CNC Parallel Port to USB

Hello, I'm new here and new to the world of CNC.

I've just got my hands on a CNC, it's a 6040 Chinese one. I got it 2nd hand off ebay.

It has a parallel port on the back of it, and I don't have anything that will run that. I'd like to know if this planetCNC product https://planet-cnc.com/product/cnc-u...r-mk34-4-axis/ Will solve my problems?

My set up is:

Apple Macbook with USB3 (The wife wants to use illustrator and then export as DXF)

6040 CNC with Parallel Port.

But we have 2 issues:
1 - Software - I see planetCNC works for Mac, big tick.
2 - Middleware signal conversion

Any help would be greatly appreciated please :)

This hardly depends on the informations which are available of the prallel port type...

Asuming the "parallel port" is just used for step dir signals from the software, there is knowledgement of the internal circuit required to build an adaptor. If there is additional hardware behind the parallel port, this would not help.

To say anything useful. It is required to know more about everything what comes internally behind the parallel port connector...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Trizzyrascal

Hello, I'm new here and new to the world of CNC.
I've just got my hands on a CNC, it's a 6040 Chinese one. I got it 2nd hand off ebay.
It has a parallel port on the back of it, and I don't have anything that will run that. I'd like to know if this planetCNC product https://planet-cnc.com/product/cnc-u...r-mk34-4-axis/ Will solve my problems?
My set up is:
Apple Macbook with USB3 (The wife wants to use illustrator and then export as DXF)
6040 CNC with Parallel Port.
But we have 2 issues:
1 - Software - I see planetCNC works for Mac, big tick.
2 - Middleware signal conversion
Any help would be greatly appreciated please :)

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Open up the control box, take some images and upload them so we can see it.

USB to parallel requires extra circuitry, it isn't a simple converter.

Honestly the easiest way:
You are batter off getting a USBMach controller board (red square one) to replace the parallel one and rewiring the internals to it. Then using Mach3 to control it.
Hardly anyone uses a Mac o.s. for cnc. It's Windows or Linux.

The next popular route:
Buy a cheap dell desktop pc that has a Parallel printer port with Win7 or WinXP 32bit and use Mach3. Have this pc dedicated to the machine alone.
Updates can cause issues.
The cnc you bought should have had a license for Mach3 with it if you were given the installation disc with it.

Then there is the UC100 which is a true USB to parallel converter for use with UCCNC or Mach.

you can make an PCB with an arduino nano and a parallel port output, then you can use the usb port.
using GRBL as software. Just plug in the nano with parallel port on your existing machine. I have made one some years ago.

do you use arduino mega 328p and made pcb to db25 ? is there any pcb db25 to arduino kit sold ?

do you use arduino mega 328p and made pcb to db25 ? is there any pcb db25 to arduino kit sold ?

@ asuratman,
As far as I know, there are no kits, so you need some knowledge of electronics.
You have to load GRBL in the Arduino and I used UGS (Universal G-code Sender) but there are more programs.
I have used an Arduino nano. A parallel port is a connection with 5 input and 12 output ports. there are some schematics of the 6040 layout , google is your friend.

I made a pcb but maybe it is easier with a board and some wiring, see photos.
Attachment 477168
Attachment 477170
here is a set I made for testing. GRBL software has only 1 connection for speed (PWM) and stop/start spindle. Some where in this forum I have showed the circuits but I cannot find it now.
Attachment 477172

I never used arduino, I will check one day. I have the same 2 bob as yours (STV-2) on my cnc routers, very old ... maybe need replacement if my pc dead.