Wild TA-10
TechInc Inventory | |
---|---|
Description | Vinyl Cutting Plotter |
Make | Wild |
Model | TA-10 |
Operational Status | Functional |
Super Users | User:Justa |
Received at | |
Acquisition Details | Picked up from a college |
Owner | TechInc |
Contents
Wild TA-10 Vinyl Cutting Plotter
Status
We figured out how to talk to it, use the DB9 to connect to it.
We need to repair some smaller kinks and figure out how to talk to it.
We got it to move! Using the Windoes program EuroCUT Basic 7.
The machine has some parts that need fixing, however.
Specifications
Serial 9600,8,N,1 Hardware flow control
240VAC; expect serious current-draw.
Project Box
There is a project-box related to this device. It contains a number of parts and accessories to the device. Including the cutter-head and adjustment-collar. Please return the pens and/or cutter-heads back to the project-box for safe storage. There is a significant risk of the tool-grippers breaking if a tool is left stored on the device when not in use. Since they are stiffly fixed to the tool-gripper, a simple bump against one of the tools might cause the tool-gripper to break (again).
Features
Bed
The device features a large cutting bed made of a transparent material that lets the light through of the dimmable Tube-light array behind it. Please find the white dimmer-switch on the backside of the device. The bed seems to be fastened to the frame of the device with a series of spring-clamps which seem accessible for replacement/adjustment by accessing the inner space of the table by undoing the back-panels on the back of the table.
Tilting
Also on the backside is the tilt-lock handle for the table's angle. BE CAREFUL when pushing the articulated handle up; the weight of the table is considerable! The telescopic arm does have a spring inside to help carry some of the weight, however. Be ready to support weight and slowly unlock the handle until the table starts to move. Make sure to relock securely. Table can be put down until perfectly level and up until nearly upright. BE CAREFUL PUTTING IT TOO FAR UPRIGHT; the weight of the table is then all on one side; there is a risk of the device FALLING OVER FORWARDS.
Control Unit/Base
The whole table is supported by a hinge-assembly and a telescoping arm (see tilting, above), on a base-unit which houses the power-supply and the control-unit of the device. The control-unit consists of an small internal 19" controller-card rack which houses a number of user-replaceable cards. Some are obvious communication and servo-amplifier cards; others are less clear. Card-positions are listed on the inside of the hatch. On the other side are a series of fuses and an hour-of-service counter on the hatch that covers the Power-supply of the device.
Control Pendant
There is a control-pendant that's attached to the device by a cable and can be fixed to the side of the table by means of the magnet on the back of it. It provides step-precision control of the head, choosing the pen and setting a number of parameters of operation (window, origin, etc). Keeping the direction-control buttons for longer periods will increase the speed of the head.
Control buttons
The control-buttons on the edge of the table also allow for a number of the controls that are possible via the control pendant; as well as allowing you to switch the device on/off and such.
Material trough
On the left side, next to the cutting bed, there is a trough that allows rolls of base-material to be kept there; unrolling a section of it across the bed for cutting/plotting. There is a matching tool-holder that fits in this trough that houses pens suitable for the machine.
Tool-arm
The tool-arm is where all the magic happens. It has set of two tool-mounts available allowing you to switch between them using the controls and/or the protocol. The arm will move a fixed offset up/down when switching tools. The inserts for the tools are actuated electro-mechanically and care should be taken to not stress these too heavily lest they break (NOTE: THE TOP ONE IS CURRENTLY BROKEN AND SHOULD FIRST BE FIXED! EITHER BY USING A SHIM OR OTHERWISE GLUEING/WELDING IT AGAIN).
The tool-head has a number of sockets, switches and other features. There is a multi-pin socket for connecting the cutter-head to (see later). There is a switch for turning on/off the lights (NOTE: The lights are found below the tool-arm and need fixing; one of the tube-lights is missing. A little metal ring is dangling on a wire currently the top side , underneath). There is a little white socket that seems to be for connecting some manner of sensing probe to, or perhaps it carries current for use with a tool. Another socket can be found between the two tool-clamps; a barrel-jack that likely carries potential for optional accessories.
The tool-clamps came/come with inserts that allow straight clamping inside of them using the supplied thumb-screws on the side of them. One of these inserts remains and has been stored in the project-box related to the cutter.
Cutting-head
There is a cutting-head accessory that came with this device. It's main function is as a servo/stepper actuated roto-knife that makes sure that the knife cuts in the direction of movement that the tool-arm is heading. This prevents the need for resorting to a swivel-knife that'd have less perfect cuts in designs with a lot of angles. The cutting-head comes with an adjustment-collar that allows for easier depth-control. Find and return both the cutting-head and the adjustment-collar to the project-box they are stored in. Since the cutting-head protrudes quite a lot from the tool-arm, there is a great risk of damaging the tool-clamp if the cutter-head is left stored in the device when not in use.
Manual
plug in the power lead
hit the 'power on' button. make sure the 'manual stop' button is not pressed otherwise nothing will work
Check the Serial port settings with
sudo stty -F /dev/ttyS0 -a
The settings should be 9600 8n1 with flow control on.
speed 9600 baud; rows 0; columns 0; line = 0; intr = ^C; quit = ^\; erase = ^?; kill = ^H; eof = ^D; eol = <undef>; eol2 = <undef>; swtch = <undef>; start = ^Q; stop = ^S; susp = ^Z; rprnt = ^R; werase = ^W; lnext = ^V; flush = ^O; min = 1; time = 5; -parenb -parodd cs8 hupcl -cstopb cread clocal crtscts ignbrk -brkint -ignpar -parmrk -inpck -istrip -inlcr -igncr -icrnl -ixon -ixoff -iuclc -ixany - imaxbel -iutf8 -opost -olcuc -ocrnl -onlcr -onocr -onlret -ofill -ofdel nl0 cr0 tab0 bs0 vt0 ff0 -isig -icanon -iexten -echo -echoe -echok -echonl -noflsh -xcase -tostop -echoprt -echoctl - echoke
the command to set these settings is
sudo stty -F /dev/ttyS0 9600 crtscts
Now, create the file you wish to 'plot' Save as postscript (.ps)
On the machine run
pstoedit -f ta10 <yourfile>.ps
this will output commands to the screen.
if you output to a file, this can be used to send all commands to the plotter in one go. the output file will also contain the 'initialisation' commands.
to print to the machine open a screen session
sudo screen /dev/ttyS0 9600,ctsrts
and paste in your commands
to exit press CTRL+A followed by K
Plans
The current plan is to work on fixing a number of defects on the table and making a software-layer between the 'broken hpgl' of the device and 'the real world'. Part of this work will be done during Tinkering thurs/tuesdays.
See 'features' for some of the jobs that need to be carried out.
Protocol
The serial protocol used appears to be an HP-GL like language. We captured the follow commands from the Eurocut driver. This driver always sent the same commands first, probably some initialisation:
:83 :32 :520,20 :E3500 P2 U0,0 :715
Selecting the universal head in Eurocut changes the :5 command to
:5250,250
To select pen / tool number <x>
P<x>
To set the move speed:
:7<speed> (1 - very slow, 50 - fast)
To move the pen in down position:
D 13140,6460
To move the pen in up position:
U 13140,6460
Example of instructions that work with the machine:
:83 :32 :520,20 :E3500 P1 U0,0 :715 U 0,0 U 13424,0 U 13424,10532 U 0,10532 U 0,0 U 0,0
This draws a simple square (see the commands starting with 'U'). The P1 command does the pen select (P2 for the other pen).
Resources
Software that lists these plotters explicitly as supported:
- SignTools 4 - an add-on for CorelDraw, Demo Version available
- Some references (eBay auctions et al) list HPGL (overview) as a way to talk to it. But often together with some interface box so this might not work for ours.
This program works with the plotter:
- EuroCUT Basic 7 http://www.eurosystems.lu/index.dml?unten=software/EuroCUT_Basic-eng.htm&von=html
More info (from old page)
WildHeerbrugg TA10
this is our 'snijplotter'. it weighs 350kg+
please do not use this machine without training
Technical Information
Plotting area double plottin head 1000 x 1210 mm
Plotting area quad plotting head 1000 x 1145 mm
MWK 977 x 1145 mm
Dimensions (W x D x H) 1580 x (1060 - 1830) x 780 mm
Weight 321 kg
Maximum speed 250 mm/s
Acceleration 2 m/s²
Resolution 0.01 mm
Addressable resolution 0.02 mm
Static repeatability ± 0.02 mm
Software-interface ASCII / binary
Basis Plotter Software (Calcomp plotting routines)
Hardware-interface RS 232C 9600 bps, 8,n,1 hardware flow control needs to be on, otherwise it will drop plotter commands
Input-Buffer 512 Bytes
Mains connection 220V AC ± 10% optinal (100,115,125,200,235,250 VAC ±10%)50/60 Hz
Power consumption 660 VA without optional equipment
Interface
Need to look at which protocols we can use to communicate and the data format it uses to print/plot with
External Links to information
http://www.mucad.com/cmsmultilanguage/index.php?page=wild-ta-10&hl=en
http://www.mucad-sky.com/id6.html
http://www.mucad.com/cmsmultilanguage/uploads/data/verbrauchsmaterial/Wild_UWK_Englisch.pdf - external cutting heads you can buy
http://www.mucad-sky.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/ta100s100bxldataspec.jpg