5-axis Breakout Includes Hand-Held Control Port & 3,4,5-axis Postion-Display Port

[LoveLearn]

I wrote 6 nearly-identical inquiries to offering parties asking if they could provide the 5-axis display module made to work with these breakout boards. Several said they only have the breakout boards, suggesting to me that they are too lazy to obtain the compatible companion parts from their supplier(s). Perhaps language translation impeded our communications. Finally one of them wrote back saying that they have the 5-axis display modules made for use only with the breakout boards rather than with the motor controller board. We reached an agreement on price, exchanged funds and one is on its way.

That communication provided more information about this display which I'll share here. Use Instructions section is "copy & paste", but I edited the section before that, emphasizing with over-sized font the the answer to one of my questions about this 3-part assembly comprised of 1) breakout board, 2) hand-held control and 3) digital display module. Yes, this configuration enables control without PC connection. Nice. My big CNC machine includes a "teaching mode", just as do many other commercially configured systems. Beginners love it because it makes entering new machining routines so easy. I have not seen that capability in a Do It YourSelf class CNC machine, so it seems about time that we try to add that control option.

5-axis Digital Display Module customized for 5-axis Breakout Board and compatible with hand-held 5-axis manual control without PC support.
Digital display module can obtain 5VDC driving power directly from breakout board so extra 5VDC power feed is not required.

Use Instructions:

A: Connect the appropriate cable to the breakout board, and then switch on the power switch on the digital display module, the 5-axis display module will display the origin zero.
B: Set the required pulse amount for 0.1MM on each axis:
1: Press the "Setup (STP)" button, 5-axis display area on the digital display module will flash, and it indicates it has been on the set mode;
2: Press the corresponding black round "zero clearing" key at the left of the module for one time, the corresponding axis display area will plus 1, and please stop pressing it until the value of the 0.1MM required amount is enough;
3: Press the "Set (STP)" button again, the blinking on the 5-axis digital display area stops, and the set is OK, the state is entering the work mode from the set mode.
C: The display area will show the 5-axis coordinate's simultaneous values.
D: Press the corresponding black round "zero clearing" key on working state, the coordinates on the corresponding axis display "zero".

Setting example:
As the required pulse of the 0.1MM on X-axis is equal 10;
the required pulse of the 0.1MM on Y-axis is equal 20;
the required pulse of the 0.1MM on Z-axis is equal 30;
the required pulse of the 0.1MM on A-axis is equal 40;
the required pulse of the 0.1MM on B-axis is equal 50.

1: Press the "Setup (STP)" button, the display area blinking, entering in the set mode.
2: Press the "zero clearing" key on X-axis for 10 times, the digital value on X-axis is equal to 10.
3: Press the "zero clearing" key on Y-axis for 20 times, the digital value on Y-axis is equal to 20.
4: Press the "zero clearing" key on Z-axis for 30 times, the digital value on Z-axis is equal to 30.
5: Press the "zero clearing" key on A-axis for 40 times, the digital value on A-axis is equal to 40.
6: Press the "zero clearing" key on B-axis for 50 times, the digital value on B-axis is equal to 50.
7: Press "Setup (STP)" key, the flashing on display area stops, quit the set mode.
8: Set successfully. The setting parameters will be automatically stored permanently, and the setting parameters will be refreshed until the settings are set successfully on the module at the next time.

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Now, this may turn out to be junk. It may or may not work. It may work intermittently. It may work briefly before generating smoke and becoming trash. I will report back about my initial experiences with these 3 sections working together after they arrive, and then again after a more extended trial period. I would have preferred that some other person had run this test at their expense so I could learn from their experience reports. I've read a lot of user feedback reports from which I've benefited greatly. That kind of feedback is why I elected NOT to try one of the very common TA6065 motor controllers for my CNC family-fun experimental builds. I certainly do not suggest that anyone else buy one of these setups before I report back. It was my turn to risk some funds to perform testing and report back to a CNC device-builder community. Expected delivery time centers around 2 weeks into February, 2012. Some Hong Kong vendors publish customer-reported delivery periods ranging from about 7 to 30 days. We will all have to be patient before I will be able to write my initial performance report about this low-priced but unusually-fully-featured interface system which should be able to control steppers or servos equally well.
Here's hoping that by ordering these, I haven't just burned those funds.
John