[AMOK]

Have Mach 4 and a fly motion controller on a CNC zone 5 axis router need .m4pw and .sig files any help would be greatly appreciated

[joeavaerage]

Hi,
the .m4pw and .sig files are a plugin and its signature file. They are written, provided and maintained by the company that makes the motion controller.
Can you tell us about the motion controller?. I've been using Mach4 for eight years and don't recall any Mach4 controller called a 'fly motion controller'

To my knowledge the following is a list of the manufacturers of Mach4 ready controllers, ie that have .m4pw and .sig files:
1) Warp9TD for the Ethernet SmoothStepper
2) CNCDrive for the UC100, UC300 and UC400
3) PMDX for the PMDX412,426 etc
4) Vital Systems for the Hicon
5) PoKeys for the 57CNC and 57CNCdb25
6) CSLabs for the CSMIO/P and CSMIO/A
7) XHC-avoid like the plague, the plugin is extremely buggy and works only with wxMach and will not work with Mach4GUI

Is your controller one of these?

Craig

[AMOK]

CRAIG; No it's not on the list. It appears to be made in china though all the markings are in english formerly ZK Motion, now is Fly Motion controller and claims to be MACH 3, 4/6 AXIS. Brand LOLLETTE Product Code ZKMotion.

CRAIG, I GENUINLY APPRECIATE THE HELP

[joeavaerage]

Hi,

No it's not on the list. It appears to be made in china though all the markings are in english formerly ZK Motion, now is Fly Motion controller and claims to be MACH 3, 4/6 AXIS. Brand LOLLETTE Product Code ZKMotion.

That controller WILL NOT WORK with Mach4. XHC is the only Chinese manufacturer that claims to have a Mach4 ready controller and its s****t and the plugin, when it works at all, only works with wxMach not the
proper Mach4GUI. Avoid it at all costs.

If you want to use Mach4 then you will have to use one of the controllers on the list. I use an Ethernet SmoothStepper ($190), and have done for eight years.
If you want to save a little money then UC100 will work, but only if you buy a genuine CNCDrive made one, not one of the many Chinese rip-offs that you'll find on EBay and Amazon.

CSLabs CSMIO/P and CSMIO/A are good quality but their Mach4 plugin is somewhat buggy and they have, contrary to their former reputation, been very slow to fix it. Given that they cost
600Euro its hard to recommend them, despite their build quality.

Craig

[AMOK]

ESS it is then. Thanks Craig, if you don't mind me asking what machine's have you been running Mach 4 on?

[dazp1976]

ESS it is then. Thanks Craig, if you don't mind me asking what machine's have you been running Mach 4 on?

ESS, (waep9)
UC300eth, (cncdrive)
UC400eth, (cncdrive)
I wouldn't bother with any other controler than those 3.
I was almost convinced by the Pokeyes57 at one stage but the support (or how it looked a lack of) put me off.

Aftermarket and live forum support is one reason I was sold on the UC300eth so I could try UCCNC as well as Mach.
The ESS is BUILT for Mach.

If you also have a reasonable budget, go over to CNCRoom and have a look at their breakout boards MB3 and/or UB1 for the ESS and UC300.



Afaik Lollette sound familiar when looking at NVUM/NVEM controllers, and those things are a 50% disaster.
Says it all.

[joeavaerage]

Hi,

ESS it is then. Thanks Craig, if you don't mind me asking what machine's have you been running Mach 4 on?

As dazp1976 posted you will need a breakout board to go with the ESS, your existing controller may have something useful, or you'll end up buying another.
They range from the simplest 1 port boards for $20 up to the three port MB3 for $180, with some useful in-between types.

I made a mini-mill eight-nine years ago. About a year ago I finished, or rather put into service while I finish it, a new mill, travels 350mm x 350mm x 350mm, servo driven.

Craig

[CNC support]

Hi Craig,

if you could please point out which elements you find buggy. It will be easier for us to verify it and improve it.

Thanks,

A.R.
CS-Lab