I have never used a BB controller, but if it doesn’t have a function like “jog-off-path” where the job can be paused and the axes jogged wherever you want to service something before restarting the job, then there is a reason to go Masso.
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The Wells is a beast of a machine, and I’ve been looking for reasons to play with it more. The centroid controller may be the reason I should play with it more and see if it’s something I want to bring to my OF.
Thanks for your reply!
That seems like a game-changer!!! I do wish I had it with the BB!
You will with the Centroid Acorn... just sayin'. :laughing:
But seriously, if you’re running the Wells-Index with CNC12, having one on the 1F would make your expertise stronger on both machines.
One additional thing I discovered is that the Masso appears to have no concept of parameters of any kind accessible from within its dialect of g-code. I was recently trying to write a piece of code that would automatically find the Y center of a stock prior to beginning a machining process and found out there is simply no way to code it. No user parameters are allowed and even the built-in ones that should exist for the basic machine’s coordinates and such are unavailable. Trying to use #<number> or #[<expression>] values in g-code just evaluates to 0. I can’t believe Masso doesn’t support this.
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Hey MoarVoltz,
wow that sucks. Not even the RS274/NGC Standard parameters for the coordinate systems G54–G59.2?
From what I can tell, nope not even those work. I was trying to figure out why some fairly simple g-code wasn’t running properly and although there’s no mention on Masso’s site, I found a post on their forum that said they weren’t supported. Pretty much squished my plans to do any elaborate hand-written g-code for my machine. No conditional statements either for what it’s worth.
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Hey MoarVoltz,
in RS274/NGC (G-code), variables are called “parameters”. If I enter the word “parameter” into the Masso documentation site, I get not one single hit for a g-code parameter. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
Since I consider a CNC Controller having to be a g-code execution machine, I see this as a clear knock-out criterion for the Masso controller. But the fact that it is not open source (like the buildbotics-derived Onefinity Controller is) has always been an absolute knock-out criterion for me anyway.
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I also did not find anything on their main website. It was a single, offhand post in their forum (which you have to own a Masso to even get access to) that stated they were not supported. I have to admit I took this for granted when purchasing my Elite upgrade and I very well might not have done so if I had realized that the g-code would be so limited on the controller. Lack of modbus support also bothered me a bit and might be an outright deal-breaker for others.
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Hey Tom,
question is, does
G54
(debug, currently active coordinate system is <#5220>)
G55
(debug, currently active coordinate system is <#5220>)
work in the MDI? That is valid RS274/NGC syntax.
@Aiph5u if I were to try the brake, is it possible to tap into the Enable line on the driver. I’m not even sure if the buidlbotics controller has one. A friend of mine asked if I could and I didn’t have an answer.
Hey Mike,
unfortunately, on the Onefinity Controller the motor enable lines from the internal stepper drivers are not laid to the outside. They are there but if you want to access them, even an experienced solderer will have difficulties to access them.
Thank you for your thorough reply! You are a huge asset to this forum and community!
_Mike
The chief reason not to upgrade is whether or not your current config and control box meets your needs. Is it doing everything you want or are there things you would really like to see? Is it reliable enough, or are the gremlins fooling around with it? I ran my Buildbotics X-50 for two and a half years, before I upgraded to the Masso. Personally, I think the upgrade is well worth it as it corrects a number of issues with the Buildbotics and enable a number of capabilities not seen with the legacy controller (reliable and repeatable homing, multiple tool changes in a single file, expandability etc). Of course there are some down sides, like the loss of the game stick and the loss of the Estimated Time to Complete (never realized how much I relied on this, until it was gone), but Masso claims they are looking at adding it in a future firmware upgrade.
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I ordered my Pro Series with the z20 and stiffy rail so I am not sure if there is any advantage with the Masso as those items are available on the PS as well.
Yes, thanks. I didn’t really distinguish clearly in my answer, but that paragraph with the Z20, 3rd rail, and rotary were just upgrades I was interested in in general, not Masso specific.