I have had some intermittent problems with Mach 3 on my Bridgeport conversion and my router and from some other recent threads it seems I am not the only one. Now that I am starting to need to make more complex parts with expensive cutters it gets to be a big deal when Mach just decides to run off in the wrong direction and ruin a part I have been working on for an hour, trashes a piece of stock, and breaks a $70 carbide cutter.
I would like to get some opinions on better control software I can use. I am looking for something that will eventually let me go to 5 axis. I would prefer something that will work with my Ethernet Smoothstepper board, but I would consider replacing the hardware if a compelling case could be made, something that works with the UC100 I have on the router would be good, but that is used for more simple things these days and could stay with Mach. Software that I can use on the mill, router, eventual lathe and future other machines without having to buy multiple licenses would be a big help. something that works with my XHS wireless MPG would be a plus, but I could buy a new MPG if I had to.
I was hoping that Mach 4 would be ready for prime time by now, but seems that it may take a little while.
So what do you all recommend?