Mach Discussion > FAQs

parallel port to serial

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paxman:
Hi,
I recently bought a cnc engraver( 3 axis's ). It is a Chinese machine, Suda SD3025SXH.
It only has a serial port on the back of the machine and looks like it is only using 4 pins from the Serial Port.
I installed Mach3 on a PC and can get voltage on/off on pins 2,3 and 4.

I was thinking of using the parallel port  on the PC and connecting to the serial port on machine.
Anyone ever done this or am I wasting my time?
If possible - how do I go about figuring out the pin layout on machine?
Any advice appreciated.

Thanks,
Paul

joeaverage:
Hi,


--- Quote ---I was thinking of using the parallel port  on the PC and connecting to the serial port on machine.
--- End quote ---

No, that will not work.

Machs parallel port is a lot more than just a db25 connector.  The parallel port driver takes numerical data, the
'trajectory', from Mach and converts that numerical data into simultaneous pulse streams, and can communicate those
pulse streams simultaneously over the db25 connector.

If you try to 'squeeze' the pulse streams through a serial connection all sense of simultaneity is lost.

Despite Machs parallel port being on the same PC as Mach (the Windows APP) it is separate and is a genuine motion
controller.

You can use Mach over a serial link, Mach transmits numeric data over the link to the controller and the controller
must generate the required pulse streams.

The distinction is.......motion controller in the PC (parallel port) verses external motion controller (within your machine control
box).

I can't find any info on your machine. Can you post some pics of the controller, take the top off so we can see inside?

Craig

paxman:
Thanks for info.
Think this is the controller, not much info on it.
Apparently machine originally came with TypeEdit,
Supplier said they cant help - dont support machine any more.

TPS:
after a while of searching on the net, it Looks like the machine has a standalone Controller, and the Serial Interface is
used for file Transfer (GCode or HPGL). But found no Information about the used protocol.

if the supplier is not able to give some documentation, it will be very hard maybe impossible to figure this out.

anyway it will not be "compatible" to Mach3/4.

the only way i see is to use the existing stepper's and do a "retrofit" with new stepper Controllers and external Motion
controler. plus an other new controler for the spindle.

paxman:
I found a manual for it( or similar machine)
http://web.nchu.edu.tw/~daw/Manual/Metal_CNC_carving.pdf

Confusing part is the program they seem to use looks identical to Mach3.

Any suggestions on new stepper controllers and external motion controller and spindle controller, maybe this will be easiest option.

Could I try and just send G-code or HPGL) to machine and see if it does anything?
Or is there different versions (protocols) of the G-code - machine specific?
Read something on using hyperterminal to do this.
Thanks for info

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