[cnczoner]

Can anyone recommend a simple board that takes a USB signal (will be from Mach3 on Windows 7) and puts out a 0-10V analog signal?

More context: I was helping someone get one of those ebay 6040Z CNC machines setup and getting the spindle speed controllable by Mach 3 has been a nightmare. Followed many unofficial tutorials we found, but there's nothing official from the manufacturer, and it's just not worth the time to chase this down anymore. I did get the spindle speed controllable by a potentiometer that puts out 0-10V, so most reasonable solution at this point would be to just get an independent board to generate the 0-10V signal. And I'm assuming that setting up a second USB controller in Mach 3 would be easyish.

Thanks.

[cnczoner]

Hmmm... no one? Or should I ask a bit higher level, what do I need to drive a 0-10V spindle controller from Mach 3?

[Al_The_Man]

Is there any way you could use the Mach3 VFD serial plug in?
What VFD is it?
Al.

[cnczoner]

Al,

I don't have a model number, but these pics below show the machine, controller and spindle-control board (I'm avoiding the term "VFD" as I'm not sure of the specific drive method. However, I can put a variable 0-10V at one of the pins at the top and it will vary the spindle speed.
I'm not familiar with the Mach 3 serial plug in, but a quick google tells me that it does not use 0-10V. The issue I'm having is that there is practically no documentation available on this controller, so I'm looking for a way to give it what it wants.

Attachment 453702
Attachment 453704
Attachment 453706

[ger21]

You won't find anything that will connect via USB, as Mach3 has no control over USB ports.
CNC4PC makes several boards that will connect to any breakout board, and convert step/dir or PWM signals to analog speed control.
https://www.cnc4pc.com/motion-contro...d-control.html

[cnczoner]

Ah, I left these guys a message last week, but hadn't heard back... I had found the C11G, but not these spindle-only boards.. The C69 and C6 looks like what I need. However, I've never setup Mach 3 for doing spindle control as step/dir but I assume this is a "normal" thing it can do? I'll find the manual for that I guess.
Also, I assume that Mach 3 can work with 2 different output cards at once? I remember in the config having to set the parallel port addresses (0x278 and 0x378, etc), but not sure if I can leave the existing USB controller and add this parallel-port controller simultaneously. Need to flip through the Mach3 manual.

[ger21]

Also, I assume that Mach 3 can work with 2 different output cards at once?

No, it can't. But you should be able to connect one of these boards to your USB board, if you know which pins it's using.