Any USB/Ethernet controller suggestions?

[jtar40]

Alright so I've gotten a lot of input and I realized the common denominator is that it really depends on what software you're starting with, and what your budget is set at.
So I got some great input on Linux cnc although I read up on it that you need a Real Time Operating System, (I don't really have a great understanding on that, if someone could help a brother out). I also see Mach3 and 4 are very common yet unreliable (I'm not totally sure why it isn't reliable but can someone explain or direct me to where I can find out)
I've also got solid recommendations about UCCNC using the UC400ETH controller

So what would you guys recommend, or why would you guys not recommend another software.

By the way, up till now I was thinking of purchasing the Ethernet smooth stepper with Mach 3/4, or the UC400 with UCCNC.

Summary- what cnc software would you recommend for someone building a simple 3 axis cnc
- sorry again if I left anything out, let me know.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

[johngoodrich]

personally I would get the uc300eth and UCCNC

[m_c]

For a basic 3 axis machine, then there's not really much to choose between controllers.
You might also want to consider one of the standalone controllers (search ebay for "CNC offline controller" or "CNC standalone controller").

Regards Mach 3 problems, on a basic machine it works fine. There are some issues when you go beyond the basics though, especially with external motion controllers, but nothing that really makes it unusable. It's just quirks that mean you might not be able to do things how you think they should be done.

Mach 4 is fine, it's just it's never really been that popular. Mach 3 was pretty revolutionary for it's time and is why it is so popular, but technology has changed, there are far more options now, and Mach 4 doesn't really bring any major benefits over the other options.

[A_Camera]

Alright so I've gotten a lot of input and I realized the common denominator is that it really depends on what software you're starting with, and what your budget is set at.
So I got some great input on Linux cnc although I read up on it that you need a Real Time Operating System, (I don't really have a great understanding on that, if someone could help a brother out). I also see Mach3 and 4 are very common yet unreliable (I'm not totally sure why it isn't reliable but can someone explain or direct me to where I can find out)
I've also got solid recommendations about UCCNC using the UC400ETH controller

So what would you guys recommend, or why would you guys not recommend another software.

By the way, up till now I was thinking of purchasing the Ethernet smooth stepper with Mach 3/4, or the UC400 with UCCNC.

Summary- what cnc software would you recommend for someone building a simple 3 axis cnc
- sorry again if I left anything out, let me know.

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.

[JAZZCNC]

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.

That would be bad advise.! The DQ542MA are Analog drives which is old technology. Yes they may work ok for you or others but that doesn't make them good drives to buy. There is no reason to use Analog drives these days because Digital drives are so cheap and the performance difference is very noticable.

[jtar40]

That would be bad advise.! The DQ542MA are Analog drives which is old technology. Yes they may work ok for you or others but that doesn't make them good drives to buy. There is no reason to use Analog drives these days because Digital drives are so cheap and the performance difference is very noticable.

By any chance is there a specific digital driver you may recommend? I just see so many options it's quite hard to know what may be reliable.

(-I'm not sure if I mentioned it before but if it's relevant, I have 3 nema 23 stepper motors running off 3 amps and I was thinking of getting a uc300eth as the interface, I didn't really put much thought into the breakout board yet because I've been told it can be quite general for the simple 3axis cnc router machine I'm looking for making.)

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

[Desertboy]

By any chance is there a specific digital driver you may recommend? I just see so many options it's quite hard to know what may be reliable.

(-I'm not sure if I mentioned it before but if it's relevant, I have 3 nema 23 stepper motors running off 3 amps and I was thinking of getting a uc300eth as the interface, I didn't really put much thought into the breakout board yet because I've been told it can be quite general for the simple 3axis cnc router machine I'm looking for making.)

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

You can't go wrong with AM882's
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Leadshine...n/282651392228

Or EM806 (Which seem functionally identical to AM882)
https://www.zappautomation.co.uk/ele...ion/em806.html

I have AM882's very happy with them.

I think you're better off spending the money on decent digital drivers and a cheap BOB than cheap drivers but expensive controller. It's cheaper to upgrade the BOB than the drivers and gets you working ASAP.

[A_Camera]

You can't go wrong with AM882's
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Leadshine...n/282651392228

Or EM806 (Which seem functionally identical to AM882)
https://www.zappautomation.co.uk/ele...ion/em806.html

I have AM882's very happy with them.

I think you're better off spending the money on decent digital drivers and a cheap BOB than cheap drivers but expensive controller. It's cheaper to upgrade the BOB than the drivers and gets you working ASAP.

What would be the point of buying 8A drivers to run 3A motors with? "Better" is a relative... is it 4-5 times better than the DQ542MA? It MUST be 4-5 times better to motivate the price difference, but I doubt that. Sure, with unlimited budget, no question about it, but I still doubt there is ANY benefit at all to use 8A drivers to run 3A motors. Also, the UC300ETH is not an "expensive" controller at all, quite the opposite, but again, even "expensive" is very relative.

Also, the OP asked about reliable recommendations, not just eBay guessing. It is pretty easy to list a bunch of expensive parts and claim they are "better" without describing what they are better at and why or how. Of course, very few really KNOWS because very few people actually tried many different drivers, controllers, bobs in all kind of combinations.

[magicniner]

What would be the point of buying 8A drivers to run 3A motors with?

I must have missed the actual motor spec, all I saw was that they were running off 3A, I have a set of NEMA 23 steppers that are rated 4.2A :D

[Desertboy]

What would be the point of buying 8A drivers to run 3A motors with? "Better" is a relative... is it 4-5 times better than the DQ542MA? It MUST be 4-5 times better to motivate the price difference, but I doubt that. Sure, with unlimited budget, no question about it, but I still doubt there is ANY benefit at all to use 8A drivers to run 3A motors. Also, the UC300ETH is not an "expensive" controller at all, quite the opposite, but again, even "expensive" is very relative.

Also, the OP asked about reliable recommendations, not just eBay guessing. It is pretty easy to list a bunch of expensive parts and claim they are "better" without describing what they are better at and why or how. Of course, very few really KNOWS because very few people actually tried many different drivers, controllers, bobs in all kind of combinations.

If you want to upgrade the controller and spent $5 on a BOB then you are out of pocket $5, if you want to upgrade the drivers you are out of pocket £120 for 4

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cnc-4-2A-...MAAOxyni9TFCPq

To me spend the cash on the AM882's for stall protection and use a cheap BOB then upgrade the electronics later when budget allows.

A cheap BOB is also compatible with mach 3 and linuxcnc so you can try both before locking yourself into a vendor without trying the software out.

It's basically double the cost for AM882's and then the extra cost for supplying 70v instead of 48v, you'll see most of us with 80v drivers make a PSU with transformer, rectifier and capacitors which adds another £70 making 4*AM882, PSU and BOB £320 which is to me the minimum spec for building a new router.

With a cheap PP BOB and a reasonable latency PC if you set microsteps to 8 (Or even 2 on slow PC) you'll get good enough performance to run at max speed on any home machine.