Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => Mach3 under Vista => Topic started by: jgalle on November 02, 2010, 06:36:47 PM

Title: laptop to parallel
Post by: jgalle on November 02, 2010, 06:36:47 PM

Dear all,

I made my own 3-axis CNC-miller and its electronics. I used so far an old pc with a parallel port to connect to my interface and drivers. However it takes too much space away and I have to load the codes with a diskette (so old technology...). I would like to connect my laptop (without parallel port output).

I've seen this is a common problem and USB to parallel adapter seems not to work. One of the options I've found is a parallel PCMCIA card. However this also seems to disappear from the market and my new laptop doesnt seem to have this connector slot anymore. are there still some other solutions?

greetings

Title: Re: laptop to parallel
Post by: Jeff_Birt on November 04, 2010, 01:59:18 PM

If you want to use a laptop then a SmoothStepper, DSPMC, kFlop motion control boards are your best bet. I carry the SmoothStepper: http://www.soigeneris.com/SmoothStepper-details.aspx and have used them in many controls.

Title: Re: laptop to parallel
Post by: jgalle on November 04, 2010, 06:02:44 PM

the problem is that I am such an a**hole that wanted to make his machine completely by hand (to get some practical experience and more insight in mechanical technics)... So I refuse to by such thing (at least for this project)  :P

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VC12ALIQ (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VC12ALIQ) is what I mean (some photos of the machine)


Edit: RC :)

Title: Re: laptop to parallel
Post by: dar303 on November 05, 2010, 02:50:06 AM

This is from the Mach3 specifications:

   " * Desktop PC (if using the Mach3 Parallel Port Driver - laptops are not supported because the power saving features of the chipsets disrupt the pulse stream, PCMCIA and USB parallel adaptors will *not* work.)"

An external card is mandatory with a laptop.

Title: Re: laptop to parallel
Post by: jgalle on November 06, 2010, 10:08:19 AM

what is meant with "an external card"? is that the Smoothstepper?

thanks for the clarification (too bad that it is not that good news) maybe i find other software that gets the job done?

Title: Re: laptop to parallel
Post by: Jeff_Birt on November 06, 2010, 10:32:09 AM

It is not a SW issue, it is a HW issue. Laptops are built to save power so they adjust the processor speeds among other things to do that. When you need precise timings, as Mach does, then that will not work. If you want to use a laptop then you need to use an external motion controller.

Title: Re: laptop to parallel
Post by: dar303 on November 07, 2010, 05:21:29 PM

exactly, an external hardware takes care of the critical timing and keeps the motors running smooth! :)

Title: Re: laptop to parallel
Post by: RICH on February 18, 2011, 07:03:10 AM

At our end we have probably tried 10 laptops. I personally have use an old dead dog NEC which had a PP port and it worked perfectly fine. 
All the Dell laptops  ( about 5 or so ) didn't work well . The Tashiba one was junk fro CNC. A friend uses a Dell laptop and it works fine but he also made a circuit to refine the pulse from the PC. So you just don't know.
I use a dedicated PC for CNC and it is not a laptop.
The SS sits on the shelf gathering dust ( no backlash and there probably never will be in my opinion).
RICH

Title: Re: laptop to parallel
Post by: dar303 on February 18, 2011, 07:58:24 AM

If you are not using the Smoothstepper I could buy it from you cheap for my next machine! Or maybe trade for something?
Smootstepper has its quirks but work very well iin my application.