A USB to serial adapter will work because the machine already has a cnc controller in it that you're connecting to. It isn't necessarily a great one though.
Originally Posted by
joeavaerage
Hi,
A USB adaptor WILL NOT WORK. You need a motion controller, ie some hardware that can generate high-speed accurately timed pulse streams from numeric trajectory data.
A USB adaptor does not even come close.
Looking at a UC100 it connects to the PC by USB and has a DB25 parallel port output. Its tempting to believe it that it is a USB adaptor, but its not, its a genuine motion controller with an FPGA inside.
Its way,WAY, WAY cleverer than a USB adaptor.
Craig
Eric Feldman - Design Engineer, Programmer
Armor CNC - http://www.armorcnc.com Support hours: 7am thru 10pm EST, 7 days a week