3 pcs Electronic hand wheel encoders to Audurino uno ?

[Wizard69]

From what I read, I think he wants to be able to easily switch from CNC to manual operation, but have the handwheels operate electronically. I know I wouldn't want to manually machine anything on a CNC mill simply using jogging. I can see where this would be useful as well - if you've only got one machine and want to do a series of simple operations on a part and don't want to generate g-code, flick the switch to manual and have at it. Then, when you're finished, flick back to CNC and run your next part. If I was going CNC I think I'd be interested in something like this as well.

That was more or less the impression I got. My point was that if you take the rotary encoder input into the CNC controller and let it send the pulses to the correct motor. This way the CNC controller always has up to date position information. Of course this implies CNC controller software that can handle rotary encoder input for this type of operation.

For manual "CNC" milling the CNC controller is a great substitute for an axis drive of old. Instead of having to guess your feed rate you can set it directly and tell an axis to move X amount of inches. In effect you use the CNC controller like an old mill with powered feeds on all axis. Frankly it is only slightly different from engaging a axis feed lever on a large mill. It is one reason why I encourage people to learn a little bit of G-Code as you can often save a lot of time and gives you more flexibility at the machine for Non CNC projects.

I can see both sides here but I'm not real excited about the idea of having a bunch of loose knobs on the machine that could lead to unintended axis movement.

 

[Anatol]

Hello Kadora - and esteemed thread posters -

you have received some very good advice here from people who evidently have deep experience and are wiling to share it freely, and some not-so-good advice. And you are evidently too inexperienced to distinguish. (no insult intended, simply a statement from observation).

Speaking as someone who has taught 100s of people basic electronics and mechatronics, I make an observation. (I am assuming that you are less than 40 years old). When I work with people less than 40 years old, they usually *assume* that all the complexity and hard-stuff is in the code in the microcontroller, and everything on the outside is just plug-n-play. This idea is simply wrong.

It is an idea they might have got from the way printers and scanners plug-in. It makes people think that you can make interesting stuff by going shopping then plugging it all together. Again, this is simply wrong. But it is a great way to sell pre-produced widgets to people who don't know what they're doing, and make a lot of money.

Electronics is difficult and wonderful and strange. You are talking about a complex whole system of which the microcontroller is an equal part, with external digital and analog electronics, mechanical systems and power systems. There are many ways to achieve your task - each with its own entailments. You cannot understand your problem unless you understand the way these systems work and interact.

Einstein said Mathematics are well and good but nature keeps dragging us around by the nose.

 

[kadora]

Guys I really appreciate your effort to help me.
Please see it from my point of view.
I am 60 years old and slowly preparing for my retirement.
I want to learn during my retirement G code and all things connected with CNC art.
But this learning is long way // I really do not think that plotter is PLUG and PLAY TOY //
I need plotter which could be simply
switched from manual mode // machining parts for my engines//
to CNC mode//for learning purposes//.
30 years ago I used to be TV sets repairer so I have basic electronic knowledge
unfortunately analog not digital.//this is why I have sometime stupid questions//.
Anyway I will build hand controlled CNC ploter with bunch of wheels because simply I
need such machine .
I am sending pics from work on my plotter.
Have a nice day.

 

[Anatol]

Kadora
"I am 60 years old"
my apologies for misjudging.
Your analog electronic knowledge is valuable.
good luck!

 

[Nibby2226]

Hi,
Try Linuxcnc and link the analogue controls to the motor drives via the HAL. I built my own pendant drive for four axes using the resources and helpful forum. Good luck with your project.

 

[MachineTom]

I use Parker 6104 stand alone motor drives, while Old tech using steppers, programming is "Basic Enhanced" language. With 'Follow Me' commands a rotary encoder will control the stepper very well. These are industrial units, so purchased used is the only way to afford the units and motors, encoders are current models cheap from CN.

 

[Wizard69]

Guys I really appreciate your effort to help me.
Please see it from my point of view.
I am 60 years old and slowly preparing for my retirement.
I want to learn during my retirement G code and all things connected with CNC art.
But this learning is long way // I really do not think that plotter is PLUG and PLAY TOY //
I need plotter which could be simply
switched from manual mode // machining parts for my engines//
to CNC mode//for learning purposes//.
30 years ago I used to be TV sets repairer so I have basic electronic knowledge
unfortunately analog not digital.//this is why I have sometime stupid questions//.
Anyway I will build hand controlled CNC ploter with bunch of wheels because simply I
need such machine .
I am sending pics from work on my plotter.

Some nice pictures you have there of your plotter / router.

As for G-Code and manual controller it really isn't that hard to learn to operate a machine "manually" in the so called MDI mode of a CNC controller. While many prefer the rotary dial method of moving things around manually, I've found that learning to use the controls affords you signification advantages. Being an old guy myself, I learned basic G-Code handling when building and repairing custom CNC controller installations back in the 1980's, on machinery that had a very basic control. In other words I didn't have an option and any diagnostic work had to be done through the machine controller panel.

You don't even need to learn the entire G-Code library to be able to leverage a controller in this way. Just learning to send an axis on its way at a predetermined feed rate can effectively replace many of your rotating dial needs. Learn to do rapids and to use the machine controller interface's jog commands and your needs for the axis control knobs might be gone.

In any event what I'm trying to say here is that you left me with the impression that there will be a long learning curve to make use of your CNC controlled machine. Given your background I really don't think this will be an issue. Back in the day I likely learned the basics of running maintenance routines in an hour (probably less) and figured out how to program my own in a day or so. I just don't see the learning curve as being that massive. In a short time you can be leveraging your "manual" skills on a daily basis.

In any event I'm not trying to discount the value of rotary dials for jog functionality but I believe it is a personal preference more than anything. For an initial machine build I wouldn't get to concerned about the functionality. You are effectively adding complexity to the machine before you even have it up and running. Further you have to learn to use the CNC controller manually anyways so it is better to work on those skills in the early days.

 

[kadora]

WIZARD 69

Further you have to learn to use the CNC controller manually anyways so it is better to work on those skills in the early days.

You are right last week I learned how to control steppers via computer and simple programs as GRBL GRU or GRBL PANEL or UNICODE SENDER.
So now I see that there is possibility to control router by a tablet what is probably simpler and cheaper way than
hand wheel encoders. BUT i love hand wheels so much.
+ my arduino controller.

 

[rodw]

If I was going to do this I would borrow a page out of LinuxCNC and use a variable that sets the desired scale and a four position binary coded rotary switch that sets the scale (eg 1mm, 0.1mm, 0.01mm) So then for every click of the jog wheel, you move enough steps to move the axis the distance specified in the scale variable. You will need 2 pins for the scale input as in binary it will be 00,01, 10, 11 (where 00 is an off position).

You can also add an axis selection input in a similar way to the scale input and just use 1 encoder.

However, I really think you will run out of pins on the Arduino for 3 axes with MPG (4 pins per axis) so LinuxCNC or some other CNC controller that supports MPG wheels would be a much better solution. The Mesa Boards used with LinuxCNC support MPG inputs natively.