Controller Comparison

Ok well this as been on my mind to do this for while now so what you all think.?

I've got reasonable collection of popular Controllers laying around now so thinking to do a comparison test (video)on same machine with same drives etc.
This will be spare Router I've got kicking about so will obviously be Router biased. Could be servo or stepper driven not sure yet.

The controllers I've got are.
Cslabs IP-M, IP-S, IP-A (IP-A might be separate test on servo motor on bench) (Mach3 and Simcnc only)

UC300USB with PMDX126 BOB (Mach3 or UCCNC)
UC300ETH with UB1 BOB

Centroid Acorn (CNC12 Mill only)

Smooth stepper ESS, USB with PMDX 126 BOB (Mach3 only)

Pokeys 57U, 57CNC (mach3 only)

CNCUSB Mk3/4 (Planet CNC)

DDSCV1.1 3 4 axis offline motion controller

Might Knock up a Linux cnc with Mesa cards (when get them)


Obviously this will take a while to setup and done between health/work commitments plus seen as it's -4c in workshop won't be until warmed up a bit so don't hold your breath's or put off buying for current project you got going on. However it will happen, might just take me couple months to get all together.

So if you lads have any requests to see any specific comparison etc or have any Code you want testing then shout up.

Ok I bought 2kilos pop corn and waiting! :-)

:thumsup::thumsup:

Looking forward to it! I have a spare arduino with cnc shield you can have if you want to try that as well, will interface with stepper drivers. I can send it out flashed with grbl and ready to go.

I'd like to see the same piece cut with multiple tool changes on all the controllers, set up as close as possible to each other to see if there's a difference in quality and speed.

I have no doubt grbl won't perform close to the other controllers but it's less than £15 lol so would be interesting to see what you could do with it ;) Especially as you'll have the best router grbl has ever been connected to lol.

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Originally Posted by Desertboy

Looking forward to it! I have a spare arduino with cnc shield you can have if you want to try that as well, will interface with stepper drivers. I can send it out flashed with grbl and ready to go.

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Thanks but sorry I draw the line somewhere not fecking about with Arduino and Grbl shite. Best left to 3D printers lads.

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Originally Posted by jazzcnc

thanks but sorry i draw the line somewhere not fecking about with arduino and grbl shite. Best left to 3d printers lads.

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amen!

I'm curious about differences in high speed motion between the acorn and UCCNC.
Not interested in Mach3 at all at this point (even though I'm still using it).

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Originally Posted by Ger21

I'm curious about differences in high speed motion between the acorn and UCCNC.
Not interested in Mach3 at all at this point (even though I'm still using it).

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Funnily enough Gerry me too on both counts. Will be one of first tests.

I'm also a little curious about Mach4, but I'm not even going to ask..... :joker:

Hi Dean

Sounds like a great idea for a video !

Do you have a system you can dig out of the skip using a generic breakout board on a parallel port? Would be good entertainment to see it perform when the TIG fires up next door! I guess they've long gone to landfill but had to ask.

Thanks

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Originally Posted by Ger21

I'm also a little curious about Mach4, but I'm not even going to ask..... :joker:

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Actually think I'll do that if I can find the strength or Will to make the bloody thing work.!!

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Originally Posted by routercnc

Hi Dean

Sounds like a great idea for a video !

Do you have a system you can dig out of the skip using a generic breakout board on a parallel port? Would be good entertainment to see it perform when the TIG fires up next door! I guess they've long gone to landfill but had to ask.

Thanks

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Ye sure I've got PC kicking around that could try that with PP and Basic BOB. . . . Forget Tig bloody radio will kill a PP & cheap BOB if wind's blowing in right direction. . . Esp if playing Radio1 . . .Lol

only frightened of the unknown:yahoo:

Im now running Centroid Acorn on my lathe - so happy to provide any feedback / experience based on this if it helps. Fairly familiar with Mach 3 and a few of the controllers listed above.

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Originally Posted by audioandy

only frightened of the unknown:yahoo:

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Bloody hell it surfaces from the deep...:toot:

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Originally Posted by JAZZCNC

Bloody hell it surfaces from the deep...:toot:

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Making a comeback Dean,got to use some of the accumulated bits in my garage[emoji6]. Good to see you are still keeping the forum in check[emoji106]

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by audioandy

Making a comeback Dean,got to use some of the accumulated bits in my garage[emoji6]. Good to see you are still keeping the forum in check[emoji106]

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

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About bloody time not good for man sat around playing with them pussy's all day..:toot:

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Originally Posted by JAZZCNC

About bloody time not good for man sat around playing with them pussy's all day..:toot:

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[emoji23]

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by Chaz

Im now running Centroid Acorn on my lathe - so happy to provide any feedback / experience based on this if it helps.

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Chaz,

Now you have been using Acorn a while any advice / feedback on it's setting up and use, I am interested how you find it as I have just ordered one.
I have an Orac cnc lathe that I want to convert to use with the Acorn.

Phill

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Originally Posted by phill05

Chaz,

Now you have been using Acorn a while any advice / feedback on it's setting up and use, I am interested how you find it as I have just ordered one.
I have an Orac cnc lathe that I want to convert to use with the Acorn.

Phill

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Hi Phill,

Ive not done a lot with it as yet as Ive had to solve some other issues.

The platform is good and stable. Inherently more so than Mach which solves many issues. Support however is good and its based on a known established 'standard'.

I needed to forget about Mach as you cannot always apply the same thinking (steps / mm etc). Its a different approach, but certainly not impossible. Ive done a lathe, Ill do my next machine with Acorn too and perhaps one day convert my Thor, but Ive invested heavily and the wiring / servos only work on CS Labs.

One thing, get a decent PC for Acorn. They recommend following a certain spec with Win 10. I had other machines (spec was too low) and I had a spindle issue. We couldnt point it to the low spec machines, but could be.

Ive managed to get my ATC to work, took some effort.

The PLC is powerful but you need to understand their code and/or get help.

Depending on how complex you need to do, it can handle it. Its a pity its only 4 axis and certainly more inputs / outputs would be nice but things can be done via their PLC logic.

I bought on a Sunday night, received Wednesday. You will be nailed import cost but its not bad in reality (they did a recent price drop when they sold 1000 units).

Certainly recommended. The touchscreen implementation is great, so expect to need one of them too.

Chaz

does acorn have modbus? thats the only way id buy one- as its limited io wouldnt be any good for any of my projects.
i could do with something nice for my lathe. otherwise it will have to be done with uccnc.. but that doesnt have a gui for lathe. (unless ger wants to make one :-) )

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Originally Posted by battwell

does acorn have modbus? thats the only way id buy one- as its limited io wouldnt be any good for any of my projects.
i could do with something nice for my lathe. otherwise it will have to be done with uccnc.. but that doesnt have a gui for lathe. (unless ger wants to make one :-) )

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Nope, dont think so. Some discussions about Modbus on the forums (and extender cards). It has its own PLC language, so assume you could do the same but new language.

It might be worth adding your voice to the forum, they do respond to requests.

http://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_...ontroller.html

I've heard that they'll be adding more I/O at some point, probably an add-on card?

Sorry, no lathe screenset any time soon. (soon being at least 5 years) :friendly_wink:

Sorry, no lathe screenset any time soon. (soon being at least 5 years) :friendly_wink:[/QUOTE]

drat- i had £20 to give to you for the screen :-) . the trouble is with the uccnc developers- they do everything so good that you cant nag and rush them. - even though we try!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by battwell

does acorn have modbus? thats the only way id buy one- as its limited io wouldnt be any good for any of my projects.
i could do with something nice for my lathe. otherwise it will have to be done with uccnc.. but that doesnt have a gui for lathe. (unless ger wants to make one :-) )

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This might be worth a quick read:-

Centroid's PLC manual - http://www.centroidcnc.com/downloads...g%20Manual.pdf

i really dont want to learn another language to add to the confusion.
i still mix up old mach3 cb when im writing in c# which causes me all sorts of grief!
took me over a week to write and perfect the tool change macro for the triac (when i say perfect- i mean so it works as i want and checks itself throughout). c# is very finiky and likes everything just so. - it took me a day and a bit to write one line of code so the macro will idle if in feedhold!