DIY cnc table plasma cutter

[acourtjester]

Sean
With the different input and output pins connections it hard to have a generic package. The motor output pin are very common but some do not use a 4th motor (2 for x drive). Some don't use limit switches and if they do what is active switch, open or closed. If you would like some help I can send you some screen shots with annotations for that setup. Its not hard once you see how some things are done. If your using Mach 3 it has a semi-auto routine for setting up the limit and E switch. The motor tuning looks like it can be bad but once you get the direction right then you just tell it to move 5" and measure if it went 5" type in how far it went and it recalibrates itself. Do that about 3 time for each axis and it should be ok .

have fun

tom

[SeanMurphy265]

I'm not quite that far yet. The only thing I have to wire up is my THC and plasma cutter to my break out board. I have some info for mach3 that came with my carriage kit, so I'm not completely in the dark. When my PC arrives I will work on the wiring.

[Rambozo]

Another free CAD application is Solid Edge 2D for those that like the solid edge way of doing things
http://www.plm.automation.siemens.co...2d/index.shtml

Be aware that in order to get full speed rapids in Mach 3, you need to be able to run the Mach kernel fast enough to provide the required pulse train. So PC speed can't be too slow. It all depends on your microstepping value and motor tuning.

[EmptyNester]

You load XP and the CAD/CAM/CNC software and use it. Keep it off the internet. Should run until hardware breaks on you.

I know MACH3 and BobCAD work fine on Windows 7.

Is the issue talking serial vs USB or the buffering of the I/O that makes XP a better pick?

On a related note, I had read somewhere that THC's can have issues when using the Ethernet Smooth Stepper due to the timing delays with Ethernet.