RE: Arduino Code to Use Multiple Hand-Wheel Encoders at the Same Time to control Steppers
One can purchase Hand Wheel CNC Encoders at a reasonable price online and it would be helpful to have a @dronebot-workshop Arduino Code tutorial using Hand Wheel CNC Encoders to move Stepper Motors.
Specifically for the purpose of using TWO HAND WHEEL ENCODERS AT THE SAME TIME as you would with dials on a Lathe or Mill ... This would allow users to turn off the machine's CNC function and manually use the 2 Hand Wheel CNC Encoders to turn a part on the Lathe, and/or manually control a Milling Machines Stepper motors.
( Or to move XYZ axis steppers on a 3D-Printer or CNC Router/Plasma)
Some Hand Wheel CNC Encoders have 4 connections on the back; however, it appears most come with 6 connections with cryptic directions to ignore 2 of the connections ?...? Which just spikes the curiosity as to what those extra 2 connections might be used for on our projects?
I feel our fearless leader @dronebot-workshop could come up with just such a tutorial ?
If anyone knows of helpful YouTube Videos/Links on the subject please let me know. Thank You!
Example Link to a Hand Wheel CNC Encoder sold online of the type discussed in this post https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G9FVHM8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A2KRDQ1AI5Y5G6&psc=1
?
I'm a qualified Toolmaker who will one day build my own CNC, and I have come across these MPG's somewhere online before. I'm sure I have seen some info somewhere, and I'll see if I can find it for you - I'd be surprised if you weren't able to find anything on google, etc...
Thank You for the Hand-Wheel Encoder documentation PDF, it will help a lot.
The Hand-Wheel Encoder I purchased off Amazon did not come with any documentation; however, as you can see from my SolidWorks CAD model, once the back cover is removed one can see more connection info.
It was inexpensive and I ordered as an interesting test project. Plan is to build a test circuit and Arduino sketch to see output of the encoder on the Serial Printer and then do some test with steppers.
In my metalworking shop I have several repetitive tasks that use steppers motors to complete . I am the only person working in my shop, so I can use Arduinos vs. more expensive controls ... but there is an interesting option I'm going to review by CONTROLLINO whereby they claim they are developing more robust Open-Source 'Stepper' controls that can be prototyped using Arduino IDE.
I'll include these YouTube Links for others interested in researching Controllino
What is Controllino :
CONTROLLINO - Digital Power Output - Stepper Motor :
It will be nice to learn more about the accuracy of the Hand-Wheel Encoder and setup a sketch to control 2 Hand-Wheel Encoders at the same time when I wish to do stepper movements manually.
Thank You again for the Hand-Wheel documentation PDF.
No problem, look forward to seeing how you get on with it (do let us know of your progress), and thanks for those links too... I am actually aware of these PLC's, as I first saw them for sale on eBay possibly 12 to 18 months ago, and they do look interesting.
Cheers!