Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

Well my Acorn Mill and Acorn Mill Pro are still sitting new in the box and it's looking like I should have gone with AcornSix and Mill Ultimate. Quick swag now that I'm diving into this part of the retrofit. Could I make due with just Acorn on this mill retrofit, yes. But man not much room for expansion or future options and just the limit/home switches are chewing up the inputs.

Question: With $1,797 in my Centroid shopping cart I'm faced with a decision. AcornSix + Scout or AcornSix + Bob.

Scout - offers 6 additional encoder/scale/MPG inputs. I think this is the way to go. I need 1 for the spindle RPM encoder and I'd like the option for 3 MPG handwheels, one for each axis. Since AcornSix only support 3 of the 4 I need I'm short 1. AcornSix/Scout would cover this plus provide 5 extras. I might be able to use those for scales, something on a 4th axis or some future gizmo.

Bob - Would support the 3 axis MPG handwheels so checkbox. This would leave me with 2 extras after the spindle encoder on the main AcornSix board. That's probably going to be sufficient. But honestly I tried to sell myself on Bob a number of times but wiring up the other controls, Stop, For/Rev, Spindle Speed, etc. those are pretty straightforward controls I'm not sure why I would need a Bob board for those. Maybe it's reducing the number of control wires that have to go from the pendant back to the AcornSix board? Now that I could see being an advantage. If I hardware the controls I'd have to run those wires. On the other hand I do think it's possible to go way overboard on knobs and controls, it's just a mill.

I have the scout encoder expansion and the BOB on my mill, both things have different tasks.

Encoder expansion for closed loop and BOB for a control panel not using up the inputs (15 inputs on the BOB ect.)

Uwe

2nd what Uwe said.
and i'll add

USB-BOB gets you plug and play physical Rapid Override, Spindle Override, Feedrate Override KNOBS. just plug them in and they work. easy peasy.
USB-BOB is super easy to "program" all you do is drag and drop the preprogrammed functionality using the USB-BOB setup page in the Wizard.
and yes all those Operator control panel wires/cables do not go back to the main control cabinet, the connect to the USB-BOB which connects to the CNCPC and if you have the CNCPC in a operator console box then those wires/cables for all the operator controls are very short! (no long cable runs back to the main board (acorn,acornsix,hickory etc)

Okay it sounds like Bob is the way to go vs Scout. With Bob I can't think if an immediate use for Scout. Thanks!

About ready to place my order. School me on Scout. With AcornSix, Bob, and the WMPG-6 CNC Control Pendant what would I use Scout for potentially if anything?

I'm inclined to hold off on Scout until I need it, if ever. But if it's going to be a must have later, now is the time to install it as part of the ground up build.

I use the scout encoder expansion for full closed loop with scales or servo encoders. Also possible to use it for more than the 3 MPGs on the BOB, but I do this for axis 4-6 with the WMPG-6

Uwe

suntravel wrote: ↑Sat Jun 14, 2025 1:05 pm I use the scout encoder expansion for full closed loop with scales or servo encoders. Also possible to use it for more than the 3 MPGs on the BOB, but I do this for axis 4-6 with the WMPG-6

Uwe

My servos are already closed loop hybrids. No scales though. What kind of machine are you using scout on?

ORDERED! AcornSix, Bob, AcornSix Mill Ultimate should be on the way this week.

Coolidge62 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 14, 2025 4:15 pm

suntravel wrote: ↑Sat Jun 14, 2025 1:05 pm I use the scout encoder expansion for full closed loop with scales or servo encoders. Also possible to use it for more than the 3 MPGs on the BOB, but I do this for axis 4-6 with the WMPG-6

Uwe

My servos are already closed loop hybrids. No scales though. What kind of machine are you using scout on?

Only a small benchtop mill.



Linear scales are measuring the postition of the linera axes and correcting all pitch deviation and backlash of the ball screws.
Thats is with more precision then only using losed loop in the servos.
On the rotary axes I am using the Servo encoders also connected to Acorn, not as good as fine resolution rotary encoders 1:1 on the axes, but the CNC can now control the the postion and I can fine tune the regulation and position ALM in CNC12

The closed loop regulation in cheap servos or hybrid steppers is not very precise, most will even not work if set to a narrow error marigin.

Uwe