Hello, I have started another thread in gereral mach. I have be told that in order to use my servos and drives with Mach, I will need a controller between Mach and my drives to control them. Apparently I need a controller that outputs PWM, does the SS output PWM at all or will I need to look for another controller?

Pretty sure you'll need something else.  It's a USB port replacement for 2 parallel ports running with Mach3.  You can wait for someone else to describe it better, but if you're in a hurry might as well keep looking at the same time.

Here's the designer/manufacturor website, that's where the "real" support forum is.  You'd probably get a quicker reply there too.  Have to create another username though.

Monte

I know EMC2 with one of the Mesa boards will do PWM out...but I think setup may be a little harder than Mach3.

It may be a LOT easier to buy some step/direction servo drives that will hook right up to Mach3.  I think that is by far the most painless way to get into CNC.  Steppers always seem to lose steps at the worst time...and the PWM servo drives will only work with custom software or EMC2.  Anyway...I think I'm drifting a bit

If I use a spindle controller that needs 10V Analog for speed control, then what connection is recommended?
(In case later I want to use tapping when it becomes available... here I suppose that tapping / threading is solved by synchronizing feed to the spindle speed+rotation dir.)

1. I use e.g. a MODBUS device with PWM output, and a pwm-analog converter circuit, and feedback spindle index / encoder pulse to the SS
2. I use another step/dir output of the SS, and use a freq-analog converter circuit, and feedback spindle index / encoder pulse to the SS
3. SS already has PWM out? (some kHz)

Mach3 does'nt work with 0-10 volt analog drive for axis... only for spindle....  the controler for analog drive had totaly different logic...  Mach3 sent pulse for displacement with théorical acceleration/deceleration of table....

analog controler send 10 volt to drive and wait to approch position for decelering...

Thanks Rempo! I am aware of it, and I was writing about spindle control itself.

If I use a spindle controller that needs 10V Analog for speed control, then what connection is recommended?
(In case later I want to use tapping when it becomes available... here I suppose that tapping / threading is solved by synchronizing feed to the spindle speed+rotation dir.)

1. I use e.g. a MODBUS device with PWM output, and a pwm-analog converter circuit, and feedback spindle index / encoder pulse to the SS
2. I use another step/dir output of the SS, and use a freq-analog converter circuit, and feedback spindle index / encoder pulse to the SS
3. SS already has PWM out? (some kHz)

on my milling, I use pwm output for my spindle, I use opto coupler with capacitor and 2 resistor on SS output... that work very good but My spindle was not synchronised...   
you can synchronise spindle with index pulse, but I was never try... I can't help you on this...

The SmoothStepper will do a PWM spindle output just fine.

For PWM spindle speed anyway does someone know what Base Freq values can be set reasonably for the SS???

I need in fact 0-10V control, but for low PWM freq. as 10Hz, I`d need at least a 3rd order filter and some more components to have a relatively good spindle speed response on the command values...

Or someone has practical experience with this? E.g. RC filter components selection, adjustment...
(PWM freq, spindle speed adjustment, linearity, etc...)

i use 2khz