[flyboypete]

Hi Listers
I am upgrading my CNC router. I have used Mach 3 for years running on a parallel port and am currently going to UG to five axis.

My question revolves around the parallel port and using the USB and Ethernet alternatives.

Home

CNCdrive - motion controls

Was wondering if the alternatives above result in meaningful improvements in smoothness and has anyone gone down this path and noticed any improvements.

My router runs fine and rapids up to 6m/min and machines very well at 4m/min but I was wondering about these alternatives.

best regards
Peter Williams

[flyboypete]

Hi Listers
Only thing I can find....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T2A7WcIERc

best regards
Pete

[KennyPowers]

I have very good experience with PlanetCNC controllers/software: Planet CNC - CNC USB Controllers
Good hardware, easy and simple software and fast reliable support, bingo.
You can use either USB or Ethernet connection.

With USB controllers you get much more intelligent and complex device than breakout boards.
While breakout board basically only re-routes signals from PC, controller has its own "mind". It uses motion algorithms to optimise machine motion inside desired constraints.

Also, there are some hardware based features and motion procedures that controller makes them on its own.

[A_Camera]

Hi Listers
I am upgrading my CNC router. I have used Mach 3 for years running on a parallel port and am currently going to UG to five axis.

My question revolves around the parallel port and using the USB and Ethernet alternatives.

Home

CNCdrive - motion controls

Was wondering if the alternatives above result in meaningful improvements in smoothness and has anyone gone down this path and noticed any improvements.

My router runs fine and rapids up to 6m/min and machines very well at 4m/min but I was wondering about these alternatives.

best regards
Peter Williams

I only have experience with parallel port solutions and two different USB controller cards, one was really dangerous because it could result in the CNC runaway uncontrollably for no real reason, other than switching on a lamp somewhere in my home. The other is the UC300 which works without any issues since many months now. Maybe Ethernet based drivers are even better, so I will probably buy one soon, not that I feel the need of even better, but because it is fun, and not that expensive.

So, if you have not decided yet then you should go for the UC400, or something similar. I can't really say which, but based on my experience with CNCdrive in Hungary, I will not hesitate to buy their products, I trust their products and Balazs (the very knowledgeable owner) is also giving very good email support, if asked a question. Their products have high reputation, so I am sure even the UC400 is very good. The things you need to watch out for is compatibility with whatever software you are using, not only the existence of proper plugin, but compatibility on G code level.

I have noticed HUGE improvements between running the CNC using the parallel port I used before compared using the USB controller. Of course, my observations are made on the same PC, and in fact, the UC300 is capable of running very smooth even on a low end, old PC. Pulsing is very stable and smooth, as well as pulse levels are very nice, kept at a stable and constant level (checked with digital oscilloscope) so the stepper speed and smoothness really improved for me. You have already a very high speed, 6m/min for rapids is much more than I have, so maybe you have reached the top performance already, but I am pretty sure you would observe smoother run with a quality USB or Ethernet controller. The advantage of using the UC300 is also the huge number of inputs/outputs and the diversity of the possibilities. The UC400 is not as flexible as the UC300, it has only two parallel ports and no analog in/out at all, so if you think you need analog in/outputs than the UC400 is not going to work. On the other hand, the Ethernet protocol is more reliable than USB and it is also electrically isolated and not as noise sensitive as the USB. In both cases you will need a BoB, one for each port, to get optically isolated inputs and outputs, as well as relay outputs if you need that.

[A_Camera]

... deleted message. Wrong post.

[KennyPowers]

I don not know why you quoted my post, but what you said is almost exactly the same as I said regarding BoB and USB controller comparison.
Maybe you misunderstood me.

[ger21]

Was wondering if the alternatives above result in meaningful improvements in smoothness and has anyone gone down this path and noticed any improvements.

My router runs fine and rapids up to 6m/min and machines very well at 4m/min but I was wondering about these alternatives.

Whether you see an improvement or not depends on the quality of the output from your parallel port. It's possible that you could see a large increase, and it's also possible that you may not see any difference.

[OlfCNC]

Whether you see an improvement or not depends on the quality of the output from your parallel port. It's possible that you could see a large increase, and it's also possible that you may not see any difference.

There is a chance that you see a difference when you overload windows. With an LPT port your motion stops and machine can loose position.
With motion controllers the chance for this is much lower.

[flyboypete]

Thanks for all the replies guys very helpful.
Must admit my mind is being made up especially watching this a few days ago.

This is a comparison MAch3 VS UCCNC....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ8NM1MVFdM


best regards
Pete

[dharmic]

The nice thing about the UC controllers is you can keep running Mach at first, until you know everything's wired up right. Then switch to UCCNC when you're ready.

I've just finished an upgrade of a USB BOB to a UC400ETH with a cheapo ebay BOB attached and it works great. Even Mach3 seems to be behaving better, and I like not having USB in the loop anymore.

[flyboypete]

Some pics of the 4th and 5th axis......

best regards
Pete