Lathe screen re worked

[M250cnc]

I am posting version 16 of my lathe screen.

It the standard lathe but with a more logical layout.

All the screens can be selected from any screen so no jumping backwards and forwards between pages.

The Home All Button now homes both axes, unnecessary buttons/duplicates removed.

It consists of the Default Page which is the Manual screen, Cycle screen, Tool adjust screen, & Diags screen.

Jogging is enabled on all screens but can be turned off via the jog button.

I use two Mpgs so i have added the controls on screen to adjust settings avoiding having to keep on bringing up the tab screen.

new in Version 16 i have added a led either side of the SINGLE LINE button, these flash so that you know what mode you are in.

Big thanks to Klaus for the excellent MachScreen that was used for the editing.


Phil

[RICH]

Thanks for the updated posting.
RICH

[M250cnc]

OK i have made some more updates to the screen as per a user request and some of my own.

MDI input added on the tool setting page.
.
A G-codes and M-codes buttons to bring up the codes as per the mill version. But for the lathe obviously.

Able to switch to MACHINE, WORK and PROGRAM co-ords on the manual, cycle and tool settings page.

Moved where possible LED's near to the toggle button concerned.

The JOG MODE button toggles the LED's from left to right Continuous, Step, MPG under the button.

Hitting the FEED HOLD button, when the program halts, the LED illuminates letting you know when you can hit STOP or START.

Lots more LED'S to let you know what mode the machine is and lots for threading also.

The G-codes png has to reside in the folder BITMAPS in the MACH3 folder.

This is Version 18

Give some feedback good or bad

Updated the G-codes

Phil

[RICH]

Great work Phil,
I have attached some pics with comments. In the future it would be nice to have a screen with an enlarged grahics area. I am struggling some with the value of the Manual screen. I am only quessing that the logic was you set the job up in the manual screen and then go to the cycle screen to run the piece. Fine if you did multiple pieces but practicaly for the usual one of a kind turning i find it to just be a real PITA. I have never found any information on "Zero World" definition ( it will cancel all offsets and resets home to 0,0 ) maybe it was just a wording thing and reference all home would be more appropriate.

So for the a new enlarged screen maybe it can be the Manual Screen. Actauly i think a more logical / visual set up screen would also be a nice addition, but, want to think about that one some more.

Is there any reason you would not want an MDI line on the Cycle Screen?
Is the scale x & Z worth while?


So take a look at the comments and see if they make sense to you
RICH

[M250cnc]

Rich,

All your recommendations are now done in ver 20 which is available in my earlier post about ver 18.

My next step is to make the buttons more uniform but it will mean losing the graphics on the buttons.

The tool settings page has merged with the manual screen so there are only three screens now but there is another screen on the cycle page to give a bigger toolpath display, this is activated with the LARGE button it is not not a large button though.

You can go back to the normal screen by hitting the Small button.

All the Axis ref buttons have moved to the lower menu screen along with the Axis home buttons & Home All button so all those functions are available from any screen.

Added a message box to show the XML Profile name being used, again shown on all screens.

Added a message box on the settings page that shows the G Code string that is effected when hitting the Reset key.

I also need some help with VB code to make users who do not have homing switches easier to work with. Any VB gurus its in the VB section.

Some buttons/dro's have been rearranged/moved to other areas of the same screen.

Phil

[RICH]

Phil,
Tried out the latest screen and looking good in my opinion. Made a few users aware of it and lets see if they have
any feedback. A few comments below:
1. The large screen option is great.
2. The MDI line addition was nice also. Other than setting machine coordinates and tool offsets you can now
     do most anything from the cycle screen and not have to go back an forth between screens.
     A user commented about the jog button being available on the cycle screen and it changes the lathe use logic
     and that you can get in trouble. That is true, but then again. that is why the you can also turn it off on the
     new screen!
2. Version button say's 19. you May delete the 19 text since the fly out tells which version the screen is.
3. Meed to add a ZERO WORLD button for A in the manual screen.
   - The Set Y DRO button should be "Z"
4. Need to add the jog buttons for "A" in the jog fly out screen. I think that would complete the addition of
   another axis for the lathe. Should a user want to modify the screen such that A is something else than rotary
    the screen work is done.

Attached is a pic of the A / rotary indexer  i did on my lathe. The stepper stays mounted and set up to remove the
belt  and pulley from the spindle is quick. Should another setup or more complex use of the lathe be required I will probably use a Mill profile to do the work. 

Hopefully some other folks will chime in.
 Have a Good Holiday,
RICH

[RICH]

"My next step is to make the buttons more uniform but it will mean losing the graphics on the buttons."

Just a future thought..........
Should you want to use a touch screen, then button size may become an issue. Don't use one.
Guessing that all the screens would need to be reworked for a touch screen so it dosen't matter. 

RICH

[M250cnc]

Started a new thread so this one is locked