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NC Helper Functions

This documentation is to serve as a reference for the NC Helper function blocks that are included with the XboxControllerUtilities PLC library. Please visit the Getting Started section for the installation of the PLC library.

CAUTION!

The blocks below use Move Velocity commands under the hood, use at your own risk. Internally, they will copy the original Feedrate Override value of the Axis, and then supply a new one based on the Options Structure provided. Once the bEnable bit turns False, the original Feedrate Override value is copied back into the Axis and it is then halted. The feedrate copy feature is done to allow a smooth ramping based on the force applied to each joystick or trigger.

Button Based Helpers

The button based helpers can work in two ways; a simple instant jog button, or a rampable jog button. When enabling the ramp feature inside the ST_Xbox_Button_NC_Options struct, the axis will ramp to a specified value based on how long the button is pressed.

FB_Xbox_Dual_Button_NC

The dual button block uses two buttons to jog the axis backward and forward.

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VAR
    // FB_Xbox_Dual_Button_NC Instance
    fbXbox_Dual_Button_NC : FB_Xbox_Dual_Button_NC;

    // Xbox Controller Instance
    XboxController : FB_Xbox_Controller(NetID := '', iControllerNumber := 1);

    // Enable for the Jog command
    bEnable               : BOOL;

    // Axis Reference to NC
    Axis_1                : Axis_Ref;

    // Options for the Jog command
    stOptions             : ST_Xbox_Button_NC_Options;
END_VAR

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// Update IO
XboxController.Cycle();

// Using FB_Xbox_Dual_Button_NC to control an NC Axis
fbXbox_Dual_Button_NC.Jog(bEnable          := bEnable AND XboxController.P_Status.bConnected,
                          bForward_Button  := XboxController.P_Buttons.X,
                          bBackward_Button := XboxController.P_Buttons.Y,
                          Axis             := Axis_1,
                          stOptions        := stOptions);

Parameter Type Description
bEnable BOOL Enable the jog command. It will halt the axis on falling edge.
bForward_Button BOOL Command value to jog the axis forward
bBackward_Button BOOL Command value to jog the axis backward
Axis REFERENCE TO Axis_Ref Axis_Ref for the NC Axis to Jog
stOptions ST_Xbox_Button_NC_Options Options structure for ramping features and inverting the direction of jogging

FB_Xbox_Single_Button_NC

The single button block uses only one buttons to jog the axis in a specific direction. The direction of jog is based on the stOptions struct settings and the invert direction bit.

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VAR
    // FB_Xbox_Single_Button_NC Instance
    fbXbox_Single_Button_NC : FB_Xbox_Single_Button_NC;

    // Xbox Controller Instance
    XboxController : FB_Xbox_Controller(NetID := '', iControllerNumber := 1);

    // Enable for the Jog command
    bEnable               : BOOL;

    // Axis Reference to NC
    Axis_1                : Axis_Ref;

    // Options for the Jog command
    stOptions             : ST_Xbox_Button_NC_Options;
END_VAR

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// Update IO
XboxController.Cycle();

// Using FB_Xbox_Single_Button_NC to control an NC Axis
fbXbox_Single_Button_NC.Jog(bEnable   := bEnable AND XboxController.P_Status.bConnected,
                            bButton   := XboxController.P_Buttons.X,
                            Axis      := Axis_1,
                            stOptions := stOptions);

Parameter Type Description
bEnable BOOL Enable the jog command. It will halt the axis on falling edge.
bButton BOOL Command value to jog the axis (direction is based on the stOptions)
Axis REFERENCE TO Axis_Ref Axis_Ref for the NC Axis to Jog
stOptions ST_Xbox_Button_NC_Options Options structure for ramping features and inverting the direction of jogging

Joystick Based Helpers

FB_Xbox_2D_Joystick_NC

The 2D joystick block uses both the X and Y value of the controller to drive two different axis. This is extremely helpful when working with a cartesian robot using XY coordinates.

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VAR
    // FB_Xbox_2D_Joystick_NC Instance
    fbXbox_2D_Joystick_NC : FB_Xbox_2D_Joystick_NC;

    // Xbox Controller Instance
    XboxController : FB_Xbox_Controller(NetID := '', iControllerNumber := 1);

    // Enable for the Jog command
    bEnable               : BOOL;

    // Axis Reference to NC
    X_Axis                : Axis_Ref;
    Y_Axis                : Axis_Ref;

    // Options for the Jog command
    stOptions             : ST_Xbox_2D_Joystick_NC_Options;
END_VAR

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// Update IO
XboxController.Cycle();

// Using FB_Xbox_2D_Joystick_NC to control an NC Axis
fbXbox_2D_Joystick_NC.Jog(bEnable     := bEnable AND XboxController.P_Status.bConnected,
                                        stJoystick  := XboxController.P_Left_Joystick,
                                        X_Axis      := X_Axis,
                                        Y_Axis      := Y_Axis,
                                        stOptions   := stOptions);

Parameter Type Description
bEnable BOOL Enable the jog command. It will halt the axis on falling edge.
stJoystick REFERENCE TO ST_Xbox_Controller_Joystick Joystick from the controller
X_Axis REFERENCE TO Axis_Ref Axis to follow the X direction of the Joystick
Y_Axis REFERENCE TO Axis_Ref Axis to follow the Y direction of the Joystick
stOptions ST_Xbox_2D_Joystick_NC_Options Options structure

FB_Xbox_1D_Joystick_NC

The 1D joystick block uses only one joystick value of the controller to drive a single axis.

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VAR
    // FB_Xbox_1D_Joystick_NC Instance
    fbXbox_1D_Joystick_NC : FB_Xbox_1D_Joystick_NC;

    // Xbox Controller Instance
    XboxController : FB_Xbox_Controller(NetID := '', iControllerNumber := 1);

    // Enable for the Jog command
    bEnable               : BOOL;

    // Axis Reference to NC
    Axis_1                : Axis_Ref;

    // Options for the Jog command
    stOptions             : ST_Xbox_1D_Joystick_NC_Options;
END_VAR

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// Update IO
XboxController.Cycle();

// Using FB_Xbox_1D_Joystick_NC to control an NC Axis
fbXbox_1D_Joystick_NC.Jog(bEnable   := bEnable AND XboxController.P_Status.bConnected,
                                          stJoystick  := XboxController.P_Left_Joystick.fX,
                                          Axis        := Axis_1,
                                          stOptions   := stOptions);

Parameter Type Description
bEnable BOOL Enable the jog command. It will halt the axis on falling edge.
fJoystick LREAL Joystick value from the controller
Axis REFERENCE TO Axis_Ref Axis to follow the direction of the Joystick
stOptions ST_Xbox_1D_Joystick_NC_Options Options structure

Trigger Based Helpers

FB_Xbox_Dual_Trigger_NC

The dual trigger joystick block uses both left and right triggers of the controller to drive a single axis.

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VAR
    // FB_Xbox_Dual_Trigger_NC Instance
    fbXbox_Dual_Trigger_NC : FB_Xbox_Dual_Trigger_NC;

    // Xbox Controller Instance
    XboxController : FB_Xbox_Controller(NetID := '', iControllerNumber := 1);

    // Enable for the Jog command
    bEnable               : BOOL;

    // Axis Reference to NC
    Axis_1                : Axis_Ref;

    // Options for the Jog command
    stOptions             : ST_Xbox_Trigger_NC_Options;
END_VAR

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// Update IO
XboxController.Cycle();

// Using FB_Xbox_Dual_Trigger_NC to control an NC Axis
fbXbox_Dual_Trigger_NC.Jog(bEnable        := bEnable AND XboxController.P_Status.bConnected,
                           fLeft_Trigger  := XboxController.P_Left_Trigger,
                           fRight_Trigger := XboxController.P_Right_Trigger,
                           Axis           := Axis_1,
                           stOptions      := stOptions);

Parameter Type Description
bEnable BOOL Enable the jog command. It will halt the axis on falling edge.
fLeft_Trigger LREAL Left trigger value from the controller
fRight_Trigger LREAL Right trigger value from the controller
Axis REFERENCE TO Axis_Ref Axis to follow the trigger commands
stOptions ST_Xbox_Trigger_NC_Options Options structure

FB_Xbox_Single_Trigger_NC

The single trigger joystick block uses only one of the controller triggers to drive a single axis. The direction of jog is based on the stOptions struct settings and the invert direction bit.

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VAR
    // FB_Xbox_Single_Trigger_NC Instance
    fbXbox_Single_Trigger_NC : FB_Xbox_Single_Trigger_NC;

    // Xbox Controller Instance
    XboxController : FB_Xbox_Controller(NetID := '', iControllerNumber := 1);

    // Enable for the Jog command
    bEnable               : BOOL;

    // Axis Reference to NC
    Axis_1                : Axis_Ref;

    // Options for the Jog command
    stOptions             : ST_Xbox_Trigger_NC_Options;
END_VAR

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// Update IO
XboxController.Cycle();

// Using FB_Xbox_Single_Trigger_NC to control an NC Axis
fbXbox_Single_Trigger_NC.Jog(bEnable   := bEnable AND XboxController.P_Status.bConnected,
                             fTrigger  := XboxController.P_Left_Trigger,
                             Axis      := Axis_1,
                             stOptions := stOptions);

Parameter Type Description
bEnable BOOL Enable the jog command. It will halt the axis on falling edge.
fTrigger LREAL Trigger value from the controller
Axis REFERENCE TO Axis_Ref Axis to follow the trigger commands
stOptions ST_Xbox_Trigger_NC_Options Options structure

DUTs

ST_Xbox_Button_NC_Options

Name Type Default Value Description
bInverted BOOL FALSE Inverts the direction of the axis
fMaxOverride LREAL 100.0 Maximum Feedrate
bRampedOverride BOOL TRUE Ramped Feedrate - Increase the feedrate over time of button pressed
tRampStepTime TIME T#100MS Ramp Step - How often to increase override as button is pressed
iRampStepFactor INT 5 Ramp Step Factor - The % override to step at each time period
stXbox_NC_Halt_Dynamics ST_Xbox_NC_Halt_Dynamics Struct of parameters for MC_Halt command

ST_Xbox_2D_Joystick_NC_Options

Name Type Default Value Description
bInverted_X BOOL FALSE Inverts the direction of the X axis
bInverted_Y BOOL FALSE Inverts the direction of the Y axis
fMaxOverride_X LREAL 100.0 Maximum Feedrate X Axis
fMaxOverride_Y LREAL 100.0 Maximum Feedrate Y Axis
stXbox_NC_Halt_Dynamics ST_Xbox_NC_Halt_Dynamics Struct of parameters for MC_Halt command

ST_Xbox_1D_Joystick_NC_Options

Name Type Default Value Description
bInverted BOOL FALSE Inverts the direction of the axis
fMaxOverride LREAL 100.0 Maximum Feedrate
stXbox_NC_Halt_Dynamics ST_Xbox_NC_Halt_Dynamics Struct of parameters for MC_Halt command

ST_Xbox_Trigger_NC_Options

Name Type Default Value Description
bInverted BOOL FALSE Inverts the direction of the axis
fMaxOverride LREAL 100.0 Maximum Feedrate
stXbox_NC_Halt_Dynamics ST_Xbox_NC_Halt_Dynamics Struct of parameters for MC_Halt command

ST_Xbox_NC_Halt_Dynamics

Name Type Default Value Description
fDeceleration LREAL 5000 Deceleration of the MC_Halt command
fJerk LREAL 10000 Jerk of the MC_Halt command
mcBufferMode MC_BufferMode BufferMode of the MC_Halt command
stOptions ST_MoveOptions Options oif the MC_Halt command