Arduino Setworks (with video!)

[hackberry jake]

Yes, my sawmill is stationary. My hydraulics are also AC powered. I got a bunch of cable track flexible conduit stuff that I am going to run overhead. Are you running your steppers off of the 12 volts on the mizer?

[uler3161]

I'm using a DC-DC converter to up the 12v to somewhere around 60 or 70. I don't recall what I have it set at. But I think the power supply is causing enough electrical interference to lock up my Arduino. I've tried a couple different DC converters that I thought would work, including a cigarette lighter usb and it was always the same result. But I disconnected that stepper power supply and the Arduino would work. So I guess I need a faraday cage around the Arduino. Or maybe relocate the stepper power supply.

[ronwood]

Will the stepper motor be big enough to raise the head?
Ron

[uler3161]

Will the stepper motor be big enough to raise the head?
Ron

I'm not sure how his stepper is going to be used, but I originally was using a 425 oz-in stepper and it did ok. Wasn't quite as fast as the original dc motor when raising the head, so that's why I went with a bigger stepper. That's with a 25hp kohler engine on a 1989 model LT40HD to give you an idea how much weight was being moved. I think his stepper should be sufficient with the proper gearing.

[hackberry jake]

Will the stepper motor be big enough to raise the head?
Ron

I'm not sure how his stepper is going to be used, but I originally was using a 425 oz-in stepper and it did ok. Wasn't quite as fast as the original dc motor when raising the head, so that's why I went with a bigger stepper. That's with a 25hp kohler engine on a 1989 model LT40HD to give you an idea how much weight was being moved. I think his stepper should be sufficient with the proper gearing.

It should do fine. 570oz @ 5amps is a pretty good sized stepper. It is also a nema 23 frame size which is capable of higher rpms without losing as much torque. So if it doesn't lift the head at first, I will just gear it down until it does. The boardwalk sawmills also have a garage door type spring that holds most of the weight of the head.
uler3161, is the arduino isolated from the drive side of things? if not you might be able to use one of these https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9118 on your step and direction lines to keep feedback from coming into the Arduino. Just a thought, at $5 it would be a pretty cheap fix.

[uler3161]

uler3161, is the arduino isolated from the drive side of things? if not you might be able to use one of these https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9118 on your step and direction lines to keep feedback from coming into the Arduino. Just a thought, at $5 it would be a pretty cheap fix.

I thought the converters that I bought would have accomplished the same thing, but apparently they didn't. For $5, I may have to try that. Thanks

[hackberry jake]

I know some of the 7amp geckos are isolated but I dont know about urs.

[uler3161]

I know some of the 7amp geckos are isolated but I dont know about urs.

I'm sure it's a simple fix, whatever it is. If my degree had been in EE instead of CS, I would probably know what to do.

[hackberry jake]

Got my drive and stepper in the mail today... Looks like I won't have time to Play with it til the weekend though. I am looking forward to see what exactly the code does with the stepper. Here is the latest code: note: I haven't adjusted all the step values to positive yet. I was going to wait to input that when I know the ratio of the stepper to head travel.

// boardwalk setworks
// author: Jake Smith
// version 1

#include <AccelStepper.h>

AccelStepper mystepper(1, 10, 11);
//-----Defines------


//---pin assignments----
const int FivePin = 2;
const int OnePin = 3;
const int QuarterPin = 4;
const int SixteenthPin= 5;
const int FourQuarterPin = 6;
const int FiveQuarterPin = 7;
const int SixQuarterPin = 8;
const int UpOrDownSwitch = 9;
const int stepPin = 10;
const int dirPin = 11;
const int GoButton = 12;
const int ZeroButton = 13;
const int stepperAcceleration = 10000;
const int upSpeed = 2000;
const int downSpeed = -4000;
double xSteps = 0;

//-------Objects-----



//------set-up---

void setup()
{
Serial.begin(9600);
//------Pin Modes------
mystepper.setMaxSpeed(400);
mystepper.setSpeed(80);
pinMode(FivePin,INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(OnePin,INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(QuarterPin,INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(SixteenthPin,INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(FourQuarterPin,INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(FiveQuarterPin,INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(SixQuarterPin,INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(UpOrDownSwitch,INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(ZeroButton,INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(GoButton,INPUT_PULLUP);
double xSteps=0;

}


void loop()
{
//signed int xSteps = 0;
while(mystepper.distanceToGo() == 0)
{
   if(digitalRead (FivePin)==LOW)
   {
     delay(500);
     xSteps = xSteps + 4000;
   } 
   if(digitalRead (OnePin)==LOW)
   {
     delay(500);
     xSteps = xSteps + 800;
   } 
   if(digitalRead (QuarterPin)==LOW)
   {
     delay(500);
     xSteps = xSteps + 200;
   } 
   if(digitalRead (SixteenthPin)==LOW)
   {
     delay(500);
     xSteps = xSteps + 50;
   } 
   if(digitalRead (FourQuarterPin)==LOW)
   {
     delay(500);
     xSteps = xSteps - 4000;
   } 
   if(digitalRead (FiveQuarterPin)==LOW)
   {
     delay(500);
     xSteps = xSteps - 800;
   } 
   if(digitalRead (SixQuarterPin)==LOW)
   {
     delay(500);
     xSteps = xSteps -200;
   } 
   if(digitalRead (UpOrDownSwitch)==LOW && xSteps > 0)
   {
    xSteps = -xSteps;
   } 
   if(digitalRead (UpOrDownSwitch)==HIGH && xSteps < 0)
   {
    xSteps = -xSteps;
   }
   if(digitalRead (GoButton) == LOW)
   {
     mystepper.move(xSteps);
     xSteps = 0;
   }
   
   if(digitalRead (ZeroButton) == LOW)
    {
    xSteps = 0;
    }

   Serial.println(xSteps/800,3);
}
//else
{
// mystepper.run();
}
}

[hackberry jake]

 I got some time befor work today to work on the button console for the setworks. I drew up how I wanted it laid out in autocad then dusted off the cnc router to cut it out. It is 1/2" plywood (birch I think).
The buttons I am using are arcade buttons from sparkfun. I got 12 green, 2 yellow, 1 black, and 1 blue. I also sprung for a big fancy "end of the world" dome push button for the "Go" button. The rectangle hole at the top is for a lcd display to display different values. The black will probably just be the primer for some other color that I haven't yet decided on. I know Larry offered to cut out my console using his mill and steel, but I haven't got a chance to play with the cnc for a while and this gave me the chance. I am still working on my code in my spare time. I'm getting pretty excited about this project!



 

 

 

[beenthere]

We're getting excited too   8)

[uler3161]

With those arcade buttons, maybe you should add one of these and let people pay you for the privilege of sawing your logs...

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11719

[hackberry jake]

Here is the buttons.
1/16 to 2' across the top, each button is double what the button to the left is.
1.625 (2 by), 3.625 (4 by), 5.625 (6 by), and 7.375 (8 by) on the second row.
1.25 (4 quarter), and 1.5 (five quarter) on third row
All the buttons mentioned so far will be green.
The two buttons on the left are programable to whatever by holding them down log enough. They will both be yellow.
The two at the bottom are home (black) and zero (blue)
The big green dome button will be at the bottom right
The up or down switch will be the little hole on the left.

[hackberry jake]

You can push as many buttons as you want the itll add up the distance (displayed on the lcd) then hit the go button. The lcd has four lines first line will be what distance is currently held. The second line will be saw height above bed, third and fourth lines will be what the two programmable buttons are holding.

[Ga Mtn Man]

Very cool Jake.

What are the two programmable buttons going to be used for and how will you program them?

[hackberry jake]

The programmable buttons will be for distances that I dont have a button for. Once the arduino is powered up the default will be 1/64 and 1/128 of an inch. If say you want a distance for 3/4", you would hit the 1/2" button, then the 1/4" button, then hold one of the programmable buttons down for ~7 seconds. The programmable button will then be for
3/4" until you either reset it to something else or turn the power off.

[hackberry jake]

Just need to mount the lcd and finish up the wiring, Then I will start working on the mechanical parts of the system.



 

[MSSawmill]

Looking slick, Jake! I want to copy/paste the latest code into an editor so I can see what's going on!

[Solomon]

I have no idea what y'all are talking about but boy am I a reading.  :D

I'm with you PostonLT40,  I still have trouble posting pictures on here.  If it were not for Beenthere I wouldn't have any pictures on here at all.
  I have what Log Master calls a photo electric set works system on my LM4   It's a steel plate with spaced rows of holes that are drilled  x distance apart plus the thickness of the kerf  with fiber optic cables reading both sides of the plate.    I have a button I hold down as I lower the head , when the optics see each other through the hole it activates an optic switch and stops the head.    The plate has 14 presets  (rows of holes)   and if I want to , I can simply make another plate on my drill press with any presets I want,   It works like a champ!   And it came as standard equipment on my mill.    It's  about as electronic and computerized as My machine is gonna get.

[hackberry jake]

Looking slick, Jake! I want to copy/paste the latest code into an editor so I can see what's going on!

The latest code has changed quite a bit since the last one I put on here. When I get home I will upload the latest code. It isnt far from being the finished code.

[hackberry jake]

Here is the latest code. I haven't tried it with either the lcd or the stepper/driver so I am sure it still needs a lot of debugging.

[lowpolyjoe]

What a great project!  I hear those Arduinos can do a lot.  I ordered a different micropocessor kit a while ago but haven't had the time to do anything interesting with it.

Sharing the code is awesome for the community

[hackberry jake]

Sharing the code is awesome for the community

I have spent a few hrs on it for sure. I hope somebody can benefit from it. Maybe one day there will be a "sawmill library" for the arduino to make the code easier to write.

[hackberry jake]

I ordered some mechanical parts from surplus center today. Looks like it will go from the stepper to a coupler to a 40:1 reduction gearbox (free from work) to a sprocket to a chain to a sprocket on the lift wheel of the mill. The sprocket on the gearbox is 10 tooth and the sprocket on the mill is 20 tooth. If the gear ratio is too far one way or the other I will just order a different sized sprocket. Im crossing my fingers...

[StoddardLumber]

How do you plan on handling the backlash in the gearbox and chain system? ( or do you have cnc anti backlash 40-1 gearbox? )