Hey, I'm knew to all this.  I have a Mach3-controlled CNC machine and it would be good to added three digital thermometers to the milling equipment and somehow connect them so that Mach3 can show the three temperature values during the run.  Ultimately, it might be good to programmatically do something if the temperature crosses some threshhold but for right now I think I'd be satisfied with seeing those values on the Mach3 screen.

This sounds like a plug-in for Mach3... plus... something in the way of a controller.  Although I'm pretty good at hobbies and projects, I'd much prefer a canned product that I don't have to program to.

Has anyone done anything like this yet?  Is anyone using a good digital temperature probe in their project?  Thanks in advance

Not sure if this will help but do a google search for Max6675.  Maybe it or related products will give you what you want.  Maybe you could use this and map them to some DROs?  I'm just thinking out loud about where I would start looking for a solution.  There may be others out there that would suite you better.

Brett

Not sure if this will help but do a google search for Max6675.  Maybe it or related products will give you what you want.  Maybe you could use this and map them to some DROs?  I'm just thinking out loud about where I would start looking for a solution.  There may be others out there that would suite you better.

Brett

Interesting.  I found a good tutorial on a programming project incorporating the Max6675.  I'll keep watching this thread and see if anyone knows of something more in a kit format, perhaps.

Hi mblanken:

Have a look at the Solarbotics site. They sell all manner of digital devices.
http://www.solarbotics.com/products/33440/

This digital temp sensor outputs an analog signal. Using a PLC to read the analog signals, you can display them on the screen with a little bit of screen mods i.e., Machscreen, and brains. Much like inputting a feedoverride or spindle speed pot to Mach3.

Wow.  Lots to think about on that one.  I could either try the 33440 product and use three of those or three of the ones that accept probes.  I'd also need the Phidget board, their C API and probably to write a Mach3 DLL of some kind.  Hm...

Hello mblanken:

The temp sensing project you are planning is an interesting side trip from Mac3 machining. If you are not already familiar with the "Arduino", give it a look. It is a microprocessor board developed in Italy, with a very "user friendly" interface, which is a subset of the computer language "C+".

Many electronics suppliers make boards and components devoted to the Arduino platform. Modern Device.com, Sparkfun.com, Adafruit.com, and Solarbotics are among the more well known companies.

Also, Arduino has a large forum with projects similar to yours. However, you must be forwarned: such things can become addictive!

Mach3 also falls into that dangerous realm.