RootCNC / Root-Pendant

Raspberry Pi Based CNC Pendant

Root Pendant

CNC pendant for control of the Root CNC and any other CNC machines

This is a preliminary repo to gain ideas and assess the pendant implementation practically

Project goals.

• Be as flexible as possible
• Offer USB 2.0 Type C Host and Slave support for either controlling the CNC directly or via a PC
• Support Wifi/Bluetooh for wireless control
• Support 6 Axis
• Support all of the standard features -- Manual job movement -- Spindle control -- Feedrate control -- Start/Stop/Hold
• Universal
• Open source!

Key Parts

• 5V 60mm 4 Pin 100 pulse Encoder LINK
• 2.8 Inch 320*240 FTF Touch screen display ILI9341
• 16mm E-Stop button Link
• Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W Link

Key Dataflow paths

graph LR
A((Root Pendant)) -- Acts as keyboard - Via USB --> B(PC Host)
B --> C(PC Controller software - UGS)
C --> D{CNC Motion controller}
A -- Direct control of CNC - Via USB --> D{CNC Motion controller}
A -- Direct control of CNC - Via Telnet WiFi--> D{CNC Motion controller}
A --> E((CNCjS))
E --> A
E -- Direct control of CNC - Via USB--> D
E -- Direct control of CNC - Via Telnet WiFi--> D

Implemented interfaces

• Root Pendant as USB Slave - setup as USB keyboard for macro implementation with PC based CNC control software (USG)
• Root Pendant as USB Host - Control of CNC controller via USB
• Root Pedant control controls CNC controller via Telnet (Current known controller: Root Controller ISO (FluidNC), Duet 3 6HC W/SBC)
• Root Pendant running CNCjs connected via the Boiler Plate addon (CNCjs controls the CNC and Root Pendant talks directly to CNCjs (CNCjs Handles the connection to the CNC, either via Telnet or direct USB connection)

Software development list

GUI

• Main display
• Settings menu
• Touchscreen cal page

IO

• Touchscreen controller
• Keypad controller
• Jog wheel control
• Mode control
• Enable control
• USB controller
• Keypad LED and Power controller controller
• USB
• Type-C implementation

Backend stuff

• User-Save settings
• Power up and power down states
• 5V USB OTG control
• Low Batter indication
• Raspberry Pi LCD control
• E-stop

Initial placement and Ideas

FRO - Feedrate Override SSO - Spindle Speed Override ## License

This project is licensed under the Creative Commons 4.0 license with Attribution-NonCommerial-ShareAlike see LICENSE.txt for details