PMAC PC104 CMM Interface

The PMAC PC104 CMM Interface is the communication link between the Geomet family of products and the motion controller for the DCC style CMM.

When you are required to load the PMAC motion control drivers for the first time, for example on a new computer, there is a built in Add Hardware Wizard in Windows to assist the installation. The Wizard will appear when you attach the USB cable between the PMAC motion controller and the computer, see figure 1.

figure 1, New Hardware Found	figure 2, Select Search Options

You will need the Geomet Installer CD to perform this installation. On the Found New Hardware choose "Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)" and select <Next>. The next page in the Wizard prompts for search locations, see figure 2. Place a check next to both options and use the <Browse> button to locate the folder \Drivers\PC 104 Drivers\pmcusb20 on the Geomet CD. Press the <Next> button.

figure 3, Choose Driver	figure 4, Logo Testing

After the Wizard completes the search, a list will be displayed from which you can choose which driver to install. Locate the driver in the folder ....\pmacusb20\pmacusb.inf as shown in figure 3. Select <Next>. The Wizard will read the driver installation script and display a confirmation page, see figure 4. Press <Continue Anyway>.

figure 5, install Progress	figure 6, Installation Complete

The Wizard will display the installation progress page, see figure 5. When the driver installation is complete, the Wizard will display a confirmation page select <Finish>, see figure 6. To confirm the installation, use the Windows Device Manager.

Under normal conditions, Geomet installs the proper files required for the PMAC PC104 card and establishes communications. Should a condition arise where the Windows system does not recognize the USB connection to the PC104 a quick check using the Device Manager can be used.

To launch the Device Manager, locate your Windows Control Panel (on XP, Start Menu→Control Panel) and locate "System". The System Properties tabbed dialog appears which you would choose the "Hardware" tab. Next select the <Device Manager> button and the Device Manager tool appears, see figure 7.

figure 7, Windows Device Manager

Expand the tree to show "Universal Serial Bus controllers". There should be an entry for "Delta Tau PC104 USB Device" as shown highlighted in figure 7. If an error with the installation has been noted, there will be a "?" next to the name. In some cases, the device name will not be displayed or has a generic name. In this case the name "Delta Tau...." will not appear. If this condition exists it is possible the installation of the files has failed or a conflict exists with another device. Contact Helmel support for assistance.

The CMM Interface controller is designed to work with many communication formats, ISA Bus, USB, or RS-232 just to name three. When the communications have not been previously established, the user can set the communication mode by choosing [System→Interface Configuration] from the main pull-down menus in Geomet, see figure 8.

figure 8, PMAC Communications

Depress the button <In PC Bus> in the "Device Location" group and set the check on USB Mode. To test the communications, press the <Ok> button and the connection through the USB port will be tested. If successful a message will display noting a connection has been made.

If communications could not be established please reference to the following chart.

The CMM Interface has several options that must be set for proper operation. To activate the setup tools you must first have the Interface Data Strip shown, see figure 9. If this data strip is not shown, refer to Toolbar Status.

figure 9, Interface Data Strip	figure 10, Selecting Joystick defaults

To activate the Joystick Default tool, position the mouse pointer over the data strip and right-click to activate the sub-menu. see figure 9. Select [Joystick Defaults], see figure 10.

Depending on your Joystick series, see below, you will have control over the directions. When a series 1 or 2 is installed on your CMM, the setup tool will resemble figure 11. When the motion controller, PMAC, has control over the joystick, the parameters and behaviors are disabled and your setup tool will look like figure 12.

figure 11, Joystick Defaults	figure 12, PMAC Controlled Joysticks

To establish the direction of motion relative to the deflection of the joysticks, there are check boxes to reverse the direction of motion if required. For example, if the joysticks are deflected in the +Y direction and the CMM moves in the -Y direction, place a check next to the "Reverse Y Direction" label. As shown in figure 11, both the Y and Z direction have been reversed.

These values are used primarily for testing and are not utilized by Geomet.

The joystick control has gone through a series of engineering changes. It is important to understand which series your joystick belongs too. Identifying which series you are using requires that you shut down Geomet and the electronic cabinet. Remove the cable from the joystick housing and matching the connector to the styles shown in figures 12, 13 and 14.

Geomet Joystick Series Identification Table
Click here for a larger Image	Click here for a larger Image	Click here for a larger Image
figure 13	figure 14	figure 15
Series 1	Series 1, as shown in figure 13 has a connector containing 15 pins in a double row. The joystick connects to the game port of the Geomet computer system.
Series 2	Series 2, as shown in figure 14 has a connector containing 9 pins in a double row. The joystick connects through a USB connection to the electronic cabinet to an Interconnect card. From the Interconnect card, there is a connection to the USB port on the Geomet computer system. The Geomet system controlled the motion of the CMM by interpreting the joystick deflections.
Series 3	Series 3, as shown in figure 15 has a connector containing 15 pins in a triple row. The joystick connects through a USB connection to the electronic cabinet to a Interconnect card. From the Interconnect card, there is a connection to the USB port on the Geomet computer system. The Geomet system controlled only the button presses and the PMAC controlled the motion of the CMM by interpreting the joystick deflections.

Related Procedures:

Calibrate Joysticks