There are many things that are locked or disabled based on the state of the Setup Lockout, also known as the Key Switch input.

This was all being done with a global variable that was used everywhere. We have plans to make available other means of locking or unlocking things based on other factors. The global variable was removed, and it was replaced with object method function calls. This allows the locking to be changed or overridden based on any number of things, in the future.

The Setup Lockout Key Switch input, if used, provides two levels of access to settings and other options, Full and Restricted.

A new project requires the need for Eclipse to be able to override the Key Switch input and control the same two levels of access.

Two new UART commands allow Eclipse to Lock and Unlock as if the Setup Lockout input were locked or unlocked. The are active starting with UART version 3.63.

To handle cases where Eclipse might be down and Key Switch control is required, the Key Switch input can still be used. The controller will keep track of the last source of lock/unlock activity and use the state of that source for the lock state.

If Eclipse wants to be in control of the lock state, Eclipse should set the desired state every time a controller comes online. This will take back control from the Key Switch if it was used while the controller was offline.

The Rts_Sync_Acknowledge, and related functions, implement a special type of sleep that is not present in other operating systems. When we move to Linux in the next generation controller we will either have to develop an equivalent or eliminate its use.

This change eliminates its use in places where it is known not to be necessary.

The upper limit of the Shear to Scrap Detect Distance setup is increased from 1000" to 119999", which is 9999 Feet 11 inch.

By request, an "Are you sure?" prompt has been added to the Change Product Code window dialog window. The operator must acknowledge the request with a Yes before the Product Code change will be initiated.

A customer asked for an enhancement to the Tube Mill controller to minimize scrap due to the Cross Welds that occur when welding coils together. However, this enhancement is useful for minimizing waste when any type of scrap is detected by the Scrap Input.

The customer requested that when scrap is detected with the scrap input, if the current part length will not fit without placing part of it in the scrap area, search the order for parts that will fit. If there are no parts that will fit, add a scrap part of a specified length until all the scrap has been cut out. Once the scrap has been cut out, return to running the original part length.

Enabling the new functionality is accomplished with a new setup parameter called Scrap Detector Mode. It has two settings, Original and Cross Weld. Selecting the Cross Weld option enables the new functionality.

When Cross Weld is selected, the Scrap Detector must be located far enough away so that scrap cannot be detected in a part that has already been queued. It should be located at least 10" + the maximum part length + distance between Shear and Printer + the Scrap Detect Border setting away from the Shear. The line will halt with an error if this rule is violated.

When Cross Weld is selected, the Scrap Chop Length setup is used as the scrap length that is added when a good part cannot be added due to the scrap sensor. The line will not run unless this setting has a non-zero value. It will halt with an error.

A new setup called Scrap Detect Border has been added. It is active all the time when the Tube Mill option is enabled. It can be used to classify an additional border of material as scrap, in front and behind, any scrap material that is detected by the Scrap Detector sensor.

A new Run Cycle Shear implementation was required when the Cross Weld option is selected. Run Cycle Shear occurs when a manual shear is requested in the Run Mode. The feature works the same as it did before but internally, the software implementation had to change. After the Run Cycle Shear, the part queue is deleted and recalculated so that the Cross Weld option rules may still be followed. Negative printer targets will be removed to prevent missed target errors or having to add scrap.