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SmoothStepper USB / Newbie guidance request
« on: November 06, 2022, 09:18:05 AM »
Hi,
First I am new to this forum and new to the idea of a DIY milling machine.
I am a, lets say a seasoned mechanical design engineer.
I have been around CNC all my working career, from “time sharing” programing & paper tape to the present state of the art. Now nearing retirement, I culled thru my collection of “junk” and realized I have most of the required components for a DIY mill (3 Axis). So, I purchase a ER25 spindle & collets I have a 1HP 3 phase motor & 110 VAC VFD drive, THK bearings etc… and from Rattmmotor I purchase a motor drive package as follows:
3 x FMD2740C stepper motor driver 4.0A
3 x 23HS2430B stepper motor (Dual shaft) 112mm length,425 Oz-in
1 x 400W 36V/11A switching power supply
1 x 5 axis breakout board V5 type
1 x DB25 parallel cable
1 x USB cable
I also purchased various SFU1605 Ball Screws & mounts required to mechanically make things go.
Now the mechanical bits I can work out just fine,
The Stepper motors and the Drivers connections I should be OK with.
It is the options that I could chose for the rest ie…
Option 1
Purchase Mach3, use an old win 7 computer (that I have) & using the “1 x 5 axis breakout board V5 type“ (Purchased above with the motor pkg)
Option 2
Purchase Mach4 (Hobby), use a newer Win 10 computer (that I have) & purchase the “Warp9” “Ethernet SmoothStepper (ESS)” and connect it via the parallel port to the “1 x 5 axis breakout board V5 type“ (Purchased above with the motor pkg)
Option 3
Purchase Mach4 (Hobby), use a newer Win 10 computer (that I have) & purchase the “Warp9” “Ethernet SmoothStepper (ESS)” & the “MB3 series of breakout board” COMBO not using the “1 x 5 axis breakout board V5 type“ (Purchased above with the motor pkg)
Option 4
Purchase Mach4 (Hobby), use a newer Win 10 computer (that I have) & purchase the "USB/Ethernet CNC Controller PoKeys57CNC" (by PoLabs) & not using the “1 x 5 axis breakout board V5 type“ (Purchased above with the motor pkg)
I am leaning toward Mach4 with an Ethernet connection Option3 or 4 What would be any of your recommendations…
Thanks for any help
First I am new to this forum and new to the idea of a DIY milling machine.
I am a, lets say a seasoned mechanical design engineer.
I have been around CNC all my working career, from “time sharing” programing & paper tape to the present state of the art. Now nearing retirement, I culled thru my collection of “junk” and realized I have most of the required components for a DIY mill (3 Axis). So, I purchase a ER25 spindle & collets I have a 1HP 3 phase motor & 110 VAC VFD drive, THK bearings etc… and from Rattmmotor I purchase a motor drive package as follows:
3 x FMD2740C stepper motor driver 4.0A
3 x 23HS2430B stepper motor (Dual shaft) 112mm length,425 Oz-in
1 x 400W 36V/11A switching power supply
1 x 5 axis breakout board V5 type
1 x DB25 parallel cable
1 x USB cable
I also purchased various SFU1605 Ball Screws & mounts required to mechanically make things go.
Now the mechanical bits I can work out just fine,
The Stepper motors and the Drivers connections I should be OK with.
It is the options that I could chose for the rest ie…
Option 1
Purchase Mach3, use an old win 7 computer (that I have) & using the “1 x 5 axis breakout board V5 type“ (Purchased above with the motor pkg)
Option 2
Purchase Mach4 (Hobby), use a newer Win 10 computer (that I have) & purchase the “Warp9” “Ethernet SmoothStepper (ESS)” and connect it via the parallel port to the “1 x 5 axis breakout board V5 type“ (Purchased above with the motor pkg)
Option 3
Purchase Mach4 (Hobby), use a newer Win 10 computer (that I have) & purchase the “Warp9” “Ethernet SmoothStepper (ESS)” & the “MB3 series of breakout board” COMBO not using the “1 x 5 axis breakout board V5 type“ (Purchased above with the motor pkg)
Option 4
Purchase Mach4 (Hobby), use a newer Win 10 computer (that I have) & purchase the "USB/Ethernet CNC Controller PoKeys57CNC" (by PoLabs) & not using the “1 x 5 axis breakout board V5 type“ (Purchased above with the motor pkg)
I am leaning toward Mach4 with an Ethernet connection Option3 or 4 What would be any of your recommendations…
Thanks for any help