Nicolas,
I use the warp9TD Ethernet Smooth Stepper with M3 &M4. It works fine.
Suggest not getting the USB Smooth Stepper as its more prone to electrical noise than the Ethernet version, it can (normally) catch people out with ground loops and requiring an isolated power supply, the driver has not been updated in a while and a few functions are not enabled (although it's the next driver that they intend on updating following the next release of their Mach 4 driver / plugin for the ESS.
That being said, I have a friend with a UC100 running a plasma cutter without issues (electrical noise) and everything works.
The Smooth Stepper will offer you a Mach4 plugin for the future.... not sure what the development plans for the UC100 (or UC300) are.... but they will probably all catch up at some point in the future.
Proximity sensors..... there are basically two "main types" .... capacitive (detect all manor of materials) and inductive (detect only metalic objects [including aluminium but at a slightly reduced detecton distance). they are normally specified by their detection distance which is defined as a 1cm square of steel (low carbon / mild).
Once you've decided on which type then there are two "electrical" types.... NPN and PNP..... and within each of those types there are Normally Open types and Normally Closed Types.....
Example datasheet of the ones available off ebay with common model references and options.
I have them on my plasma cutter.... to be fair they have been easier to install than mechanical limit switches (allows me to leave the machine to cut unattended).... they run off 24v on my system as it aides in removing electrical noise ..... but ...... they have a lower leakage current which if you do what I did can lead to electrical noise and false triggering ..... basically I paralleled them up and they are of the normally open type (except for one which is used for a Z axis over-run which is a normally closed type.
There is also a good bit of information on here too...
http://www.ab.com/en/epub/catalogs/12772/6543185/12041221/12041227/print.htmlAnd a bit on leakage current here
https://www.ia.omron.com/support/guide/41/engineering_data.htmlNote that the input voltage of the smooth stepper is 5V so using a proximity sensor that operates off 6-36v is probably not a good idea (not sure about the limitations of the UC100 or UC 300).
I use a CM126 breakout board
http://www.cnc4youstore.com/cnc-mach3-board-7-relay-cm-126.html?sl=EN to the ESS as it eases wiring (but increases cost... other options are available in the US and elsewhere :
http://www.pmdx.com/ or
http://cnc4pc.com/product_info.php/c32-dual-port-multifunction-cnc-board-p-255?osCsid=cs3cebf7ldelqmo3bdkdebngj0or the C25 (and I'm sure others too)
T slot typ for clamping + spoil board
Gerry is right.... you will still need a means to control your stepper motors via drivers (G540 or stand alone drivers) I use leadshine AM882H's but the list is long... as the UC300 / UC100 or smooth stepper is just a motion controller ..... think of them as fast parallel port devices .... UC 100 with one parallel port output, the UC300 and Smooth Stepper with 3 each.
There is also the Purelogic controllers too
http://www.purelogic.ru/files/downloads/doc/english/PLCM-E3_eng.pdf (depends where in the world you are).
Rob
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