The MPG is going to be connected to the control panel, will use that shielded cat7 from there to the cabinet to avoid noise, as for the load displays I have some lm3914 bar display drivers that accept an analog signal maybe could use them, ordered 2 more parallel port header connectors for the ESS to expand my I/O from one port, im assuming for the MPG it's just a case of AB and the switches wired to inputs and configured in mach with multipliers for x1x10x100?   

Yes just A/B and obviously 5v/0v.
Regarding the x1 x10 x100, with the ESS you do not have these options as it sticks to the method that Mach uses. What you will have is Velocity mode and then multi-step mode. When in Velocity mode it moves at the rate you turn the MPG but not accurate step sizes. When in Multi-step it will move accurate distances (whatever you have set for step size) but will be a bit jerky.

I use a brain on the mill and lathe that I have the SS and ESS on, what I have is it looking at the switch position, if one position it sets Velocity mode, if the other two it automatically changes to multistep mode and then step size depending which position.

Hood

So you can have example x100 be velocity mode and x10 and x1 be a set step size? For a brain can this be an arduino circuit or is this a feature of mach?

Cheers Lewis

Here is a screenshot of the section of the Brain for that.
I am using a PLC so it says Mod ** In but if using normal inputs to Mach it would have them.

So basically it is looking at 4 inputs 23,24,25,26.

23 is the position for Velocity mode so it passes the signal to the end and outputs the MPG Mode 1  which is velocity mode.

24, 25 and 26 are passed through then through an Or and then to MPG Mode 3 which is multi step.

Also 24, 25 and 26 are looked at to set the Step size DRO, so first is a/100 so your step size would be 0.01mm, next a/10 so 0.1mm and lastly a/1 so 1mm.

Hood

Thanks a lot for the reply, I understand the brain part now  
Wired my MPG into the ESS but had no luck with the mach4 side of things, can't figure out how you map the pins to the aux-encoder   Cant find any mention of MPGs anywhere apart from the mpg page in configure mach and ess diagnostics, i have A=13  B=15 of port 1,Pics below

Cheers Lewis.

Wouldn't let me post photos said an error occurred 

Afraid I have not used Mach 4 for a long time so can't help with it. Probably best to post on the Mach4 section of the forum for help with it.
Hood

Okay cheers, if you use Mach3 can you explain how you would do it in that 

The MPG is just set up in Ports and Pins Encoder page. Enter the port and pin number for A and B of the MPG.
Hood

Nice one mate