CNC style Pendant

dc42

Well, today I found the time to put that together and it doesn't work all that well.

I wired the Pendant with the Arduino Nano (clone) and a level shifter (the one in the photo above) for both Arduino pins (Rx and Tx). The Pendant works fine, it does what it has to do and it's great. However, when I plug it together with the display, the display does not get info from the Duet. It doesn't retrieve the location, macros, files, etc.

I flashed the latest firmware.

Any tips on troubleshooting?

EDIT: I re-checked the wiring and everything looks as it should...

Did you correct the wiring according to my previous post? Please provide a diagram showing how you have connected the parts together.

FelixH

@dc42 here is what I wired, I think I did not miss anything, but I'm known to miss that sort of things, so...

Also, today I plugged the display (only display as usual) after the Duet on my CNC was turned on, and it did not respond either, just like with the pendant. I had to boot again. Could it have something in common with the problem?

dc42

Have you a datasheet on the level shifter you are using? I'm wondering whether your level shifter might not be able to drive the load on the Nano RX pin.

FelixH

@dc42 I don't find any datasheet, but it is this one...

https://www.amazon.de/XCSOURCE-Logisches-Konverter-Bi-Direktional-TE291/dp/B0148BLZGE/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=Logic+Level+Converter&qid=1590256177&sr=8-9

dc42

Unfortunately that design of logic level converter doesn't provide any current amplification, so it has the same problem as a PanelDue driving the RX pin of the Nano directly.

You could make the modification(s) to the Nano that I described in my post; or substitute an Arduino Pro Micro for the Nano.

FelixH

@dc42 so in other words, the logic converter I got, doesn't convert any logic... well, that's a disappointment...

What throws me back from doing the modification to the Nano is forgetting about it and having problems in the future because of that. On the other hand, if I ever open the pendant again in the future and I see a logic converter, I will know what's up. Is a sort of future proofing the whole thing.

I guess I will try to find a better logic converter...

thanks!

dc42

It's probably easier to get an Arduino Pro Micro. I would have designed the pendant around that originally, had I known that it existed.

FelixH

just like this one??

https://www.amazon.de/KeeYees-ATmega32U4-Entwicklerboard-Arduino-Leonardo/dp/B07FQJW2KN/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=Arduino+Pro+Micro&qid=1590259813&quartzVehicle=184-492&replacementKeywords=arduino+micro&sr=8-3

I just want to be sure...

btw https://www.arduino.cc/en/Reference/softwareSerial is good for 57600baud might also solve some issues?

dc42

@FelixH said in CNC style Pendant:

just like this one??

https://www.amazon.de/KeeYees-ATmega32U4-Entwicklerboard-Arduino-Leonardo/dp/B07FQJW2KN/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=Arduino+Pro+Micro&qid=1590259813&quartzVehicle=184-492&replacementKeywords=arduino+micro&sr=8-3

I just want to be sure...

Yes, that's the one. I already have one on order to use for testing, to make sure that the changes I made for the Pro Micro are correct.

dc42

I have converted my CNC pendant to use an Arduino Pro Micro and updated the firmware at https://github.com/Duet3D/CNC-Pendant-Firmware. I've also added a wiki page about CNC pendants at https://duet3d.dozuki.com/Wiki/CNC_Pendant.

tntjet

Is it possible to control a 4th axis in position 4?

dc42

Yes, the pendant firmware is set up to control the U axis.

tntjet

Thank you David !

dc42

If you had the 6-axis version, it would control the V and W axes too. You can change which axes positions 4, 5 and 6 control in the firmware. It's an Arduino sketch, so easy to change and upload.

tntjet

Thats awsome David , if wanted to change the increments on the rotary encoder feed switch to .01, .1, 1 what would I need to change?

dc42

@tntjet said in CNC style Pendant:

Thats awsome David , if wanted to change the increments on the rotary encoder feed switch to .01, .1, 1 what would I need to change?

Lines 268-270 of the .ino file currently read:

    output.print(distance/10);
    output.write('.');
    output.print(distance % 10);

I think changing them to this should work:

    output.print(distance/100);
    output.write('.');
    output.print((distance % 100)/10);
    output.print(distance % 10);

tntjet

Thank you David , i did try the changes it gives me the same increment on the first and second switch positions . i have reverted back to your original sketch . I appreciate your effort and responses.

FelixH

Yesterday I noticed something weird while using the pendant. The multiplier knob was set at x10 and, not thinking about it, I tried to move the Z axis. Because I turned the wheel too much, I got a message on the display telling me to chill out (paraphrasing here) because I wanted to move more than the axis allows. So far, so good. However the X axis moved a little bit instead, even though the Z axis was selected on the axis knob. Now that's weird. Once I switched to x0.1 multiplier, the Z axis moved ok.
Knowing that, I'll be more careful from now on, but I am really curious if this is a "global" bug or it is just me.

I am using an Arduino Nano and I changed the resistor on it in order for the bypass of the display to work. The Arduino Pro Micro I ordered came when the Pendant was already assembled, so I saw no reason to open it up again. Also, I did not update the firmware to the latest version, as I understood it was only Pro Micro related and I didn't see a point on doing it.

Cheers!

jhonf441

@FelixH Hello, I don't use pendant but I have noticed that sometimes when I am moving the machine on the Y axis it moves a little on the positive X axis and vice versa