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Author Topic: Recommendations on BEST Breakout Board by General Mach3 Users !  (Read 99643 times)

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Re: Recommendations on BEST Breakout Board by General Mach3 Users !
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2014, 08:44:18 PM »
Tweakie,
That's the board I have in my homebuilt machine. I reported a problem with jogging continuing on it's own sometimes. However others reported the same problem with Mach3 and other boards.  I solved it for safety reasons by disabling the arrow keys and using the job controller pop up only. That said it actually works very well.  I actually have a smooth stepper and a PMDX-126 to replace it, but it has worked so well I'm thinking I don't want to make the effort.
Re: Recommendations on BEST Breakout Board by General Mach3 Users !
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2014, 08:45:42 PM »
Not really impressed with CNC4PC boards however the PMDX-126 is one heck of a nice board.

Offline Fastest1

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Re: Recommendations on BEST Breakout Board by General Mach3 Users !
« Reply #12 on: February 28, 2014, 10:46:11 PM »
Definitely no issues with the PMDX126. If space isnt an issue, it is the standard by which all will be measured in the price range I am in anyway.
I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather, not like the passengers in the car! :-)
Re: Recommendations on BEST Breakout Board by General Mach3 Users !
« Reply #13 on: September 02, 2015, 04:50:18 PM »
Like to bring our Integra Controller + Breakout into the mix here:



We are working closely with Mach developers to match latest Mach4 releases.  We provide feature rich plugin, outstanding support and USA made high reliability hardware systems.

regards,
VSI Sales Team
www.vsys.co/integra

« Last Edit: September 02, 2015, 06:24:39 PM by ger21 »
Re: Recommendations on BEST Breakout Board by General Mach3 Users !
« Reply #14 on: September 03, 2015, 11:01:18 AM »
I'm currently looking for a breakout board as well. I bought a kit from longs motor and the Bob arrived defective, and I decided to upgrade instead of go after the warranty. I've seen the zhc mach motion boards. But after reading this thread, a couple of you guys mentioned pmdx and their 126 board, which I'm looking into. I was also considering this board:
http://m.ebay.com/itm/CNC-200KHz-6-Axis-USB-Mach3-Card-Controller-Breakout-Interface-Board-Aluminum-/261719017210?nav=SEARCH

But, I think I'm going to end up with the pmdx. First there here in the USA. And Second it looks like they have good documentation on the product, which longs totally lacks. And lastly it has good reviews.

Offline ger21

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Re: Recommendations on BEST Breakout Board by General Mach3 Users !
« Reply #15 on: September 03, 2015, 11:47:42 AM »
The Ebay board you linked to is a motion control board, while the PMDX-126 is a breakout board only. Be aware that you're comparing two different types of boards.
Gerry

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Re: Recommendations on BEST Breakout Board by General Mach3 Users !
« Reply #16 on: September 03, 2015, 12:11:19 PM »
What do you mean? I wouldn't be able to hook these up to my drivers and run?

Offline beefy

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Re: Recommendations on BEST Breakout Board by General Mach3 Users !
« Reply #17 on: September 03, 2015, 02:23:35 PM »
In it's native state Mach3 is designed to control the I/O pins of the parallel port. A breakout board normally plugs into the parallel port and acts as both a buffer and a safety barrier via optical isolation (often but not always).

A motion controller card on the other hand, generally seems to need a software plugin written specifically for Mach3, so Mach3 knows how to talk to it. Think of it like all the different pieces of hardware on a PC also need a driver so the operating system knows how to talk to them. It's also possible that you MAY lose some standard Mach functionality that is native with Mach3. Example Torch Height Control or M10/11 laser commands. They are just two off the top of my head.

Keith.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2015, 02:27:11 PM by beefy »
Re: Recommendations on BEST Breakout Board by General Mach3 Users !
« Reply #18 on: September 03, 2015, 03:33:37 PM »
Oh OK I think I get the difference now. So pretty much anything other than a parallel port board is considered a motion controller because they need to use plugins. So the pmdx 126 board is a breakout board only. But if I also add the smooth stepper card that would make it a motion controller then? Thanks for the input I never thought about this difference. I just knew some had plugins and some didnt.

Offline ger21

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Re: Recommendations on BEST Breakout Board by General Mach3 Users !
« Reply #19 on: September 03, 2015, 07:15:09 PM »
A breakout board facilitates connecting your drives and other devices to the parallel port pins. The parallel port is sending the step and direction signals to the drive.

With a motion controller, the motion controller generates the step and direction signals itself, based on commands that Mach3 sends to it.

A Smoothstepper is a motion controller. When you add a Smoothstepper to a PMDX 126, you have a breakout board with a motion controller mounted to it.
Gerry

2010 Screenset
http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

JointCAM Dovetail and Box Joint software
http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html