Hello, I'm a new owner of a used Tormach PCNC 1100 Series 2. I've owned and loved a Shopbot router for seven years. The pull of a barely used mill close to home was to much, I've been working my way through learning metal speeds and feeds etc... for a couple weeks. I came across MSM and the great informative videos. I've downloaded the demo, it's been amazing so far, makes my econo-probe a much more valuable accessory. After being so used to using a touch plate on my Shopbot for years of course I see the value for the Tormach too. Now I come to my problem... Tormach having a proprietary type break out board, inputs are not readily identifiable. I'd like to use the "2 signal" approach, I believe the "J-1" port is the correct one but it does not look like I have an open pin to use for the touch plate. I'm in hopes that someone out there with a tormach and more electronic expertise then me can point me in the right direction and not scold me for not wanting to just be happy with the stock Tormach controls. CVI your product looks to be a milestone it reminds me of the when I found the Vetric guys and the doors blew open on the possibility available with my router.
Thanks in advance!
Jim
Newbie with a Tormach specific "Two Signal" ?
Re: Newbie with a Tormach specific "Two Signal" ?
Hi,
I took a quick look at the schematic in a Tormach manual, and it only shows one input pin that they bring out to the aux connector on a panel. Ok, let's assume that one is used for the probe - now we need to find one more input...
The question then becomes is there a 2nd input avail (somewhere) and can we get to it? If we can get the physical connection, we can set the signals as needed in Mach.
Some thoughts:
1) Can the Tormach probe and the Tormach tool setter be plugged in at the same time?
If so are they using different signals? If so, there are two inputs and you could use them.
2) Do you have a 4th axis? If not, I noticed that there is a 4th axis home switch kit that Tormach offers. The 4th axis manual appears to use a different connector that the aux connector - so maybe the 4th axis home switch input could be re-purposed to be used as the 2nd needed input.
3) I already had the Tormach PCNC software loaded on a PC, so I used the MSM MachXMLCOnfigReport utility to see what was in it (report attached to this post). All the external input devices seem to go to the same pin (Port 1, pin 13) - I think that's the one on the aux connector.
Alas, the Z axis home switch was not configured in the XML file I had - maybe if we find the XML for the 4th axis, we will find the pin for that home switch. I suspect there is a separate pin for the 4th axis home, because....
4) ...I noticed that the Tormach is set up with separate input for each axis home switch. That makes me think they would follow the same pattern and use a separate pin for the 4th axis home sw. This also offers another possibility: It may be possible to reconfigure the machine to put all the home sws on the same pin (depends on the type of sensors used etc - some more investigation needed). Then you'd be using on pin for homes and there would be 2 new pins that would become available.
Dave
Dave
I took a quick look at the schematic in a Tormach manual, and it only shows one input pin that they bring out to the aux connector on a panel. Ok, let's assume that one is used for the probe - now we need to find one more input...
The question then becomes is there a 2nd input avail (somewhere) and can we get to it? If we can get the physical connection, we can set the signals as needed in Mach.
Some thoughts:
1) Can the Tormach probe and the Tormach tool setter be plugged in at the same time?
If so are they using different signals? If so, there are two inputs and you could use them.
2) Do you have a 4th axis? If not, I noticed that there is a 4th axis home switch kit that Tormach offers. The 4th axis manual appears to use a different connector that the aux connector - so maybe the 4th axis home switch input could be re-purposed to be used as the 2nd needed input.
3) I already had the Tormach PCNC software loaded on a PC, so I used the MSM MachXMLCOnfigReport utility to see what was in it (report attached to this post). All the external input devices seem to go to the same pin (Port 1, pin 13) - I think that's the one on the aux connector.
Alas, the Z axis home switch was not configured in the XML file I had - maybe if we find the XML for the 4th axis, we will find the pin for that home switch. I suspect there is a separate pin for the 4th axis home, because....
4) ...I noticed that the Tormach is set up with separate input for each axis home switch. That makes me think they would follow the same pattern and use a separate pin for the 4th axis home sw. This also offers another possibility: It may be possible to reconfigure the machine to put all the home sws on the same pin (depends on the type of sensors used etc - some more investigation needed). Then you'd be using on pin for homes and there would be 2 new pins that would become available.
Dave
Dave
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- Tormach_Configuration_Report.txt
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Productivity Software for Personal CNC Machinists
http://www.CalypsoVentures.com
http://www.CalypsoVentures.com
Re: Newbie with a Tormach specific "Two Signal" ?
Dave, Thanks for all your investigating and again for putting out a great product. I'll do some more looking around on the BoB and search some installation manuals for some clues.
Thank you, Jim
Thank you, Jim