Adding sound to announce end of cutting

[roscoe]

This may be too crazy, but does anybody out there know how to program a cutting file so that when it ends it will automatically make a sound to let me know that the file has indeed ended? Sometimes I'm outside the working area of my bot and can't hear the bit cutting, especially when carving, and therefore can't tell when the file is done without having to check directly. I was thinking of programming into the cutting file a .wav file already on my hard drive. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

[knight_toolworks]

well the machine usually stops moving that's a good indication (G)
hang a bell where when the machine jogs to it's home position it hits the bell.

[ken_rychlik]

I have some switches and a flexible "paddle" that cuts them off.

At the end of the file I add a J2,-1.2,0

This sends the machine past the normal 0,0 position and trips my switches. This cuts off my router, vac holdown, and dust collector.

So when everything is quiet, I know it's ready for more.

[cip]

add this line to the end of the file

play c:\yoursound.wav

It may also be possible to hack the post processor for your software and have it add the line automatically. I did it in Artcam, works great.

[Gary Campbell]

Bob...
Mike is correct. You can add "PLAY" lines to your files or to the postP. Its not rocket science, but be careful what is done in a postP, as someone can get hurt.

That being said, I modify the start of our postP's so that the output looks like this:

'BIT DIA:.375
'POST:GC SB HEAD 1 (Z).pos
C#,98 'park A axis
TR,13500 'set speed
SO,8,1 'activate spindle start relay
PLAY D:\SbParts\Bell School Traditional.wav
PAUSE 2 'little room for the hands
SO,1,1 'turn Z spindle on
SO,8,0 'deactivate spindle start relay
MS,6,2

And Mike, its not a HACK... its an unapproved modification!
Gary

[ken_rychlik]

Mike, can you explain how you "hacked" the post processor? I would like to do that on in the vetcric post processor if possible. It would save me having to add the file lines and that would be nice.

Thanks

Kenneth

[ken_rychlik]

Here is the home made switch system. It works fine, but I would love to have the automatic move done in the post processor.

Kenneth
4885

[cip]

Sorry Kenneth but don't know anything about Vectric but I would look at where the files are on your hard drive and see if you can find the postp for shopbot and maybe try to include the play command in the end section. Maybe Gary can help with that.

And Gary, sorry it was a typo.

[myxpykalix]

And I think you should add a wav file to the ending and an appropriate song might be

play c:\thesoundsofsilence.wav (by simon and garfunkel)
of course if it was me i'd go with something that might get your toes tapping like "rip it up" by little richard!

[wberminio]

Jack

I think the idea is know when the file ends,
NOT an excuse to stop working


Erminio

[jerry_stanek]

Or their song Homeward bound.

[Gary Campbell]

Kenneth...
David B. explains it pretty well here: http://www.shopbottools.com/notes_from_the_sandbox.htm (scroll down)
Gary

[myxpykalix]

"Well it's saturday nite and i just got paid"....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJW-XQtycmw&feature=PlayList&p=227843CA76F0B4D9&playne xt=1&playnext_from=PL&index=14

erminio, its not an excuse to stop working but a reason to keep moving!lol

[wberminio]

Jack
You won me over!


Erminio

[ken_rychlik]

Thanks Gary, I have it working. It will save me lots of file mending.
Kenneth

[roscoe]

WOW! I made my post, then my internet went haywire. Just got it fixed, and now I finally check to see if anybody had an idea and BAM! I see that there's all kinds of ways I can go take a nap and set my Bot to wake me up when it's done. Ahh...the wonders of modern technology.
Thanks all for the ideas. I'll try them out as soon as I'm done with my nap.