Hi everyone. I am new to Arduinos. I bought a Leonardo. I am working on a CNC Vertical machining center. Upgrading its control. it has no option for a Manual Pulse Generator. Basically a rotary encoder when turned one way moves the axis one direction for and when turned the opposite direction moves the axis in the opposite direction. This can be done on a keyboard.
What I would like to do, is get a rotary switch with 4 inputs. one position for each axis. Feed those into Leonardo. Connect the manual pulse generator, which uses +5V and outputs A, B, /A, /B. I don't think I have to use /A or/B. So for example when rotary switch is on position X, when the rotary encoder is turned in one direction Leonardo will out put say a right arrow key press for each pulse to the right. When the encoder is turned to the left, Leonardo will give a left arrow key press for each pulse from the encoder. Same with position 2,3,4 of the input switch, Leonardo outputs keypress that would move Y, Z and A axis.
Hoping someone hear has done it or can write the code and the suggested input connections.
Thanks in advance,
Marty
Mesa, AZ
Getting the Leonardo to read the encoder seems pretty straight-forward.
Getting the Leonardo to read the rotary switch seems pretty straight-forward.
Getting the Leonardo to act as a keyboard seems pretty straight-forward.
What is the hard part? What have you tried? Does the pulse generator actually expect keyboard input, or is the keyboard input going to a PC that is going to drive the pulse generator?
I appreciate the reply. My issue is that I am new to Arduinos. I knew a micro controller might do what I needed it to. I read up on Arduinos and found Leonardo to be a good keyboard emulator. I'm almost done with converting the control on my Dyna DM4400 vertical machining center, but it does not support a Manual Pulse Generator. There are keyboard short cuts to jog the axis. So what I wanted to do is have a 4 position switch tied to 4 inputs on Leonardo. When anyone of the inputs is asserted, and when the handwheel (quadrature 100pulse per rev encoder) each pulse would emulate a keyboard key press.
If there are examples that have been done, please point me in the right direction. I need to know which inputs to tie the 4 axis inputs to and the inputs of the Manual Pulse Generator. And of course writing the code for Leonardo.
