[JohnHaine]

So, I'm finally upgrading my workhorse office laptop and will have an old but functional Dell Latitude Win 7 machine spare as a result. In the workshop the CNC machines are controlled by an even more venerable Dell WinXP desktop through the parallel port, and I'm wondering about moving the laptop to the workshop and replacing the XP machine, controlling the machines using a USB motion controller. I aim to stick with Mach 3 because it works, I understand it reasonably well, and I've written some useful extra macros for tool setting. I'm interested in people's experience to help with this decision. Another option, though more expensive, would be an Ethernet controller.

1. Will the UC100 work OK with a Win 7 laptop (obviously I'm no longer using a parallel port and would need the appropriate plugins)?

2. Does the UC100 support the probing input properly? That's very important for me for tool setting, for both mill and lathe.

3. If I decide to ditch Mach 3 at some stage, has anyone experience of the UC100 with other CNC packages such as Mach 4?

Yes, I will ask the UC100 supplier the same questions but interested in customers' experience in the real world.

Thanks in advance for any help

[ger21]

1) Yes
2) Yes
3) Go with UCCNC. It's only $60, it's far superior to Mach3, and much easier to use than Mach4.

I'd recommend the UC400ETH for about $30 more though. It's more powerful, supports more features, and is much more immune to noise issues.

[coherent]

As ger21 said, but also look into the ethernet models that they offer. I have a 100 that I use on a mill and while it works and is a huge step up from the old parallel port connected devices I have had a few usb issues. Mostly during simultaneous use of other usb devices like a thumb drive or a pendant at the same time as the UC100. You may not have any such issues, but I know I have had no such problems with the ethernet UC400 I have.

[robertspark]

UC motion controllers offer the advantage of being able to run mach3 mach4 and uccnc.

When it's time to move on from mach3 and you see the light uccnc is very good at mill router and plasma.

It's development is regular and because uccnc only works with UC motion controllers compatibility is managed.

For the cost of uccnc and a UC motion controller it cannot be beat really.

Ok converting your macros would be a bit of work but it is not difficult at all.

[OlfCNC]

UC100 works fine on my mill and UC400ETH on my plasma machine both with UCCNC. no problems whatsoever.