Sherline Masso Controller - What Version of Masso is this?

[madb1rd]

I have a Sherline mill which I'm having a blast with. But the Masso controller seems to be very different from what you show on the website. Two obvious differences are a substantial lack of IOs and there seem to be some G-Code options not available in this controller that are available in the Masso manual. Is there a way to get more information on this version? I am thinking about eventually getting a limited function laser module for it to do vector line drawing and cutting only. So being able to g-code for on/off would be necessary. Any strength setting I would handle with a rheostat or other manual input on the laser itself.

From what I can see the only option in the Masso manual is a 24V relay coil activation as an output option however it is not clear how to use this. Is it a setting on the setup screen or can it be toggled by G-code during a run.

thx, W

 

[breezy]

@madb1rd

Sherline uses a modified version of the G2 to handle the spindle speed controller.

The software for Sherline products is the same code that is available for all G2s.

There are functions shown in the documentation that is not available on the G2 because of memory limitations.

At the bottom of this page is how to wire up and assign relays on the G2, the outputs referred too, (7 connector block) are in the bottom right corner of the G2.

MASSO G2 Drive and Relay wiring

docs.masso.com.au

The outputs switched on by issuing M commands 06, 07, 10, 11 and M09 turns them off. https://docs.masso.com.au/supported-m-codes

Else you can wire up the TTL outputs as per https://docs.masso.com.au/wiring-and-setup/setup-and-calibration/relay-driver-outputs

and then use M64/M65 Px where the Px is the TTL output selected and assigned by Auxiliary Output (1 to 16)

Don't know how Sherline have provided access to the inputs & outputs of MASSO, so you may need to wire directly to MASSO.

Regards,

Arie.

 

[breezy]

@madb1rd

Could you supply your configuration file, I'm trying to solve another user's Sherline mill problem and I would like to compare setting files.

Thanks,

Arie.

 

[madb1rd]

Will do this morning, what is the file name. I m not at the machine but I likely have it saved locally.

 

[madb1rd]

I found them, this is from 12.21.2021 and I don't think I've made any changes other than turning on output 1 to coolant flood.

 

[zombieengineer]

@breezy and @madb1rd

I found the following picture of the Sherline variant of the Masso controller:

The placement of the MPG connector (the D-15 "Aux" connector) is consistent with a G2 controller (same side as the video connector).

It appears that not all the IO terminals have connectors (they appear to be board-to-board connectors).

 

[breezy]

@zombieengineer

That is correct.

Sherline's MASSO is a modified G2. The daughter board is the interface to Sherline's speed controller.

Regards,

Arie.

 

[breezy]

@madb1rd

Thanks for the settings file, just a couple more questions.

When you issue positive X & Y commands which direction does the bed move?

And where are the X & Y homing switches located in respect to the front of the machine.

Regards,

Arie.

 

[madb1rd]

Hi Arie,

XY commands move normal to traditional mill parameters meaning the mill head moves cutter up, right and away for positive inputs. This means for x the table goes left and for y the table comes to the front. X limit switch is mounted to the right side of the table and activates when the table is full left. The Y is mounted to the front of the base (lower left side) and is activated when the saddle is closest to the front. I can take pictures if you want. But Sherline has a great manual for installing them on their website.

Wheeler

 

[madb1rd]

One of my questions about the Sherline version of the G2 board is it seems like there are a lot of unused ports on the board. Is it possible to install a header to some of them and make them usable, such as providing another TTL output?

 

[zombieengineer]

@madb1rd

Thanks for the photos - the side you have taken photos for has all the inputs. I can see a significant number of components are missing from the board (for 99.9% of the users they will never get used).

Could you take a photo of the other side of the board, specifically the area closer to the SVGA connector?

From the original photo I linked it appears that 2 of the outputs are connected but it could simply be a connector acting as a spacer (this is the green board-to-board connector). Between the micro-controller and the output pin there should be a small surface mount chip that has 7 pins on each side, two of these chips are visible in your first photo. I would expect the buffer chip to be located 1 to 2 inches from the SVGA end (the buffer chip converts 3.5V signals from micro-controller to 5V signals). If the chip is there then you should be able to connect a relay module by soldering a header to the Masso board.

 

[zombieengineer]

Quote from madb1rd on January 26, 2021, 4:43 am

I have a Sherline mill which I'm having a blast with. But the Masso controller seems to be very different from what you show on the website. Two obvious differences are a substantial lack of IOs and there seem to be some G-Code options not available in this controller that are available in the Masso manual. Is there a way to get more information on this version? I am thinking about eventually getting a limited function laser module for it to do vector line drawing and cutting only. So being able to g-code for on/off would be necessary. Any strength setting I would handle with a rheostat or other manual input on the laser itself.

From what I can see the only option in the Masso manual is a 24V relay coil activation as an output option however it is not clear how to use this. Is it a setting on the setup screen or can it be toggled by G-code during a run.

thx, W

There is a potentially a way to do this without soldering any connections to the Masso controller. When using the laser you will not be using the spindle motor, as such it should be possible to "hijack" the spindle speed control signal to provide an on/off signal. To turn the laser on you would issue a G-code to set the spindle speed above a certain threshold.

 

[madb1rd]

Hi Folks,

I ordered an Endurance 10+ laser kit and they included their dynamic PWM add-on. This allows one to manually adjust the laser output since there does not seem to be anything (ttl/pwm/etc) coming out of the Masso/Sherline G2 special board other than one relay output for flood coolant.

The good news is I think I can use this to power the dynamic PWM add on with M08/M09 commands so that the add-on is powered off or on, and when this happens the laser either goes on to the setting of the POT or goes into flickering standby. This also allows me to use onscreen buttons to turn the laser on and off to preset the POT/power before a run.

I've measured the load of the dynamic PWM add-on and it's essentially 10-20mA from no output to high output. What I have not been able to find is what the maximum load allowance is for this output from the Masso/Sherline special controller. Other documentation in the Masso manual indicates 400mA for their relay outputs but I've no idea if this applies to my "special" version.

The way it works is 24V constant on pin 9 and the ground on pin 8 is the switching from m08/m09 commands.

Anybody care to venture a guess?

here's a link to a video of the laser running https://www.miravim.org/2AP/lasertest.mp4

 

[madb1rd]

I'm not sure I added pictures of the other side per ZombieEngineer's request...

 

[breezy]

@madb1rd

Wheeler,

Checked with the hardware designer on the ability to access extra outputs on the Sherline G2 and the answer was no, because the hardware (components) was not installed for all of the outputs.

Regards,

Arie.

 

[madb1rd]

Thank you Arie,

I did finally get the laser to work on the one coolant flood output by using the extra PWM box from Endurance. However, I'm working on upgrading this to something that provides digital PWM output. The laser is pretty sensitive so getting repeatable power output with a POT isn't all that easy. Using a ZK-PP2K function generator will hopefully help to accomplish this. But first I have to sort out how to feed this to the laser in a way that allows the function generator to be on all the time while the Masso controls when it supplies data to the laser. Unfortunately documentation is sorely lacking but, this is cause for some fun experimenting.

At issue is - the Masso controls by switching on the ground side. I think the ZK-PP2K controls by switching on the ground side. And I'm not yet sure what it takes to shut the laser off while in its PWM mode. It seems like 100% ground should do it so it may be as simple as using the Masso to ground the ZK-PP2K ground output when I want the laser off.