Material Processor (MP) Interface
Each of the machines is controlled by means of individual circuits for the cycle start and the reset to facilitate remote operations. The circuits for the machines are relay-driven and make use of a solid-state relay to close the contacts for the cycle start and to trigger the solenoids. The relays close contacts as and when the pins associated with them gives an output.
The reset function is triggered off by using a solenoid in conjunction with the circuit. An end of program message from the machine activates the assigned pin on the I/O board and the relay drives the solenoid that is connected to an external 12V supply.
The cycle start on a particular machine is triggered by an allocated pin going high on either of the I/O boards. The controller waits for the NC program to be downloaded and 20 seconds after the end of program has been found, it sets a pin high that closes the relay circuit and enables the cycle start on the machine.
The “end of program” is read through the RS232 communications in the system. The machine sends the coordinates of the spindle over the serial port as a result of the g102 code embedded within the NC program. The reception of the G102 code in turn triggers the pin that has been allocated for controlling reset and the machine is returned to the DNC mode wherein it waits for the next program to be downloaded.
