Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: john buffum on November 16, 2025, 03:05:06 PM
-
I have a MAXNC-10 mini mill. I HAD a Windows XP desktop, now gone. My replacement pc is a HP 840 laptop with USB ports and an HDMI port, running Windows 11. NO PARALLEL PORT.
Windows 11 has been written by Microsoft so many legacy software programs will not run, necessitating buying or (EEEEW) renting NEW software.
OK. Several questions.
1.Is there a DB25 parallel to USB adapter that can allow proper signal timing with the mill? If no, this means finding and retrofitting the mill with a USB compatible board. The boards range from $20 to $300.
2. I plan to run Alibre Workshop ($400) CAD/CAM. Windows 11 compatible.
3. OK, given all that, what do I need to buy/do? Hate to shove money down a rat hole, so any advice that works is TREASURE!!
4. Are these questions in the right thread or do I need to repost somewhere else?
-
To q1, yes the UC100
-
To q1, yes the UC100
THANK YOU!!
You've tried this, and seen it work? PMDX offers something like it, the PMDX-411 https://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-411. Could be the same product. Would economically solve sooooo many problems!
-
Yes, I have 2 UC100s, one on my lathe and the other on the mill, both using Mach3. The upgrade from parallel port was practically seamless except that on the lathe I updated the stepper drivers too to get a faster max step rate. Make sure you get the genuine UC100s from CNCDrive or their stockists.
One thing about Win10/11, if you are using an XBox controller for jogging etc (for which it is ideal) then there are some ActivX components you need to install that are not generally part of the later Windows releases.
I can't speak for that PMDX product, I know nothing about it,
-
i HAVE THE UC100 CONNECTED.
Mach3 wants pinouts for X, Y, and Z limit switches. My few docs don't have this. Anyone out there have a pinouts diagram?
-
The maker of the MaxNC-10 is Ximotion, Inc. t 1832 S MacDonald Ave, Ste 109, Mesa, AZ 85210, US. 480-940-9414. I plan to contact them for technical information. What I find, I'll post.
Gonna MAKE this work!!
Was referred to this post.
https://www.machsupport.com/ftp/XMLs/Mach%203%20and%20the%20MaxNC%2010%20Open%20Loop.pdf
Lots of good information.
-
The UC100 cannot drive the original MaxNC board, but you could with the parallel port. However, you need to be very careful, as the electronics are not isolated. I would strongly suggest not trying to use the old electronics. It is very bad, and it is very easy and cheap to upgrade to new electronics. If you need a hand with this, you can reach out to us: https://www.cnc4pc.com/contact
Arturo Duncan
https://cnc4pc.com
-
I tried to contact Ximotion Systems, at 940-940-9414, got "Not in service" message. Bummer. Google insists they are in business, and their ip address pings ok, but attempting to connect gets you redirected to other websites. Ximotion is the manufacturer of the MaxNC. Wasn't on Facebook. Are these guys still in business? Would love to get a pinout diagram from them. There's a lot of info Mach3 wants.
Splitting the tractor is more involved than I figured, so I'm going to get that done. May delay me until Tuesday. The clutch is stuck, and ramming trees didn't work. Bah!
Will give myself until 15 Jan to get it to work. If it doesn't, I go to major surgery with Chinese boards.
-
OK. Tractor done. More work than I thought, but success at the end.
Now, I can get on with the MaxNC!! The game plan is to use The above cited settings. If they don't work, Ill search for help. I'm sorry I don't have the userid of the fellow who posted this.
-
The forum member & creator of the ‘Mach3 & the MaxNC 10’ document is KB7CGA but he has not been active on the forum for the last 13 years or so.
As already mentioned by Arturod the settings etc. in that document will only work with the original MaxNC board when using the LPT Parallel Port and not with any external motion controller such as the UC100.
Tweakie.
-
That seems odd to me. When I switched to the UC100 from ppt the settings carried across almost perfectly.
-
Right! I think I see now. The original maxnc units appeared to require quadrature drive from M3 because they didn't have any sort of proper stepper drivers. Ugh! So there is no way a motion controller will drive it because they all assume the use of a modern stepper driver that just needs step and direction pulses. I think you will need two things. First a set of stepper drivers, one per axis, that can drive your motors. Second a breakout board to interface between the UC100 and the drivers. Can you give more information and photos of your machine?
-
Bummer.
So, my best bet is spend another $200 and get the general overhaul refurb kit. Controller board, motion control boards, servos, power supply, and whatever else they throw in the box.
The servos are perfectly good, but they have 8 wires, while the "kit" servos have 4.
(sigh) If you wanna play, you gotta pay.
-
I've found some pics of the machine and I see on the back of at least the X axis drive motor there's what may be an encoder. So maybe the motor had 4 wires and the encoder another 4. The motors will be a standard NEMA frame size and could be replaced with steppers at significantly lower cost than servos. Actually if the "refurb kit" motors only have 4 wires they must be steppers anyway - hardly any point in using servos on a tiny machine like this. Modern steppers should have plenty of torque for it.
If you bought the UC100 already, then you need a breakout board which should be about $10, 3 steppers at ~$35, and 3 drivers at ~$20 each. Look at https://www.omc-stepperonline.com/hybrid-stepper-motor for a good motor and driver supplier - I have always found them very good.