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INTERFACE CNC Touch Controller

Discussion in 'Other Builds' started by OpenBuilds, Dec 15, 2020.

INTERFACE CNC Touch Control System

INTERFACE CNC Touch Control System

Discussion in 'Other Builds' started by OpenBuilds, Dec 15, 2020.

Super cool standalone Human-Machine Interface for controlling your CNC machines!

interface pendant game BlackBox Controller driver ecosystem powerful cnc
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  1. Gofertpc

    Gofertpc Well-Known
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    How long is the interface cable?
     
    #31 Gofertpc, Dec 16, 2020
  2. Peter Van Der Walt

    Peter Van Der Walt OpenBuilds Team
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    Comes with a 2.5m cable (long enough to loop around a LEAD1515 and still be hand-held)
     
    #32 Peter Van Der Walt, Dec 16, 2020
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  3. phil from seattle

    phil from seattle Journeyman
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    What is the power draw of Interface?

    Is it possible to connect the BB to the PC and Interface to the BB to act as a Pendant/MPG? i.e. is the above diagram with Interface being between the BB and PC the only possible configuration?
     
    #33 phil from seattle, Dec 16, 2020
  4. Gofertpc

    Gofertpc Well-Known
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    The whole idea is to not need a PC at all. Connect the interface to the BB. The interface acts as a pendant on it's own - plug the USB with your GCode in to the pendant and you're good to go. Fromo what I read in the documentation - if you have the USB connected to the BB you can only use the PC interface.
     
    #34 Gofertpc, Dec 16, 2020
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  5. phil from seattle

    phil from seattle Journeyman
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    Well, actually, they appear to have two usage modes, one of which presumes a PC.
     
    #35 phil from seattle, Dec 16, 2020
  6. Peter Van Der Walt

    Peter Van Der Walt OpenBuilds Team
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    Not the intended design spec - the idea was more about NOT having a PC nearby (; - Interface, mounted on or near machine, you walk over and go do that specific task.

    Between 200-300mA - but lets call it '500mA' at 5V
    (note it has 5V UART - if you want to interface a 3.3v board - add level shifting)
     
    #36 Peter Van Der Walt, Dec 16, 2020
  7. Puddly Fuggerson

    Puddly Fuggerson New
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    Will this be available with the electronics package down the road?
    Thanks
    Looks amazing
     
    #37 Puddly Fuggerson, Dec 16, 2020
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  8. jakepellant

    jakepellant New
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    Can someone show me on the xpro v3 controller how this would hook up? I've seen the vx and tx document for the interface, but don't see those on the xpro v3, and I'm not very smart! LOL
     
    #38 jakepellant, Dec 16, 2020
  9. Peter Van Der Walt

    Peter Van Der Walt OpenBuilds Team
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    Refer to https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Spark-Concepts/xPRO/master/wiki/xPRO pinout.jpg - there are RX/TX pins on the 10-pin header near the USB port
    You also need to pull Serial Select high with a resistor to 5v. See Spark-Concepts/xPRO

    :) or upgrade to a BlackBox - plug and play :)
     
    #39 Peter Van Der Walt, Dec 16, 2020
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  10. Metalguru

    Metalguru Veteran
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    #40 Metalguru, Dec 16, 2020
  11. sharmstr

    sharmstr OpenBuilds Team
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    Okay. Dumb question time. Can you load gcode files from different folders? Basically, can we navigate a directory structure on the flash drive? The 8.3 format is very limiting when I run multiple tool changes and have separate files for species of wood I use.
     
    #41 sharmstr, Dec 17, 2020
  12. Peter Van Der Walt

    Peter Van Der Walt OpenBuilds Team
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    Yes you can, one level deep is supported

    upload_2020-12-17_16-11-43.png
     
    #42 Peter Van Der Walt, Dec 17, 2020
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2020
    David the swarfer and sharmstr like this.
  13. Gofertpc

    Gofertpc Well-Known
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    In for one and a new black box and other miscellaneous - I'm mid move right now so the timing is perfect to make some modification to my High-Z lead1010 during reassembly :)
     
    #43 Gofertpc, Dec 17, 2020
    Ariel Yahni, Mark Carew, sharmstr and 1 other person like this.
  14. ToddH

    ToddH New
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    Is there any documentation yet on connecting this to a non black box control. I currently use openbuilds control with my MillRight megaV and want to get an offline controller this may just fit the bill but I don't know if it will be as easy as connecting the usb cable to an adapter connected to "interface" I see it has a vague description in the docs about connecting to non black box units needing a custom cable
     
    #44 ToddH, Dec 18, 2020
  15. phil from seattle

    phil from seattle Journeyman
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    It uses serial to connect to the grbl controller and the grbl controller needs to provide it with up to 500 mA of +5V. (it may be less that 500 mA but that's what Peter said earlier in this thread).
     
    #45 phil from seattle, Dec 18, 2020
  16. Peter Van Der Walt

    Peter Van Der Walt OpenBuilds Team
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    As long as it runs Grbl. See docs:interface:connect-generic [OpenBuilds Documentation]

    If controller can't put out enough power you can also skip the 5v wire, and power it off the USB-C port (spare phone charger, etc)
     
    #46 Peter Van Der Walt, Dec 18, 2020
  17. ToddH

    ToddH New
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    Ok so the 5v is power for the interface, and all we really need is to connect TX, RX and ground in most cases to the USB but in a case like an arduino based control we would need 5v for interface and the control board which is usually powered from the host PC. So we may need a intermediate breakout board with a power connection.
    I think I got it. But if you want to send me one I can try and report back ...
     
    #47 ToddH, Dec 18, 2020
  18. Peter Van Der Walt

    Peter Van Der Walt OpenBuilds Team
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    Not USB, you want to connect to a 5v UART's RX and TX
     
    #48 Peter Van Der Walt, Dec 18, 2020
  19. ToddH

    ToddH New
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    Ya thanks I just realized I said that, so on a uno it would be pins 0 and 1 on the board. And 5v and gnd. But would that work if the serial port wasn't called/opened in the Arduino firmware?
     
    #49 ToddH, Dec 18, 2020
  20. Peter Van Der Walt

    Peter Van Der Walt OpenBuilds Team
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    Only connect one or the other directly connected to the Uno.
    Uno running Grbl > UART cable to Interface > Interface > USB-C of interface > can connect to computer
     
    #50 Peter Van Der Walt, Dec 18, 2020
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  21. sharmstr

    sharmstr OpenBuilds Team
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    I rewatched the video and noticed no way to pause a job. You have some extra buttons available when the job is running. Will this be something that might be added in future releases?
     
    #51 sharmstr, Dec 19, 2020
  22. Peter Van Der Walt

    Peter Van Der Walt OpenBuilds Team
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    Pause is already available. When you hit cancel, it pauses first, then pops up a dialog that says "OK to resume, CANCEL to abort"
     
    #52 Peter Van Der Walt, Dec 19, 2020
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  23. sharmstr

    sharmstr OpenBuilds Team
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    I guess I should wait until its in my hands before I suggest these things. But I'm just excited. :)
     
    #53 sharmstr, Dec 19, 2020
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  24. ToddH

    ToddH New
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    What you think are extra buttons I believe are the soft keys for the screen.
     
    #54 ToddH, Dec 19, 2020
  25. sharmstr

    sharmstr OpenBuilds Team
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    When a job is running, the two top buttons (normally for set and goto x,y,z zero) aren't mapped to any functions. The bottom two arent mapped either, but the screen doesnt have room since its displaying file and send info.
     
    #55 sharmstr, Dec 19, 2020
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  26. k5beason

    k5beason New
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    Will it do a continuous jog similar to control? Macro support?
     
    #56 k5beason, Dec 20, 2020
  27. Peter Van Der Walt

    Peter Van Der Walt OpenBuilds Team
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    Continuous jog = YES
    Macros = yes, just create a file on the USB drive with your macro gcode, and run it like you would any other job
     
    #57 Peter Van Der Walt, Dec 20, 2020
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  28. Kevin R

    Kevin R New
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    Are you hinting at a separate Easter egg for the Interface? Or just the one for the Blackbox? You have my attention:)
     
    #58 Kevin R, Dec 21, 2020
  29. Peter Van Der Walt

    Peter Van Der Walt OpenBuilds Team
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    That would be boring now wouldn't it (;
     
    #59 Peter Van Der Walt, Dec 21, 2020
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  30. K. Orr

    K. Orr New
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    Has anyone received a response from them regarding when they may ship?
     
    #60 K. Orr, Dec 23, 2020
    Peter Van Der Walt likes this.
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