Multiple controllers on one machine possible?

[eMTea]

Hi!

Is it possible to use 2 controllers on one machine?
A UC300ETH as main controller in the controller cabinet, and a UC400 in the operator panel, to recieve input from switches, and switch on indicator and such?

[cncdrive]

Hi,

No it is not possible, but the UC300ETH-5LPT has 85 digital I/Os which is probably more than enough for all the tasks you want to achive.

[eMTea]

Yeah it is enough, but the distance from the operator panel to the control cabinet is 4m of wiring, so if I could replace 25wires with a LAN cable, it would be great. I'll figure something out

[cncdrive]

You could use an ethernet Modbus slave module and use the modbus master plugin in the UCCNC, but you will have to write some macroloops or plugin to handle the data from and to the device.

[eMTea]

Thanks for the suggestion cncdrive, but I think I'll start simple.

I'm going to connect the buttons to arduino as a hid device and emulate keyboard buttons.

[Battwell]

a very cheap modbus io board does work well.
this one is under £20 from aliexpress.
gives 16 extra outputs via on board 2803a chip darlingtons (up to 500ma per channel)
16 inputs which are npn only.
seems to work well even with multiple boards i have on test.

https://youtu.be/Pz3R7jXr-1g

[eMTea]

Definitely seems like a good option.
Just have to figure out the programming side of things.