MINI NC Controller for Z-axis: Stage Two (Panel & Drill Cycle)

Main project page: MINI NC Controller for Z-axis

Here is stage two of the MINI NC Controller for the Head (Z Axis) of my IH Mill: (Stage One if you want to check it out)

Add some features:

• Toggle switch for feeding (up and down)
• Potentiometer for controling feed
• Push buttons to control depth of cut (three:  .001, .010, .100) still looking for a three (or four) postion switch
• Drill Cycle
• Temperary pannel

As you will see towards the end of the video, i use a pair of digital calipers to measure the drill cycles cut. While holding the calipers, i moved the thumb wheel alittle through out the test run so its alittle off. In previous attemps (two of them) i was more careful (also not holding a camera) and it was consistent, .625 (5/8).

After thinking about the drill and boring cycles, it seam like the drill cycle would be more difficult to code so thats the one i tried first. Theres some fine tuning and clean up for the code that still needs to be done, but its pretty close right now. Part of the drill cycle code being is a stardard function from the AccelStepper library im currently using (rapid up to retract point, im using runToNewPosition(0)  to rapid back to the retract point. In time that might change.).

Right now, ive only tested it alittle bit. Took some time to figure out how to "stucture" the drill cycle along with c++ coding in general (still have a long long way to go), but im diffintly happy of the progress so far.

As of now theres probaly 60 hours or so invested into this project, 10 of that for the drill cycle.

Here an 8min clip: