Re: Why I switched from MACH 3 to Centroid Acorn
Originally Posted by
dazp1976
Fine if you only need basic functionality from a 3 / 4 axis machine.
Otherwise, this system is heavily limited.
If you have servo's, encoders, tool changers, and the like.... Be prepared to spend well over £2000.
UC300eth and UCCNC gets my vote.
My first question to most that offer a strong opinion on the internet: Have you used both products so that you can offer an opinion based on your experience?
The reason I ask is that some folks just seem to get their feelings hurt when others speak of a product they dont have. Its the "fan boy" mentality that menally converts "the one I own" or "the one I could afford" into "the best there is". No one controller can be the best for everyone.
I will agree that the Centroid Acorn, by design, is limited to 4 axes of motion control, BUT the functionality is far beyond basic in general and UCCNC in particular. It is a full blown industrial CNC controller pared down to DIY affordability. Its limits are 4 axes of motion, nothing else.
I am building Acorn ATC servo systems on a weekly basis and the control features are top shelf. As a commercial system builder I used your exact combination as a base for a controller line, but ran into an issue with 3 axis helical movement, that turned the machine into a jackhammer. So I stopped using them. My opinion, or actually my choice, as I am voting with my checkbook, is Centroid Acorn, based on my experience with both products.
My current daily driver is a 40 tool ATC "bridgemill" of sorts, controlled by Centroid Acorn. There is nothing basic about the features and function to operate this machine.
Gary Campbell CNC Technology & Training
GCnC411 (at) gmail.com www.youtube.com/user/Islaww1/videos