GlassMaker is a programmable interface for the Litton Automated Glass Blowing Lathe. The abilities of the individual components that comprise the lathe are presented in one common language. From GlassMaker, a user may control the I/Os (inputs and outputs) of the Litton Serial Controller, the analog I/Os of the Litton Serial Analog Controller, the CompuMotor motor indexers used for motor control as well as the Litton Serial DC Motor Controller for spindle control. All controller specific languages are incorporated into the GlassMaker control language. GlassMaker performs all calculations for the controller languages based on parameters entered by the user in configurations and GlassMaker code. Once configured, any aspect of the lathe can be controlled through immediate control or automated control using GlassMaker code.
GlassMaker has two control perspectives, design time and run time. GlassMaker can control every aspect of the lathe with the click of a button in design time. This can be useful for testing the lathe and finding a starting position. GlassMaker can also create and interpret a set of commands to control the lathe automatically in a programmed sequence during run time. All commands are available in a set of menus on the main program screen. When the commands are selected from the menus, GlassMaker will prompt the user for the required parameters to complete the desired command; an in-depth understanding of the GlassMaker code is not required. Once the GlassMaker Code is written it is compiled into Run Time Code; a combination of custom commands and controller commands. GlassMaker uses the more powerful, lower profile Run Time Code to determine code execution and lathe control during run time. The user is not required to have an understanding of how the Run Time Code functions.
Litton Engineering configures all lathes before shipping based on the needs of the user. The configuration of GlassMaker must be identical to the configuration of the lathe. Each controller in the machine has a particular number based on the order in which it appears in the serial connection. This unique numeric identification is used by GlassMaker to send and receive commands from the controllers that make up the machine. GlassMaker can determine the type of device in the serial loop and configure the I/Os for immediate control. Parameters must be entered for motors and analog devices because there is no way to determine what the motors are connected to or what voltage modules are connected to the analog controller.
Once a particular aspect of the lathe is configured, it can be controlled through programmed code or immediate control. For both run time control and design time control GlassMaker sends a sequence of commands through the serial loop. Some of the commands are unique to specific controllers and others are universal. The numeric device number in the command determines what controller executes the command.
During initialization, GlassMaker uses existing information to establish communications with the lathe, preparing it for operation. If there is nothing currently configured within GlassMaker, it will determine what the controller device types are and configure them as much as possible. Each device in the serial loop will be assigned a number by the previous device in the serial loop, increment the number and send in to the next device in the serial loop. Each command sent to the lathe is sent into the serial loop, through each device and back to the computer. If a command requires a response, the response is extracted from the stream of information returning to the computer.