I've been intending pimp out my RV head with some white LEDs to make it easier to see the nozzle when setting up feeders etc., and it suddenly struck me that the most convenient way to switch them automatically to avoid vision problems would be to have them switch off whenever the vacuum pump is on.
Depending on the current draw of the pump, this can probably be a simple as just connecting them (strings of 12V-worth obviously) across whatever switches the pump.
To save me looking, can someone tell me if the vacuum pump is switched on the arm PCB, or is there a switched supply coming from the box?
The pump is turned on and off by the arm board. There are two relays on it, one controls the pump and the other, I think, the LED ring around the fixed component camera. Not sure which is which though. Should be easy enough to work out using the 'armtest' program though.
Just a couple of thoughts though:
1) The light from these LEDs may make the auto fiducial correct mis-behave. I know some people don't use that function but I do and it seems to work pretty well for me.
2) It may also cause problems when the machine runs that function where it takes tool 5 and spins it around to check for runout on the head.
Quote from: phonoplug on December 18, 2011, 05:23:48 PM
The pump is turned on and off by the arm board. There are two relays on it, one controls the pump and the other, I think, the LED ring around the fixed component camera. Not sure which is which though. Should be easy enough to work out using the 'armtest' program though.
Just a couple of thoughts though:
1) The light from these LEDs may make the auto fiducial correct mis-behave. I know some people don't use that function but I do and it seems to work pretty well for me.
I don't use it, but I'm planning on using the narrowest beam LEDs, and pointing them at the nozzle, although there probably will be some spill-over as the LEDs will be a lot brighter than the illuminator.
Actually something else I've considered is that if the illuminator LEDs on all the cams were replaced with much brighter white ones, and the cameras de-sensitised, the machine should be a lot less sensitive to ambient light conditions, but that's an experiment for another day...
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2) It may also cause problems when the machine runs that function where it takes tool 5 and spins it around to check for runout on the head.
I've seen it do this on occasion (appears to be pretty random if it does it or not) but can't figure out what it's trying to do and what it could correct for...
I'll probably stick a manual switch on as well.