[CROSSHATCH]

Hello Everyone,

I have a Nice CNC'd Taig Milling Machine running off EMC in my shop. The controller unit I have now only has the Breakout board "adapter" as in, just the wiring too the boards.

Ever since I read that having a Breakout board that is not optoisolated I got scared of burning my Pc, which is not something I want too do.

I have been looking at the C1 - Parallel Port Interface Card, from CNC4pc http://www.cnc4pc.com/Store/osc/prod...products_id=47 You can read all about it, it's got a nice price tag.

So I want too upgrade my board that I have now too this and just wanted too know what people thought.

Would there be any increase of performance other then it just protecting my comp and my electronics?

I also in the future want too add limit switches, E-Stop and be able too run my coolant pump and maybe some other things all from the eletronics. Will I need entirely new board or is there something more expensive I can get that is kinda everything? That will save me money as buying as whole.

PLease help


-Speed

[CROSSHATCH]

Anyone have any suggestions

-Speed

[mackeym]

Would there be any increase of performance other then it just protecting my comp and my electronics?

Nope. It just protects your parallel port and motherboard/computer. I've also read that's it's very easy to damage your computer even if you know what u're doing. An accidental touch of the wrong wires and there goes your computer. The biggest risk is during setup. If you've gotten it setup without burning anything up, u're pretty much in the clear.

The C1-parallel port looks good...this is what you want to do the optoisolation. Alternatively, you might find something cheaper at www.digikey.com ...but it might take a little time to find it.

If you want to run a lot of things, one parallel port might not have enough pins. If this is the case, you need a PCI or other card (depending on what kind of slots you have in your computer) to parallel port card. The Mach help files should give you all the information you need (http://www.artsoftcontrols.com/documentation although specific to that software the files have a LOT of useful information). With this second parallel port, you may or may not need another optoisolator board. The board may have short circuit protection built in. I also don't know how to tell the EMC software to use the second parallel port (this may or may not be possible..you can do it in Mach3).

[mackeym]

is there something more expensive I can get that is kinda everything?

I have no idea if you can tell EMC to control or read the pins....but there is something called a DIO card (digitial input output)...National instruments has a bunch of these. I've seen them having up to 96 pins...which is more than u'll ever need.

these cards generally don't need isolators...the pins are already isolated

[acondit]

Anyone have any suggestions

-Speed

I use a CandCNC mini-IO board with EMC2 for my lathe and for my router. They have built in 5v supplies for drive logic. I also use it for my limit switches and estop. It also has a charge pump signal board included that you can use or ignore. CandCNC also have an optional board that has LEDs to display step and direction signals.

I had problems with one board and they just replaced it, no cost to me other than shipping the old one back (it was several months after I bought it before I got around to testing it).

If you go this way, I will share my config files with you to help you get it working. Their link is http://www.candcnc.com/Mini-IO.htm.

I have no relation to them just a happy customer.

Alan

[CROSSHATCH]

Mackeym- Yea I'm going too have too be careful when setting it up, but hey, read 10 times and figure everything out first, then see if it works

Honestly, the most I would ever run through my comp, is the Coolant Pump and my Spindle (But I don't even have that set-up for variable speed right now anyway). So I found this board http://www.cnc4pc.com/Store/osc/prod...products_id=48 But it is a bit pricey, but does have a lot of features, like relays and the charge pump and a speed controller on board, which is nice

But between this more expensive board, and the board your pointed out (I like the price of yours) I can still add more features too yours as well, I can still put an E-Stop on with Limit switches etc...


Of the two, How much more would I be spending on features I would/would not use.

Again, my main point here is to PROTECT my computer and then LATER ADD, E-Stop, Limit switches, Control my coolant. Without spending lots of money and add more and more boards that are not needed.


-Speed

[MrWild]

Spend the money... Mesa makes a great card that works with EMC, Cambell designs makes a good card with all the bells and whistles you would ever need on the BOB. I'm running a CNC4PC BOB you're looking at on my JGRO. It works, but if I want to add anything, I have to look at add ons. The Cambelle designs BOB includes everything you could hope for in one card. Not cheap though. Neither the CNC4PC or Campbells give a decent set of instructions. Have yet to see what a Mesa 5i20 card does for documentation, but I'm headed in that direction.

[acondit]

Spend the money... Mesa makes a great card that works with EMC, Cambell designs makes a good card with all the bells and whistles you would ever need on the BOB. I'm running a CNC4PC BOB you're looking at on my JGRO. It works, but if I want to add anything, I have to look at add ons. The Cambelle designs BOB includes everything you could hope for in one card. Not cheap though. Neither the CNC4PC or Campbells give a decent set of instructions. Have yet to see what a Mesa 5i20 card does for documentation, but I'm headed in that direction.

Actually, the break out boards from Campbell Designs is designed by the same guys that now run CandCNC.

Alan

[CROSSHATCH]

MrWild- Are you talking about another BOB besides the ones showed if so, links too these boards. I'm looking to spend some money on a board that will provide features and protect me

-Speed

[dertsap]

great boards

http://cgi.ebay.com/CNC-PLASMA-ROUTE...QQcmdZViewItem

[CROSSHATCH]

You know what, That may be the board I go with. My whole controller CNC system was from that buyer.

Is that BOB fully optoisolated, cause I want protection, But I like the other features too


-Speed

[dertsap]

You know what, That may be the board I go with. My whole controller CNC system was from that buyer.

Is that BOB fully optoisolated, cause I want protection, But I like the other features too


-Speed

the guy is great , i've bought a number of things from him , his prices and shipping are reasonable and the stuff is good , i'm quite happy with the breakout board , the one he's selling is a newer version from the one i've got

i beleave it is optoisolated but you may want to check with him to be sure

[CROSSHATCH]

Yea he is very good, great shipping and good stuff. E-mailed him.

-Jason

[CROSSHATCH]

Just got word that it's NOT isolated. Bummer, still looking now...


Also anyone know if on the CNC4pc why the BOB next too the one I showed you said Geckos and is it only used for those?

-Speed

[CROSSHATCH]

Right now I'm really leaning towards the CNC4pc BOB for 124.00, mainly because in one board it has full optoisolation, the ability too control my pump and have limit switches and has a speed control all in one board.

However, I was wondering if you think this board will be just as good http://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-122/ and is it FULLY isolated?


Speed