[sewerzuk]

This is my first post - Have you decided on Smooth Stepper? I am also rebuilding a CNC table, and I have all but decided on Smooth Stepper, A local Smooth Stepper distributor strongly recommended the Ethernet version and not the USB version for plasma, have you decided USB/Ethernet?

I had to go with some kind of external motion control board because every one of my current PC's are 64 bit systems, including my shop computer and my laptop. Mach3 won't run the parallel interface unless it is a 32 bit system (I suppose I could run it inside of a virtual machine, but the smoothstepper just seemed like a better solution).
I bought the ethernet version; the ethernet interface works better for my plans, but it also has an extra parallel port for future expansion.
I have it mounted in a box external to my stepper motor drives; it is all wired up, but I haven't had the time to set it all up in mach 3 and try it out. Hopefully one evening this week.

[dyode]

I had to go with some kind of external motion control board because every one of my current PC's are 64 bit systems, including my shop computer and my laptop. Mach3 won't run the parallel interface unless it is a 32 bit system (I suppose I could run it inside of a virtual machine, but the smoothstepper just seemed like a better solution).
I bought the ethernet version; the ethernet interface works better for my plans, but it also has an extra parallel port for future expansion.
I have it mounted in a box external to my stepper motor drives; it is all wired up, but I haven't had the time to set it all up in mach 3 and try it out. Hopefully one evening this week.

Hoping all goes well for you, My concern in my design is managing EM interference from the plasma arc, I have some long wire runs so I intend to use shielded twisted pairs of for driver to stepper motor connections with shield grounded at driver end only. I would like to hear about any issues you run into when testing with plasma cutter on.