BOB

Hello All,

For my Bridgeport 3-Axis Retrofit I will need some type of motion controller and/or breakout board
or will I need both? I would like to be able to run at least 4 axis and eventually have a linear
scale on the knee. This machine was previously equipped with a Bejur 110V electric luber and I
also will be running some type of mist through a air/electric solenoid value, hopefully controlled
though the software with M codes. I haven't decided as of yet which operating system to utilize,
Mach or UCCNC. I also have all axis limit switches and will have 2 manual E-stop switches, the
spindle is the only thing that is controlled by 230V 3-phase, I have taken care of that with a Teco
A510 VFD.

Some of you still utilize Mach 3, however that version is no longer supported. Would it be better
at this point to step up to the newer Mach 4 version?

I will need something that is compatible with my Windows 10 machine w/out a parallel port, so
communication will need to be either USB or Ethernet. I'm hearing a lot to good things about the ESS
and MB3 BOB, what is everyone utilizing, please provide the pros and cons of why you choose these
components. How about the product support? I have read a few places to pick a board up off of Ebay
or Amazon for 30-50 dollars, I assume that if I went this route, I wouldn't be able to get mush support?

Is there a universal board out there compatible for multiple software platforms?

Also at times I like to utilize this machine for some manual machine operations, and still utilize
the DRO scale for location, with that being said, is Mach and or UCCNC capable of doing this task?