584,800 active members*
4,443 visitors online*
Register for free
Login
Results 1 to 9 of 9
  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    666

    Using inputs with the USB board

    Can someone help me to How to use inputs on the USB board, I would like a real example.

    Also, I tried many ways to use the counter with the lathe when having a loop on the program for doing multiple parts.

    I would really appreciate it, Tormach never responds to any inquiry.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Posts
    132

    Re: Using inputs with the USB board

    https://tormach.com/media/asset/t/d/..._0717a_web.pdf

    Are you calling or emailing Tormach?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    189

    Re: Using inputs with the USB board

    The automatic collet closer has a similar (maybe the same dunno) usb board that turns m10 and m11 into air cylinder open and closed. the board turns an M command into a relay that then powers something else like a valve. John Saunders NYCCNC used it to control coolant valves so the turret or gang tool would get coolant and turn the other one off.

    For looping, you don't get to see what the count is during the run, but repeat works and I always get the right number of parts. Top of the program "o500 repeat [12]" right before m30 at the end "o500 endrepeat" Doesn't have to program 500 any program number [how many parts you want]. Don't need m98 or m99 anywhere. It's in the programming section of the owner's manual.

    Maybe never is too strong a word, but I can't remember not getting a response from Tormach. Mondays are the worst because they have a huge backlog of things from the weekend.
    -Jon

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    666

    Re: Using inputs with the USB board

    Thanks a lot for those replies and sorry for my late reply.

    Asked Tormach a couple of times for more info about using input and maybe a short video about this but without success.

    Asked them to add just a simple DRO on the main tab that could be used as a part counter without success also.

    Asked them for a DXF import for the lathe without any success also.

    Really make me think they don't want to hear about the lathe anymore, only mills.

    I tried to use the so-called parts counter but I can't make it work when using the repeat command.

    So again, if someone could post a real small portion of a program using the counter function, it would be great.

    Jeff

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Posts
    1788

    Re: Using inputs with the USB board

    Have you looked at file:///C:/Users/micro/Downloads/sb0046_pathpilot_release_notes_v2.4.0.pdf ?

    Assuming that these counters are what you mean, insofar as I know they have nothing to do with USB input.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    189

    Re: Using inputs with the USB board

    I had no real luck getting the counters to work either. I think if you just hit cycle start they might work, but when combined with M98/M99 the results are unpredictable (tormach says not supported). They don't work at all with [repeat] since you only hit M30 once. Tormach says to use to use if and endif as described in the programming manual. I just gave up though. Repeat has been 100% accurate so far and I watch how long the first part is then I have a decent idea how far along I am. More often than not I end up running smaller batches so I can dig the parts out of the chips before they get buried too far. Are you not using the counter driven by the relay anymore?

    For sure the mills are higher priority, Tormach probably sells many many more mills/routers/plasma tables than lathes. I suspect that there just aren't enough people interested in the features you want to move them to the top of the list. maybe dxf import would still be a possibility still as the plasma tables and routers would benefit as well, but that has to be a huge undertaking.

    Have you ever investigated Omniturn lathes?
    -Jon

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Posts
    1788

    Re: Using inputs with the USB board

    My understanding of the new counters is that they provide a persistent count rather than the number of passes through the currently running program. Using repeat within your program never encounters a M30/M99 and thus nothing is counted. Rather than automatically incrementing the counter with M30/M99, do so explicitly using G10 to update the counter after each part and enclose your program in a while/endwhile loop to terminate after making the right number of parts. That way you could press CycleStart, let the program run until out of stock, terminate the program and then later restart the program to make more parts up to the desired limit.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    189

    Re: Using inputs with the USB board

    I think that is what Joe was trying to explain to me ---Another way to use the counters is with a separate Gcode line. So you can add this to a repeat loop to cause the cycle counts to increase: "G10 L99 P2". Where P0=M30A, 1=M30B, 2=M99A, 3=M99B. You'll want to use the M99 counters as the M30 counters will also add a count when the loop runs out.-- Unfortunately my eyes start to glaze over about halfway through due to ADD. Maybe it will help someone with better focus?
    -Jon

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Posts
    1788

    Re: Using inputs with the USB board

    Exactly except I think that you want to use while/endwhile around your program rather than repeat/endrepeat. See O Codes for a decent explanation of looping. In your while command test for persistent variable #5650 (M30 A) or #5653 (M99 A) having reached the desired count

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 2
    Last Post: 05-18-2019, 08:52 PM
  2. USB controller card as extra inputs?. (DDCM6\Mach3)
    By jrr in forum Controller Cards
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 05-30-2016, 05:37 AM
  3. Driver Board 6560 no free inputs!???/
    By TheProCreator in forum DIY CNC Router Table Machines
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 11-15-2010, 03:54 PM
  4. I need 6 inputs, but my breakout board has only 5, how?
    By lucky021 in forum Canadian Club House
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 06-13-2010, 09:28 PM
  5. plutp-P board encoder inputs
    By visky in forum LinuxCNC (formerly EMC2)
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 04-23-2010, 07:44 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •