem. My issue is that I need an additional input/output so that I can controller a servo motor (like on an RC car) so that I can use that to adjust the angle of the fogbuster nozzle which would give me the programmable coolant I want. I would program it to adjust the coolant based on the tool that is being used.

[Scott_M]

txfred posted this awhile back.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/tormac...neak_peek.html

maybe check with Z-Bot

Scott

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Seems to me this could be handled very simply. The whole issue is you need to coolant nozzle height to track the tool length compensation. You can make a height-adjustable holder for the nozzle that you set once, at the beginning of the job, for a specific tool. Then all you need is a means of adjusting the height when each now tool is swapped in. Here's what I would do:

Mount the nozzle to a bar that is mounted vertically to the side of the head opposite the tool changer. The mount has to allow the bar to slide up and down, to change the nozzle height, and there also has to be a means of locking the bar in a particular position. I would accomplish that with a simple friction "clutch", released by an electrical solenoid. You then install a post near one corner of the table, where the head can be lowered down so the rod holding the coolant nozzle contacts the post. Using this setup would work like this:

1) On setup, you install the first tool, position the table in the toolchange position, which should put the coolant nozzle support rod directly over the post on the table.
2) Apply tool length compensation, and move to Z=0, with the solenoid energized, so the coolant support rod rests on the post on the table, then de-activate the solenoid, to lock the rod in that position.
3) Adjust the coolant hose so the coolant goes where you need it.
4) Each time the tool is changed, and tool length comp is applied, energize the relay, and the rod should drop down to the post on the table, setting the height correctly for the new tool.

Not as fancy as a controllable nozzle, but should work find, and you won't have to figure out how to actually aim the nozzle on each toolchange.

Regards,
Ray L.

[gjvander]

ModIO (serial port) and PoKeys (usb and ethernet port) are options for adding channels.

Geo

[wwendorf]

Well, I just purchased an Arduino inventor kit the other day. I think I'll build my programmable coolant nozzle and then use an extra USB port to drive it and position the nozzle based on the tool offset. I could also put another parallel port into the system and use another breakout board to run a servo motor to do the positioning, but I think the USB option is the best.

HimyKabibble, your method would work, but it's a LOT more difficult than having a servo position set based on the tool offset of the tool being used.

I could also use this methodology to set multiple nozzles to different heights.

Please let's keep this thread open as the more ideas the better for something like this.

Wade

[tbaker2500]

I thought I needed adjustable coolant heights also. Until reading the mods on this forum, where I mounted the nozzle to the mill body, not the head. The coolant stay at a given height, instead of moving with the head. It works so well, that I see no need to try and do adjustable coolant. They only case where it doesn't work is really deep pockets, but you always need to adjust that by hand anyway to get the angle that will work to clear chips.

[wwendorf]

Hmm, I may consider that too. I just am not crazy about having it so far away from the cutting tool.

[BAMCNC.COM]

I agree with the coolant mounted to the column, but when having crazy fixturing you have the possibility of the fixture hitting the coolant nozzle and possibly pushing it into an endmill, I've done it. You may say while then raise it up more, but that may not be an option. Personally I'm going to do both, mount on head and column and decide which will work best for each job. No servos or anything to deal with just a lever.

[tbaker2500]

Hmm, I may consider that too. I just am not crazy about having it so far away from the cutting tool.

?
It's not far away from the tool. Remember, it's mounted to the column, not the table. It's set to spray exactly where the tool hits the part. If the tool raises up to tool change height, it raises above the coolant stream, which is a huge win in my book.

[BAMCNC.COM]

I agree, it won't be spraying coolant all over all the time, that's why I did it.

[wwendorf]

OK, so I got all my coolant lines routed and whatnot, and tried to stick the mag-bases to the spindle housing as I was used to with my old mill, and the darn things don't stick very well. Either the magnet's are going south, or the paint is too thick on the spindle housing to give me a good hold.

I figured I would try and mount it to the column, but I'm not seeing how that will work.

So, where on your column do you stick the mag bases? Can you post a pic? It seems so far away from the spindle itself to get good coolant spraying. Do you stick it on the side of the column, or on the raised part of the dovetail?

I'm just not seeing it.

Thanks,
Wade

[tbaker2500]

Here's a fancier version:
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/tormac..._manifold.html

I only have it on the left side, not the double.

[wwendorf]

Yeah, but that is flood, not fogbuster. I need to be able to mount the sprayer nozzles somewhere.

Wade