[Marty_Escarcega]

I've had the opportunity to be on the Beta test team for Acorn. I wanted to show my two machines that were used for testing Acorn.
This one is a Dyna Myte DM2400. It was previously contolled from a Windows XP machine, driving a Gecko G540 4 axis stepper driver through the parallel port. When installing Acorn, I unplugged the DB25 cable from the parallel port and plugged it into Acorn's DB25 port. Of course I had to acquire a PC running Windows 10, following the CPU requirements. CENTROID CNC control CNC PC Performance requirements In my case, I used a Lenovo M92p Tiny PC, it has a 2.9ghz Intel i5 CPU, 4GB of memory, 128GB Solid State hard drive. This particular machine has the wifi option which came in handy for remote assistance using TeamViewer

I had to add a KB Electronics SI-5 to my KBIC 120 DC control board. The SI-5 is a signal isolator. It accepts the Acorn 0-10VDC analog output for spindle speed. I also had to wire the SI-5 directly to the ACORN's Analog output.

Here is an overview an explanation video:
https://youtu.be/jWTMriBlB6Q

This one shows it cutting a part. Now after the fact, I should have belted the spindle motor down to at least 1:1 but, camera was rolling and I didn't want to setup to cut another part, so I just used the Virtual Control Panel (VCP) to slow down the feed rate.
https://youtu.be/MvotXh04oZc

Forgive the rookie behind the camera!

[DICKEYBIRD]

Thanks Marty, good info to assimilate while I'm waiting for mine to arrive next week (hopefully)

I haven't watched all of the vids yet but the 1st thing that jumped out at me was your swapping a Mach/PP equipped machine to the Acorn with the simple plug in of the PP cable to the Acorn & an Ethernet cable from the new PC. It makes me want to hook up my Acorn to my Mach/PP equipped lathe & use it with an encoder until I get the mill finished. Tell Keith & the boys to get the lead out on the Acorn/lathe software!

Heck, I already have a KBIC-125R reversing speed controller with the KBSI-240D Isolator hooked up & running perfectly with Mach on the lathe spindle so I'd be that much ahead. Tell 'em to get the lathe software going & I'll save up my pennies for another Acorn for the Mill!

Exciting times, eh?

[Marty_Escarcega]

Thanks Marty, good info to assimilate while I'm waiting for mine to arrive next week (hopefully)

I haven't watched all of the vids yet but the 1st thing that jumped out at me was your swapping a Mach/PP equipped machine to the Acorn with the simple plug in of the PP cable to the Acorn & an Ethernet cable from the new PC. It makes me want to hook up my Acorn to my Mach/PP equipped lathe & use it with an encoder until I get the mill finished. Tell Keith & the boys to get the lead out on the Acorn/lathe software!

Heck, I already have a KBIC-125R reversing speed controller with the KBSI-240D Isolator hooked up & running perfectly with Mach on the lathe spindle so I'd be that much ahead. Tell 'em to get the lathe software going & I'll save up my pennies for another Acorn for the Mill!

Exciting times, eh?

Dickybird,
Yes, IF you are using a Gecko G540, or your current breakout board follows the same pinouts as the G540, then there is a strong possibility you could plug right into Acorn.
Otherwise its best just to remove your breakout board and change over completely and cleanly to Acorn. Not that huge a job really. If you have an SI-5 then you can interface with Acorn's 0-10VDC analog spindle output. You would have to see what it would take to accept the FWD/REV signals from Acorn. But doable.

As for the lathe software, it will get done. I am scrambling to get a lathe ready so I can help test the software. Keep in mind, The Acorn guys are getting CNC12 which is the same software that will be released for the All in One DC and Oak motion controllers before they get the upgrade. So lathe WILL get done! Beta testing will move expeditiously very soon and provided there are few bugs to squish with mill.

What kind of lathe do you have? Picures of it anywhere and of your control cabinet?
Marty

[DICKEYBIRD]

Here's a link to the retro process. You can skim through & get an idea what I did with a Denford ORAC. It's kinda painful watching me struggle with the thing & learn along the way but it's working pretty decent now.

Hopefully the Photobucket thing doesn't get in the way of you seeing the pics. It seems to work for me right now.

Another Denford ORAC CNC lathe retrofit.

Put 'er in granny low paw!