Mach3 and VFD Wiring

[dcrowder]

There are plenty of cheap BoBs around with relays and speed control. The Arduino solution (whatever that is !) would probably cost you more than a new BoB.

Please enlighten me about what you mean - Arduino Solution.
Cheers
Rob

maybe I'm just a little confused but I believe there are people using an arduino as a controller but they could easily be using a BoB also.

[cropwell]

I am a little suspicious of that solution. Estlcam has provision for an arduino controller, but I don't know where you would get one, how it is programmed and what functionality it offers. Being Arduino, it ought to be open source.

Having said that I took a look on t'Interweb and found this http://blog.protoneer.co.nz/arduino-cnc-controller/ - interesting !

Cheers,

Rob

[Neale]

maybe I'm just a little confused but I believe there are people using an arduino as a controller but they could easily be using a BoB also.

There is some open-source software called grbl that runs on an Arduino. It takes gcode via a usb connection and will generate step/dir pulses for up to 3 axes. There are a few digital inputs for limits and homes plus run/stop, and outputs for spindle direction and analogue speed plus coolant switching. You can wire the Arduino output pins directly to a stepper driver without a BOB. I was using a cheap TB-something driver but the input side of these things uses pretty much the same opto-isolators as any driver. Unlike Mach3 or LinuxCNC, grbl has no user interface so you have to run something on a PC to send it gcode, accept manual input, etc. If you think of it as an external motion controller, it will give pulse rates up to 25KHz or so on 3 axes and could be used with a low-spec PC with something like Universal Gcode Sender to give a crude user interface, but Mach3/LinuxCNC it ain't. Neither is it a BOB replacement.

[dcrowder]

For a bit more money the Mach3 Controllers on eBay look a better option! I also use a 4th axis slaved to my Y so the Arduino sounds like it'll fall short of my needs.

Regardless of having no automatic speed control setting - last night I fired my baby up with it's spindle for the first time and it made it's virgin cut!

[JAZZCNC]

For a bit more money the Mach3 Controllers on eBay look a better option!

Ok first let me just clear you up on something.? Mach3 is the controller, or more correctly the Control software. BOB's are just a distribution device and control nothing. There only purpose is to make wire connections easier and in some cases offer protection to the PC.
Higher spec'd Bob's offer extra options like having built in Relays or Speed control but again they Control Nothing. They just only provide the means mach3 does all the controlling.

Also Mach3 while being the Controller doesn't make any decision on what spindle speed or feed rate to use. It just does what you tell it. Either thru G-code or manual commands and buttons or sliders on screen.

So these controllers on Ebay are more likely just BOB with few bells n whistles. Show use.?