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Author Topic: CNC4PC C11 plugin for Mach3  (Read 4432 times)

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Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: CNC4PC C11 plugin for Mach3
« Reply #10 on: July 12, 2019, 02:02:06 AM »
Hi George,

My apologies I thought you were using a motion controller.

You do not need to use a motion controller because your C11 board could be connected directly to the Parallel Port of a 32 bit PC running Win7 (or earlier) OS. (These older PC’s are becoming more difficult to find and keep running so a motion controller and newer PC is perhaps preferred)

Your laser can then be controlled by two Outputs from the C11 (e.g. pins 1 & 17 14) one for the M11Px / M10Px  ON/OFF signal and the other for the PWM laser power setting. Your earlier attached .pdf shows how to make these connections and set-up Mach3 in detail.

Just to confuse the issue an alternative and the signal gating method I use for my laser connection is shown here;
https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=12444.msg265104#msg265104

Hope this helps.

Tweakie.
« Last Edit: July 12, 2019, 02:16:29 AM by Tweakie.CNC »
PEACE

Offline TPS

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Re: CNC4PC C11 plugin for Mach3
« Reply #11 on: July 12, 2019, 02:10:37 AM »
had a quick look to the Manual:

https://www.cnc4pc.com/pub/media/productattachment/c/1/c11-r9_9_user_manual.pdf

pin17 is used for chargepump

pin14 is PWM

anything is possible, just try to do it.
if you find some mistakes, in my bad bavarian english,they are yours.

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: CNC4PC C11 plugin for Mach3
« Reply #12 on: July 12, 2019, 02:18:18 AM »
Many thanks TPS - I have made a correction.

Tweakie.
PEACE
Re: CNC4PC C11 plugin for Mach3
« Reply #13 on: July 12, 2019, 10:37:19 AM »
OK Chaps, I've bit the bullet and bought myself a Warp9TD ESS Smooth stepper..
I'm determined to get this Endurance Laser working as best as I can.
For the moment I'm sticking with my 32Bit PC running Windows XP and MAch3  with Aspire4.5 to generate my artwork. I have already created a new Post processor for Aspire, Tweekie you might be able to help me here as I know you run Aspire.
Standby for more questions when it arrive :-) for now thanks to all.

Regards

George
One step at a time!
Re: CNC4PC C11 plugin for Mach3
« Reply #14 on: July 12, 2019, 06:10:38 PM »
Hi,
I think you have made a wise choice. Its not that the parallel port does not work but rather that an ESS is just
that much 'smoother'. Additionally when you decide to upgrade to Mach4, and I guess you will eventually to take advantage
of the increased functionality, then you just download the ESS Mach4 plugin and away you go.

The ESS is an external motion controller and will therefore relieve the PC of time critical tasks, of course all external motion
controllers do that. The upshot is that your PC, if adequate for a parallel port, is now even more than adequate for operation
with the ESS.

You might be advised to get a second breakout board, the C10 ($23.00) is a simple and economic bi-directional board.
If you exploit the bi-directional option of the second (of three) ports of the ESS then the second port pins 2-9 will be treated
as inputs. Thus the second board will give you and extra 13 inputs and 4 outputs.

You can use all those extra inputs for individual home an limit switches for instance. For many years people have combined
home and limit functions in order to reduce the number of input pins required. With an ESS and a second breakout board you don't
face that same restriction. Take advantage of it.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: CNC4PC C11 plugin for Mach3
« Reply #15 on: July 12, 2019, 06:27:15 PM »
Thank you Craig, But I understand the 'Plugin' is also available for MAch3 ?
The C10 is indeed a good second option.
One step at a time!
Re: CNC4PC C11 plugin for Mach3
« Reply #16 on: July 12, 2019, 07:10:48 PM »
Hi,

Quote
But I understand the 'Plugin' is also available for MAch3 ?

Yes, that is correct. The ESS can be used with either Mach3 OR Mach4. When the ESS was developed there was no
Mach4 so the Mach3 plugin is fully developed.

In recent years Warp9 have concentrated on Mach4. Its Mach4 plugin is even more complete that the Mach3 plugin which
preceeded it. It has Laser Rastering/Vectoring, spindle PID (with Ki and Kd terms that the Mach3 PID lack), and
most recently a very comprehensive THC feature, exceeding the THC function of Mach3.

The guess is that Warp9 consider Mach3 as a 'sunset' product and are not inclined to invest in extensive Mach3 plugin
development. To whit.....we have seen a succession of 20 plus releases of the Mach4 plugin whereas in the same time frame
two or three Mach3 plugin updates.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: CNC4PC C11 plugin for Mach3
« Reply #17 on: July 13, 2019, 10:27:17 AM »
Well I'll have to save my pennies from now on in, I will upgrade to MACH4 Hobby Web site says $200 is that the best deal around in UK ?
One step at a time!
Re: CNC4PC C11 plugin for Mach3
« Reply #18 on: July 13, 2019, 02:05:20 PM »
Hi,

Quote
MACH4 Hobby Web site says $200 is that the best deal around in UK ?

Yes, its the same price all over the world.

Craig

'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: CNC4PC C11 plugin for Mach3
« Reply #19 on: July 13, 2019, 02:38:34 PM »
Hi,
you can download it and run in  demo mode. If you have no motion control plugin installed, ie Sim(ulator)
is the ONLY motion plugin, Mach4 will run without interruption and with ALL the functionality of the licenced
version.

If however you have a motion control plugin in your plugins folder then Mach4Hobby will run for six minutes uninterrupted
and with full functionality before requiring to be reset. It behaves identically to the licenced version, if fact it IS
the licenced version, the licence file prevents the need to reset.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'