I have a 4 axis CNC router that I would like to modify a bit.
It works well, but has some limitations that I would like to address. At the moment it has no homing/ limit switches, and that makes it hard to set up, so would like to add one for each axis. It also has no provision for a pendant, and I would like to add that in. And lastly, it is a high speed router, but I would like to machine aluminum and brass, so I think I will need to swap out the spindle motor, with something that has lower speed, but more torque.
I think the electronics may be able to integrate homing switches and a pendant, one because there is a label and an empty socket on the control box that is labelled “Tool Setting”, another for “Spindle”, and it would make sense to have one set of electronics to do it all, but only wire in the functions on simpler machines.
There are only the four step drivers one would expect to find in a 4 axis machine, but there are a few open wiring connectors (though not as many as I would have liked).
I use mach 3 for machine control, and if the current electronics are upgradable, will continue to use it. If I have to get entirely new electronics, I may go to Mach 4, if there is any benefit in that?
Regarding the pendant, would it be better to get a USB one, or would it be better to wire a plug into the control box and plug it into that?
I am using an old Pentium 4 with windows 7, or will be once I have it all setup. I don’t particularly want to get a PCI-E CNC card to add the functionality, but then I don’t particularly want to buy and wire in a new set of electronics for the machine.
I am hoping that you will say something along the lines of:” Oh that’s easy, just wire up your limit switches as per this attached wiring diagram, buy this plug and that pendant, along with this motor, and let us know how you go”, but I might be a teensy bit optimistic.
Thanks for this
Leon
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