Controller advice

[Neale]

The best, money-no-object, answer is probably the CSMIO-IP/S. Same as IP/M, but 6 axis and it does proper gantry squaring, master/slave offsets defined through setup parameters, etc. But it costs...

I have a very similar machine, with 2.2KW spindle. I use the IP/M. I have two X axis home switches, one at each end of the gantry. On homing, only one is used. I then hit e-stop, which cuts power to the motors. I turn the other ballscrew by hand until the proximity switch triggers (as seen on its built-in led), effectively doing by hand what the usual homing routine should do. Then hit reset button, rehome (because Mach3 insists after e-mail stop event) but this takes a second or two because the axes are already there. I should put an index mark on the pulley to make it quicker, but have never really felt the need to bother. In practice, the whole business takes seconds and you only do it once, generally, at the start of a session.

I even considered building a little bit of electronics to sit between motion controller and drivers to home the slave axis but it's complicated slightly by the differential signaling capability of the CSMIO, one of its useful features, so again I haven't bothered to do it. My only gripe about the CSMIO is that you need the right version of Mach3, not the latest, or one or two of features don't work. Since I "upgraded" to the right older version, it's been rock solid.

One man's view, and not the only one possible.

[Jeff]

Hi Neale

I'd looked at the IP/S but can't really justify the £650 price tag just to get a feature that should really have been included on the IP/M, CS-Labs obviously know how to do it so it's a baffling decision not to do it on their "hobby" controller.

[Neale]

Hi Neale

I'd looked at the IP/S but can't really justify the £650 price tag just to get a feature that should really have been included on the IP/M, CS-Labs obviously know how to do it so it's a baffling decision not to do it on their "hobby" controller.

Agreed - it's frustrating but I reckoned it was worth going for the CSMIO, accepting a minor restriction, but getting a lot of other benefits that are not common in other motion controllers. But I did make my decision a couple of years ago, so maybe the market has changed.