[GeckoMachineMan]

Hi All,
I'm thinking of putting together a pendant kit for the DIY guys. I'm building my second pendant for one of my machines and it wouldn't be too hard to start making a kit. I'm wanting to get a feel for what anyone would pay and if they'd want it assembled or would rather assemble it themselves. By "kit" and "assemble", I'm referring to a PCB with components, NOT the actual pendant itself.
Thanks!
-G.M.M.

[Mr. G]

Do you have pics and specs of what you are making?

[GeckoMachineMan]

Sorry, not yet. Still trying to determine if I should turn what I've already done for one, into something viable for a kit. I'm open to feature suggestions at this point.

Here is what I can give you though as far as what I have done for my first pendant:
(I needed something simpler than most)
1) one MPG with 4 buttons for axis select
2) 4 generic buttons for mapping to whatever
3) feedrate override potentiometer input
4) 3-position switch for MPG step size selection
5) E-Stop button input

Something like this in a kit form wouldn't cost very much and I could easily scale it up to be something bigger, or several intermediate versions with varying capabilities.

I'm also working on a tach which I could kit if that's of interest as well.

[Rally]

CNC without a Pendant IMHO is worthless. If someone can build a Pendant It would be worth more than $200 to me!!
But that is just my oppinion!

[GeckoMachineMan]

Rally,
Thanks, I'm open to all opinions.

Currently, I'm structuring my second pendant around USB (HID) and using Mach 3's KeyGrabber. I'm going to try and keep development ideas around this approach, as USB is pretty standard on anything these days.

How many generic button inputs would you all prefer to see? So far, not counting the 4 axis select buttons that I group along with the MPG, I use 8 (4 for whatever, 3 for the MPG step selection switch and 1 for the e-stop). I guess a follow up question is, would you like to see a range of models with different capabilities (for instance, one 8-button model with single MPG, one 16-button one with dual MPG, etc)? I'm at the planning stages here and I'm just trying to get the feel for what people would want feature-wise.

[vacpress]

here is what i want...

A USB device that has analog and digital inputs, and some example files on how to use it with Mach.. Essentially a MODIO type of device, but i think it really should be like $35.00 or so.. It only needs to be simple, right? Get input data into mach? rs232 might be OK also.

May i recommend something like.. a 40 pin MCU, with the resulting 32ish inputs... This is nice and flexible.

For me, the thing worth spending $ on would be 'templates' or other materials to make integrating it into mach3 go easily.. Lots of flexibility could be had that way.

Sort of a developers kit with working examples is what i am describing. I would pay upto $50 for this. I do not know how popular this product may be.

This is the device i would purchase, if any... the rest is just stuffing a control box...

[GeckoMachineMan]

Vacpress,
Thanks for your input. I was already working on part of it using a 40-pin ATMega MCU, which does not result in 32 pins free (things such as USB will take some pins, etc) but is very close. I am also looking at making 2 different versions (expanded capabilities on the second for more stuff). In my opinion, something like the ModIO is a bit too expensive and a little excessive for the average pendant. I'm also not a fan of Modbus, USB is much more up-to-date. I appreciate the input, all are welcome to chime in. Vacpress has given me a good direction to start in.
-GMM

[mxtras]

I have definately been looking for a good pendant.

What I would like to see is:

Pendant on/off (for jog functions)

Cycle Start
Pause
Cycle Stop
E-stop

Feedrate Override Pot or incremental buttons

Spindle Speed Override Pot or incremental buttons

Complete Jog control (as you mentioned) for four axis

Remote position display (a nice, fluffy option!)

Coolant toggle
Mist toggle

At least eight+ user definable inputs

Price? If it was layed out logically, could be used (for the most part in jog mode at least) with one hand I would be willing to part with maybe $150 easily.

Scott

[elogicca]

I just bult myself a pendant using a pic and usb, i opted for bulk transfer and using the mach sdk directly much faster.


http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showth...t=37267&page=8

Rally,
Thanks, I'm open to all opinions.

Currently, I'm structuring my second pendant around USB (HID) and using Mach 3's KeyGrabber. I'm going to try and keep development ideas around this approach, as USB is pretty standard on anything these days.

How many generic button inputs would you all prefer to see? So far, not counting the 4 axis select buttons that I group along with the MPG, I use 8 (4 for whatever, 3 for the MPG step selection switch and 1 for the e-stop). I guess a follow up question is, would you like to see a range of models with different capabilities (for instance, one 8-button model with single MPG, one 16-button one with dual MPG, etc)? I'm at the planning stages here and I'm just trying to get the feel for what people would want feature-wise.

[GeckoMachineMan]

elogicca,
Thanks for your input. I'm trying to keep it HID-based so it's easier for the end-user. Keygrabber is very straightforward to program and also eliminates development time for me working using the SDK. I am thinking of incorporating the LCD onto the enhanced model, as yours or the ModIO supports. The only difference is that I'm doing some tests using a graphical LCD (GLCD) instead of a character-based one. I am thinking the basic pendant kit will be mostly inputs (like vacpress wants). For users like mxtras, the "fluffy" display option would be on a bit more enhanced, second model.
Keep it comin'...
-GMM

[elogicca]

The sdk is really easy and you could make a user config screen to set the ins and outs. I got a graphic lcd but it's reserved for another project

For mpg's the sdk is much better...

[GeckoMachineMan]

elogicca,
Thanks, I'll take a closer look at it. It's definitely going to have to be used on a higher-end model with the LCD and what not. I'll look into it here momentarily.
-GMM

[tmarks11]

CNC without a Pendant IMHO is worthless. If someone can build a Pendant It would be worth more than $200 to me!!
But that is just my oppinion!

What about CNC4PC's pendant design? Add a few more few more configurable keys, and an lcd and it would be perfect.

http://www.cnc4pc.com/Store/osc/prod...roducts_id=158

[GeckoMachineMan]

Great, keep the suggestions coming. The CNC4PC one shown is the basics of what I'm making. I'm definitely going to add more buttons though, as I myself even need more. I'm working on the kit, I should have progress to post soon.
-GMM

[Rally]

How hard woud it be to integrate a Feed overide? Would taht have to be partialy done in the controller?

[GeckoMachineMan]

How hard woud it be to integrate a Feed overide? Would taht have to be partialy done in the controller?

What I'm making should easily have the ability to do that. I'm assuming you'd want this like a potentiometer, adjustable (not a multi-position switch). I was planning on incorporating two analog ports for two potentiometers.
-GMM

[GeckoMachineMan]

Also, I'd like to clarify that I'm making just the electronics in a kit form and not a complete pendant. I leave it to you to make your own pendant, however if there is a high enough demand for a style like I have made, I will then look at possibly making a complete pendant. I'm just an Electrical Engineer, I don't think my pendants are practical for most people (I mostly do circuit board milling). I would provide clear schematics and hookup diagrams though for connecting switches and what not.
-GMM

[Rally]

I would defiantly be interested in one of your pendants but here is my question!
When I purchased my Machine I also got a Pendant, at one point in time I asked the Manufacturer why the pendant did not have a feed override on it. The reply that I got was “We did not incorporate that because the production cost would be to high and the Circuitry needed would be to complex.”
I’m not an Electrician so I don’t know if this is true or not but I do know that I would sure like to see it on my CNC that would bring me much closer to what I’m used to from Work.
A simple Idea for a box would be 2 Pieces of Sheet Metal bent on opposite sides they should both look like a Chanel when done. All you would have to do to space it is to connect both parts with spacer blocks that are threaded on both Sides. I have added a quick Drawing.

[springlakecnc]

Hi,

I have retrofit somewhere around 400 cnc mills. Most all of my customers are real shops in industrial parks, not garage shops.

I notice that most the people that use this web site are "cheapskates" (no offence intended), and are operating out of their garage. Most of these people are happy with the keyboard as the jog panel. I use a keyboard for jog on my personal cnc mill, but I rarely use the mill anymore. (I am in an industrial park)

I have built maybe 20-30 controls using drives like Gecko, Rutex, Keling, etc, for garage mills, that operate via a pc with Mach2 software, or maybe Yeager cnc pro, or the like.

In my opinion, the Mach 2 (or mach3) software is very professional, and these "step and direction" drives are pro, although mostly a little on the small side, but you can get bigger, but the bigger ones are not mentioned much on this web site.

OK, as I see it, the only reason these build it yourself cnc controls are NOT in the larger shops, in the industrial parks, is because of the jog panel! Why cater to some guy that only wants parts, or a $20 jog panel? The keyboard is good enough for him! I just put an Ajax kit cnc into a huge production shop in Grand Rapids Michigan, and it had the Ajax jog panel that cost $639.00 but, without that jog panel, they would have NEVER bought that cnc from me. I charged $35,000.00 for the mill, and if the mill only had a keyboard jog panel, or some Mickey Mouse cheap looking thing, they would have never bought it. The Artsoft Mach2 software competes against the best that’s out there, it just needs a decent jog panel to go with it, and then, look out! It will be a winner! And, yes, don’t forget the “auxiliary” buttons, for the user to decide the use for, like maybe clamp/unclamp, etc.

I was surprised, that on your survey, most people won’t pay over a few hundred dollars for a jog panel, but that reflects back to the fact that most of the people that are taking the survey are garage shop operators. Real shops will easily pay $639.00.

OK, with that said, and as long as you are investing the time to get components working as a jog panel, why not offer both. Parts for someone that wants to do it him self, and make a pro jog panel for people like me, that will buy it for $639.00, but I don’t want to build it. There is one available already for about $300, but it’s a little on the “cheesy” side, to offer to the big shops. Take a look at the Ajax jog panel, that’s a nice one, but its only for Ajax cnc’s. (ajaxcnc.com)

Good Luck,
Buck,
Spring Lake cnc llc.

[phomann]

Hi,

I have retrofit somewhere around 400 cnc mills. Most all of my customers are real shops in industrial parks, not garage shops.

I notice that most the people that use this web site are "cheapskates" (no offence intended), and are operating out of their garage. Most of these people are happy with the keyboard as the jog panel. I use a keyboard for jog on my personal cnc mill, but I rarely use the mill anymore. (I am in an industrial park)

Hi Buck,

I agree with your point of view. For a jog panel, are you aware of the guys at Machmotion? http://www.machmotion.com

They seem to be targeting the professional end of the market. I also am in the process of releasing a professional grade jog pendant.
http://homanndesigns.com/store/index...products_id=28
I don't expect to sell many to the hobby market. It is based on the ModIO core, and interfaces into Mach via a plugin.

As to communicating with Mach, I've stuck to Modbus via RS-485 as it is robust and reliable. I'm not sure USB will stand up in an industrial environment.

Cheers,

Peter