Any USB/Ethernet controller suggestions?

[jtar40]

I am using UC300ETH and UCCNC. It works just as well with Mach3 but I like UCCNC more. I would definitely recommand either UC400ETH or UC300ETH. If you don't need more inputs than what is available on the UC400ETH and you have no need for extra ain/aout then the UC400ETH is an excellent choice. You don't NEED to get the UCCNC software, but at that price it is definitely worth to try. You can also just download the software without license, it will in that case run in demo mode, which includes everything except motion commands. That way you can try it out and see if you like it or not, but it isn't very expensive, so it is worth to get a license because that would definitely show the advantages of it over Mach3, which is considerably more expensive than UCCNC. Also, UCCNC is actively maintained and developed, Mach3 is dead.

If you want new drivers, I'd advice you to get DQ542MA drivers. Those are very good and reliable. You can buy the drivers from some eBay seller and will not pay any tax if you select delivery from Germany or UK or other EU countries. UCCNC and the UCx00ETH motion controllers can be bought directly form Hungary, so it is also from EU.

Alright, when it's talking about all the inputs it's talking about signals being generated going into the controller ie) limit switches, e-stop etc. Is this incorrect? Just because I don't really have a good understanding of the input capabilities, what should I be expecting in comparing the uc300eth, and the uc400eth. I see the uc300eth 5lpt has 36 outputs, 49 inputs, and the uc400eth doesn't.

Rephrase I don't know much about inputs, I personally don't think there's a need for so many. Therefore I'd probably go for the uc400eth but can someone maybe list off some other inputs (other than the 2 examples I mentioned) that people use?

Thanks
-Justin

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

[Ger21]

Limit Switches
Home Switches
Probes
Pushbuttons
Sensors
E Stop
MPG
Pendants
Encoders

[JAZZCNC]

Limit Switches
Home Switches
Probes
Pushbuttons
Sensors
E Stop
MPG
Pendants
Encoders

Let me expand this a little for you with rough some numbers. Many of these options you won't require but will be found on many CNC routers.
You'll also be surprised as you go along how many things you might like to add to the machine which require I/O and if you havent got them to start with it can be expensive or difficult adding them later. The little extra cost could be worth it long term.

INPUTS:
Home Switches = 4 (4 axis independant homing )
Limit Switches = 4 ( Independant axis sensing can be series wired to share 1 IN )
Probes = 1
Pushbuttons = 1 for each button required. ie: Feed hold, Cycle start, Step mode, Spindle on/off, Vac On/off, Coolant on/off, Air On/off
Sensors = 1 for each sensor. ie: ATC could easily use 6-12+ I/O dependant on style.
Rpm Sensor = 1
E Stop = 1
Servo Ready = 1
Servo fault = 1
Servo motor Stopped =1
Servo brake on/off = 1
MPG = 4 per axis for Simple hand wheel encoder plus 1 IN per function ie: Jog Mode, Step selection, E-stop
Encoders = 4 per axis (6 with Index)

Outputs:
Spindle on/off = 1
Spindle RPM = 1
Tool release = 1 (ATC)
ATC = 1 per action ie: Arm in/out, Arm up/down, Rotate, Clamp/release etc
Servo On/0ff = 1
Servo brake release = 1
Servo Reset = 1
Coolant on/off = 1
Vac on/off =1
Air on/off = 1
Pop up pins = 1
Dust hood retract = 1
Signal lights = 1 per Light ie: E-stop, Cycle start led, feed hold, Jog Mode etc

[A_Camera]

Alright, when it's talking about all the inputs it's talking about signals being generated going into the controller ie) limit switches, e-stop etc. Is this incorrect? Just because I don't really have a good understanding of the input capabilities, what should I be expecting in comparing the uc300eth, and the uc400eth. I see the uc300eth 5lpt has 36 outputs, 49 inputs, and the uc400eth doesn't.

Rephrase I don't know much about inputs, I personally don't think there's a need for so many. Therefore I'd probably go for the uc400eth but can someone maybe list off some other inputs (other than the 2 examples I mentioned) that people use?

Thanks
-Justin

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Personally I use two of the UC300ETH ports. Those ports give me a total of 10 inputs, which is enough for my needs. Using up many more inputs is not difficult, but of course it requires a lot of wires, so I ditched all my earlier ideas about adding a huge number of buttons and direct control. I have a control panel on my electronics and driver box, which is not the same as the PSU box, but most of the controls I do is through a USB numerical keypad, which I defined in UCCNC to handle everything I feel I need. If I ever see the need of even more buttons I'll buy a Modbus I/O unit and will use that, three wires only (2 + shield), instead of a thick cable, is all that's needed. UCCNC has excellent Modbus plugin built in, so in my opinion it is the best solution if many inputs are needed.

Of course, some inputs must be directly wired, but how many you need depends on your design. Some people prefer individual limit switches, I have all my limit switches connected in series to one input. Some people use home switches combined with limit switches, some want them to be separated, I don't use home switch at all. So, for me the 10 inputs are enough. I also don't use the analogue inputs and outputs since I use Modbus for the spindle control, and that's why I'd go for the UC400ETH if I'd start over. I also think it is a better design than the piggy back design of the UC300, though the UC300 has many features.

[Desertboy]

AM882's are being replaced with EM806's, you try and find an EM806 in China they just don't retail them in the Asian Market. The only difference I can see according to the manual is the EM806 has different firmware relating to the motors. Region specific for the US and EU markets as the motors relate to ones they offer here. Probably the same motor different part number.

EM806's for US and EU and AM882 for Asian markets at least for now seems to be the rule, the AM882 are £60, the EM806 are ~£100

I'll strip one of the AM882's and get pics would be interesting to see what's inside the EM806 and if it really is identical except for firmware.

AM882 and EM806 are solid state tech unless you're unlucky these things will last forever.

How much did you pay for your analog drivers? I paid £200 for 4 AM882's but 2 were 2nd hand it would be £240 for new.

[m_c]

AM882's are being replaced with EM806's, you try and find an EM806 in China they just don't retail them in the Asian Market. The only difference I can see according to the manual is the EM806 has different firmware relating to the motors. Region specific for the US and EU markets as the motors relate to ones they offer here. Probably the same motor different part number.

EM806's for US and EU and AM882 for Asian markets at least for now seems to be the rule, the AM882 are £60, the EM806 are ~£100

I'll strip one of the AM882's and get pics would be interesting to see what's inside the EM806 and if it really is identical except for firmware.

AM882 and EM806 are solid state tech unless you're unlucky these things will last forever.

How much did you pay for your analog drivers? I paid £200 for 4 AM882's but 2 were 2nd hand it would be £240 for new.

AM's are not CE/UL type approved as standard, whereas EM's are.
I'm guessing the original AM's failed the tests, so they had to redesign the hardware to pass the tests, and is why only one version of the AM was produced. Once they had the hardware able to pass the tests, they scaled it to create the other drives.
The fact AMs are still available, will be likely Leadshine had them designed, in production, and being sold, before final testing for approval.

Within Europe, it's illegal to sell a non-approved drive to an end user (aka consumer), which is why AMs are not sold by any official European seller. They can be sold to a system builder/integrator, as the onus for meeting the required approvals then falls on the system builder.

[Desertboy]

Or they repackaged it as EM806 with minor tweaks and different firmware whacked the price up £30 and sent that for approval.

My guess is they are almost identical and it was in their business interests to spin the EM806 into a different product rather than approve the AM882.

After all they can charge £40 more for the product in EU if they certified the AM882 they couldn't do that because of the Asian market. People would simply import them through other channels. This way they can force higher price for the same product. This was similar to regional lockout Nintendo and Sega used in the 80's and 90's so you can charge different prices in different markets for the same product.

Someone take an EM806 apart and lets get some photo's I'll do an AM882 and then we'll have more of a clue.

[m_c]

Or they repackaged it as EM806 with minor tweaks and different firmware whacked the price up £30 and sent that for approval.

My guess is they are almost identical and it was in their business interests to spin the EM806 into a different product rather than approve the AM882.

After all they can charge £40 more for the product in EU if they certified the AM882 they couldn't do that because of the Asian market. People would simply import them through other channels. This way they can force higher price for the same product. This was similar to regional lockout Nintendo and Sega used in the 80's and 90's so you can charge different prices in different markets for the same product.

Someone take an EM806 apart and lets get some photo's I'll do an AM882 and then we'll have more of a clue.

If that was really the case, then why are there no smaller AM drives?
Leadshine's home market is probably far larger than Europe and America combined, so you would expect them to give priority to their home market, and be where they had the most diverse range.

[Desertboy]

If that was really the case, then why are there no smaller AM drives?
Leadshine's home market is probably far larger than Europe and America combined, so you would expect them to give priority to their home market, and be where they had the most diverse range.

They just miniaturised the tech just like ps2 slim, Acorn Electron, C64s, etc. Same tech, smaller package, Maybe it is new tech but more likely a small revision on a new chip fab. They copy and pasted 80% the manual of the EM806 from the AM882 so if they couldn't justify paying for a new manual lol then how different can they really be.

http://www.leadshine.com/productdeta...EM&model=EM806

http://leadshine.com/productdetail.a...AM&model=AM882

They're appears to be 1 difference in features, password protection of settings which is a non issue for me and a simple firmware change it's hardly ground breaking lol.

They literally put it the manual/description into a (probably pirated lol) copy of word and did a copy and replace lol.