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Centroid CNC Touch Screen Operators Control Panel aka "VCP" Virtual Control Panel

Centroid's Touch Screen CNC operator control panel (VCP) puts all the Machine tool controls right at the operators finger tips. Perfect for Mills, Lathes, Routers and other specialty machine the Centroid Touch Screen CNC operator control panel is user configurable and easily customized to meet the requirements for each individual CNC machine tool.

  • Axis Jog buttons with dedicated buttons for each axis and direction
  • Fast, Slow, Incremental x1,x10,x100 movement controls
  • Spindle control, Auto / Manual CW/CCW with override
  • Feedrate Override
  • Reset Button
  • One button push for common machine tool functions
  • Tool Check, Feed Hold, Cycle Start, Single Block.
  • Customize with Tool index +/-, Clamp/Unclamp, Vac on/off, & more.
  • Extra auxiliary buttons are programmable for special applications.
  • Indicator lights show the selection made.
  • Stop and restart the job at any point.
  • Stop, make any adjustments, and restart right where you left off.
  • Individual Rapid Override, Feedrate Override control or combined
  • On-the-fly override control of feedrate and spindle speed
  • Tool Check allows easy program interruption and restart
  • 12 User/Installer programmable auxiliary keys can be used for any custom machine tool function , choose from available built in labels..
VCP Users Manual.
Note: You can also use the mouse in place of a finger press so you don't have to have a touch screen LCD if you don't want to!

Examples of Customized Virtual Control Panels

Below are real examples of customer-designed Virtual Control Panels using Centroid CNC control software. Each panel has been uniquely customized for the machine, workflow, and operator preferences.

Centroid Stock Virtual Control Panels

Centroid provides ready-to-use stock Virtual Control Panel layouts designed for common machine types. These pre-configured panels give you a fast starting point with all the standard buttons, indicators, and controls already laid out.

Unlocking Advanced Customization of Centroid CNC Controllers with AI Assistance

Centroid CNC controller hardware paired with CNC12 software is designed for deep user customization. The Virtual Control Panel (VCP) can be edited using XML skins, SVG graphics, macros, and PLC logic, allowing users, rebuilders, and OEMs to adapt the interface and functionality to their machines.

Centroid customer Bill Warner retrofitted an Acroloc mill with a Centroid Allin1DC controller and used AI tools, notably Claude, to develop and document extensive customizations. His project demonstrates how AI can help turn ideas into practical CNC control features, while Centroid's editable VCP, PLC programming, and macros provide the flexibility to make them work.

Acroloc Machine
Acroloc Console

The project includes a custom automatic tool changer, automatic spindle gear shifting, a retro-themed Virtual Control Panel generated with Python, custom macros, and detailed documentation. The public source code and forum post show how Centroid's user-editable control system can be adapted for a specific machine.

What is Centroid-AI? Centroid-AI is a free, open-source collection of AI skills for tools such as Claude or Codex. These skills provide Centroid-specific context for CNC12, PLC programming, the Virtual Control Panel, and controller setup, helping AI tools produce more relevant guidance instead of generic answers. It is not affiliated with Centroid and is intended to work with Centroid systems generally.

AI does not replace machine knowledge or testing on real hardware, but it can help users develop, refine, and document customizations more efficiently.

Read about Bill's Centroid AI project on the Centroid CNC Forum