Computerized Index Wheel Software
This software drives a stepper motor connected to the spindle of any lathe to be used in place of a traditional index wheel. The software can handle multiple index wheels and each can have any number of holes. The software allows for phase differences between the various wheels. Patterns can be programmed so that some holes of the wheel are used and other holes are skipped.
For detailed information on how I mounted a stepper motor to my lathe, see cornlathe.billooms.com/indexer.html. There are lists of parts, sources for materials, and directions for connecting the stepper to a driver circuit board and to the computer.
View the video tutorials on YouTube: Computerized Lathe Indexer and Using the Indexer Software. If you want a Hi-Def video of both the tutorials, you can order them on my "Video & DVD" page.
Driver Software:
Follow the instructions that came with the Phidgets 1062 board or 1063 board to download the software drivers onto your computer. You can then use the Phidget Control Panel to check that everything works.
Indexer Software:
The software was written in Java, so it will run on most computers. It was developed on a Mac and was tested on Intel based computers (OS X 10.6). For documentation, see the "Help" menu within the program.
Make sure you have the latest version of Java 6 installed on your computer. Mac users use Apple -> Software Updates. Windows & Linux users click on the link on the left. If running Windows, be sure you know if you are running 32-bit or 64-bit. If running 64-bit, be sure you launch the 64-bit version of Internet Explorer before installing/updating Java or Windows will get confused.
NOTE: This is untested on the new Mac "Lion" OSX. Apple no longer supports Java, and it's not standard on "Lion" (although it is reported that it can be downloaded after "Lion" is installed). I won't be upgrading to "Lion" any time soon because some of the other software I use won't run on it. In the future, Oracle is taking the responsibility for Java on Mac computers. However, it may be several months before that becomes available.
Mac Installation:
- Download the Mac Disk Image and mount it.
- Drag the Indexer application to your Application folder (or anywhere else you like).
Windows Installation:
- Download the Windows Zip File and unpack it.
- Then install Indexer by clicking on indexer-windows.exe
Linux Installation:
- Download the Linux Zip File and unpack it.
- Then install RESurface by running indexer-linux.sh
Setting the Preferences
The first thing you need to do is to set the Indexer Preferences to match your specific hardware. On a Mac choose "Preferences" and on Windows choose "Tools" -> "Options". Select the "Hardware" tab. Set the number of steps for your stepper motor and the size of the large and small pulleys. For the 1062 board you must indicate which of the 4 connector blocks on the Phidgets 1062 board you wire your motor to. For the 1063 board you can set the current limit per the instructions that came with the board. Note that this will typically be less than the maximum current of your motor. These preferences are saved so you only need to enter the values one time.
Cost:
The cost of the software is $50. Try it first to see if you like it before you have to pay. I didn't go to the trouble of encrypting the software or putting in a 30 day limit, so it's on the "honor system".