584,841 active members*
4,202 visitors online*
Register for free
Login
IndustryArena Forum > Machine Controllers Software and Solutions > LinuxCNC (formerly EMC2) > Looking into motion control/breakout boards and after recommendations
Results 1 to 9 of 9
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    81

    Looking into motion control/breakout boards and after recommendations

    Hi everyone,

    I have built a cnc machine and am running it on 2 x parallel ports, but i'm almost out of I/O's and looking at tidying everything up nicer.

    So I have been looking into new motion control/breakout boards, i have come across MESA and like the look of it, but i'm just after peoples opinions on what to go with.
    The options are 7I76e / 5I25+7I76 / 6I25+7I76, so i'm just wondering what people would recommend from these 3 options and why.

    Or if anyone has any other options over MESA that are cost effective and could point me in the directions of these that would be great.

    Thanks for any help.

    Will

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    35

    Re: Looking into motion control/breakout boards and after recommendations

    Hi Willy. I see this has been hanging here for a while. I have a 5i25 / 7i76 on an Emco and a 7i76e on a Takisawa. I don't have any problems with either one of them. The 7i76e is just easier for me as there is only the network cable and power supply. My computer is in the front panel and 7i76e in the rear panel with the drives and PS's.

    So, 7i76e is my preferance, but both will work.

    Sent from my BV6800Pro using Tapatalk

  3. #3

    Re: Looking into motion control/breakout boards and after recommendations

    Can anyone suggest a motion control/breakout board that works equally well with LinuxCNC and Mach 3/4?

    wally0623

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    35538

    Re: Looking into motion control/breakout boards and after recommendations

    There are none.
    LinuxCNC and Mach3/4 are fundamentally different programs, and the hardware that works them them is very different.
    Gerry

    UCCNC 2017 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2017.html

    Mach3 2010 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

    JointCAM - CNC Dovetails & Box Joints
    http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Posts
    684

    Re: Looking into motion control/breakout boards and after recommendations

    It depends. the 5i25 is a PCI card. The 6i25 is a PCIe card. Both take two daughter cards including the 7i76. So the one to choose depends on your PC hardware

    The 7i76e basically rolls the 6i25 and the 7i76 into one single ethernet card. 5 stepgens, 32 inputs, 16 outputs, analog inputs, 2 MPG inputs, spindle control.

    Once installed, there is no difference in performance between PCIe and ethernet.

    I prefer the ethernet cards but if I was building a machine that had an integrated console, I might go the PCIe path. However when you can get tiny PC's like the Odroid h2+ or even a raspberry pi4 running linuxcnc, why bother with anything other than ethernet?
    Rod Webster
    www.vehiclemods.net.au

  6. #6

    Re: Looking into motion control/breakout boards and after recommendations

    So an ethernet based card with work with both LinuxCNC and Mach 3/4, despite what has been previously stated?

    wally0623

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    644

    Re: Looking into motion control/breakout boards and after recommendations

    Quote Originally Posted by wally0623 View Post
    So an ethernet based card with work with both LinuxCNC and Mach 3/4, despite what has been previously stated?

    wally0623

    Different Ethernet cards will work with LinuxCNC and Mach but I am not aware of any single card that will work with both.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    1567

    Re: Looking into motion control/breakout boards and after recommendations

    ...is it better to think from the top down...or from the bottom up when building a cnc? ...are the real questions...besides costs

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Posts
    6248

    Re: Looking into motion control/breakout boards and after recommendations

    Hi MH5 - Do you man the structure? ie the bottom is the machine base and the top is the Z axis? Peter

Similar Threads

  1. Recommendations on motion control boards & Single Board Computer
    By mike944 in forum Controller & Computer Solutions
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 12-12-2018, 09:57 PM
  2. Mach3 Motion card XHC 5th MK4-V 4 AXIS mach3 cnc motion control breakout board
    By samnang39 in forum Automation Technology Products
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 01-01-2017, 03:22 AM
  3. BoB & Motion Control Boards ?
    By coils in forum CNC Machine Related Electronics
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 10-16-2014, 02:23 AM
  4. List of currently maintained USB/Network breakout/motion controller boards
    By Deviant in forum CNC Machine Related Electronics
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 12-13-2011, 10:23 PM
  5. Replies: 3
    Last Post: 07-27-2010, 08:47 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •