Advice on converting my VMC

**Chaz** · 26-09-2016

Originally Posted by Proteus

Hi Chaz, and thanx for your quick reply.
Have not planned a max budget yet. Might have to take it step by step if it gets to expensive though. Just want to get it up and running.
I have to admit, the CSMIO/IP-S looks really tempting after viewing docs and some youtube videos.
But like you said, it`s not cheap. However being able to control it from Mach software is the positive part for me not to familiar with heavy programming.
Manuals and docs have been stored locally on my computer for some late night reading.

You can do cheaper and have Mach3. The breakout board on my lathe is only like £30. This gives step / direction for a number of axis and a single relay output. It's basic but works.

**Proteus** · 26-09-2016

Originally Posted by Chaz

You can do cheaper and have Mach3. The breakout board on my lathe is only like £30. This gives step / direction for a number of axis and a single relay output. It's basic but works.

Yeah, i know Chaz.
But my plan is not necessarily finding a solution as cheap as possible. I will spend the money necessary(within limits) converting it to a good accurate VMC.
However i was hoping to find parts I`m able to handle without me studying programming for a couple of years before i get it up and running.
Hope i don`t sound impatiant though :-)

**Chaz** · 26-09-2016

Originally Posted by Proteus

Yeah, i know Chaz.
But my plan is not necessarily finding a solution as cheap as possible. I will spend the money necessary(within limits) converting it to a good accurate VMC.
However i was hoping to find parts I`m able to handle without me studying programming for a couple of years before i get it up and running.
Hope i don`t sound impatiant though :-)

Just highlighting the scale of options, so from £50 to thousands for a controller.

**Boyan Silyavski** · 26-09-2016

Originally Posted by Proteus

Yeah, i know Chaz.
But my plan is not necessarily finding a solution as cheap as possible. I will spend the money necessary(within limits) converting it to a good accurate VMC.
However i was hoping to find parts I`m able to handle without me studying programming for a couple of years before i get it up and running.
Hope i don`t sound impatiant though :-)

The offline controller is simpler than the combo Windows-Mach3/4-motion control plugin-motion control. What programming? The first part of the manual covers manual programming of simple milling jobs i think that you mistakenly took for programming..

Once you set up your machine in controller menu
stick usb and hit probe, then play and you are done.

The mach 3/4 is the same as above, plus install Windows, plugin, macros, custom screens, etc.

All this talk about the offline controllers lately comes as search continues for simpler and more reliable than the windows combinations. These have existed from the time machine exists, now for first time they are cheaper than the windows solutions, which to begin with, were born out of necessity, cause a Siemens controller would set you up even today 10k