The website for the 57E says 4-axis for Mach3 and Mach4, but there is another thread here which mentions support for more axis in Mach3.

Does anyone know if the 57E can support 5 axis or more machines in Mach4?

Thanks.
Leo

PoKeys57E is a general-purpose I/O device on Ethernet interface that supports 3 axes "out of the box" (directly on pins). With the new Mach3 plugin and the use of PoExtBusOC16CNC extension, all 6 axes in Mach3 can be used.

Thanks for replying NeoTO, but I'm not using Mach3.

Anyone able to answer this regarding Mach4?

PoKeys57E with internal pulse generator: 3 axes
PoKeys57E with external pulse generator (PoExtBusOC16CNC extension): 8 axes

Hi NeoTO,
I've had a look at the PoExtBusOC16CNC on your website. I would have guessed from what is said there that this board is a buffer only
and all the signals required for the potential 8 axes are generated in the 57E.

Is this not correct? Your previous post called the extension board an external pulse generator ie that the 57E does not generate pulses for the upper
5 axes.

Craig

Hi, Craig

It is indeed a serial-in parallel-out buffer (there are a few more details in Pulse engine docs available under Download section at PoLabs homepage).

Pulses are generated differently when used with 'Internal pulse generator' vs. 'External pulse generator'. Anyone that follow the development of features of PoKeys devices can see that we try to implement as many features in the devices themselves and it was the same case here. Unfortunately, due to pin compatiblity requirement between USB and Ethernet versions, more axes with the internal pulse generator were simply not possible and external board was offered for our general purpose I/O devices (PoKeys57U and PoKeys57E), while the PoKeys57CNC has it already built-in.

ps: there are also not enough pins on the PoKeys57E to connect all 8 axes (with step, dir, enable signals and inputs for limit and home switches...) and have anything else connected to the device - PoKeys57CNC has all those, signals for LCD, pendant, encoders, analog signals, relay and OC outputs...  and both USB and Ethernet 

Hi NeoTO,
thanks for that explanation, I had thought that the 57CNC was just a 57E with a few extra buffers and plugs but it is in fact quite a bit more than
that.

Craig