[jcoldon]

can any one recommend a good controller for plasma I building a new one 60 tooth with 15 tooth gear reduction and a 20 degree rack I belive this should be fine . using nema 34 900 oz motors I was going to use gecko drives G 203 v model and was thinking of using a either net smooth stepper
with a c62 breakout board I want 5 axis 4 for now I going to use torch hight poma and a switch on the z for initial hight start and 7 limit switches and a future control for a scribe

I just want to have some input on the controller and the breakout board

[rodw]

Consider using LinuxCNC with a Mesa 7i76e ethernet motion controller. 5 axis step and direction, 32 inputs and 16 outputs from memory. Either stick with your Proma or consider the Mesa THCAD addon card for USD $69 for torch height control. Either option is supported under LinuxCNC.

I'm just finishing off my plasma build with the 7i76e/THCAD that I've built from scratch. I just have to turn the pile of steel in my garage into a table.

[asuratman]

Hi Rod,
Do you have motor and driver wiring ? How easy ? What software to use like mach3 ?

[rodw]

Software like Mach3 is Linuxcnc and its free LinuxCNC Thats what most commercial systems that used to use Mach3 are migrating to.
There is a wiring diagram on the Linuxcnc forum for the 7i76e but I could not find it for you.
Read the manual here
https://mesaus.com/index.php?route=p...&product_id=66
I would not say it is easy to install a plasma system on LinuxCNC because it is such a flexible system.

You could use a standard parallel port card which might be easier. Would work for your Proma nicely.
Smoothstepper will not work with LinuxCNC

[jcoldon]

I have been looking at vital systems seams everyone says they are a top dog for mach 3 and 4 this is a scratch build table also I finaly got the gantry dun and working on the gear racks almost dun then the table the easy part I will take a look at the Mesa 7i76e ethernet motion controller my only worry is people have problems when it comes to BOB and controller working together and also working right with the proma eagle who sells the proma has a new proma direct connect to the stepper driver that might be the way to go also I have built hundreds of computers over the years I not a fan of linex it is very stable just me you use a good asus mother board with intell and oem windows I have never had a crash I also do not load junk in my computer like my kids do . this will be my first controller build I going to go with mach 4

[rodw]

this will be my first controller build I going to go with mach 4

Then its pointless looking at the Mesa hardware as its not compatible.