Re: Mach 4
Originally Posted by
RonGinger
Mach3 and Mach4 can both be on the PC at the same time, they do not interfere in any way. So you can load M4 and try it out and still go back to your old M3 simply by clicking the right icon to start up.
There is a parallel port driver for M4, but frankly I would switch to a hardware motion device. There are several available now, the Ethernet smoothstepper, a usbSmartBOB from PMDX.com and one from Poscope.com There are also a couple high end devices, like galil (sp?). These are out of my price range so I dont follow them.
The Pokey device has the advantage of lots of input/output pins to hook up things like MPGs and other pendants.
We were running a mini mill at the NAMES show this past weekend using the usbSmartBOB from PMDX.com This is a neat device, the entire motion control is in a slightly enlarged db25 connector hood, so you just plug it in to the back of the Tormach where the parallel port cable goes now and run a usb cable to the PC. Very simple to install, just download M4 from machsupport.com and the plugin form PMDX. To use the smoothstepper or pokey you will need an external 5v supply. There is work being done n a single box to hold a pokey which should be available in a week or two.
M4 is a big improvement over M3- smoother, faster. Feedhold is instant, toolpath updates are fast and dont hurt running gcode. Things like cutter comp now work to industry standards.
Thanks for this input RonGinger!
To summarize, I was able to find the PMDX-411 USB SmartBOB at PMDX.COM - Products for CNC and motion control applications. It looks really nice and seems like the simplest option.
Then I checked the Ethernet SmoothStepper and it is my impression you would need to wire the parallel connection from the IDC connectors, right?
Same would apply to the Polabs.com device which I am assuming is the PoKeys57CNC PoKeys57CNC Or is it the PoKeys56U or PoKeys57E?
Not certain that I will change my Tormach to M4, but my plasma cutter seems like it will eventually migrate to this venue.
I document my CNC Experience at CNC Dude's Youtube channel. Check it out!