New Control Cabinet for UCCNC or EdingCNC

[jon8949]

Here is a little background. I currently run a CS Labs CSMIO/IP-S with Mach 3 on my main CNC Router. I've been very happy with the IP-S but not so much with Mach 3. I have tried Mach 4 on this machine as well but it doesn't preform any better. So I'm looking to make a change. I have read good things on UCCNC and Eding, I have tested UCCNC in the past on my small 2'x3' CNC as I use a UC100 with Gecko G540 on that machine. It seemed to preform much better than Mach 3. About 95% of the work I do is 3D cut patterns.

The main reason I have stayed with Mach 3 up to this point is the support community. But it is time for a change and UCCNC or EdingCNC look to be the best options outside of going to full industrial control (Fanuc, Simmons, Fagor, etc.)

I'm would appreciate any suggestions for BOB hardware with this potential switch.

Obviously EdingCNC makes all their BOB / Motion Controllers.

For UCCNC I'm looking at the UC300ETH. For BOB's I have come across the CNC4PC C62 board and CNC Room - MB2 board. Both look like good options. I do like the RJ45 connections on the C62 as they have connector boards for the drives I currently run.

I also run IFM PNP proximity sensors for home switches.

Thanks, Jon

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[ger21]

I don't have it running a machine yet, but I've had an MB2 running with my UC300ETH on my desk, and it's an awesome board.
Here's a Fusion 360 rendering of how I plan to mount the UC300 to the MB2.
The 3 ports used on the UC300ETH line up pretty close with the ports on the MB2, so I'm going to make some custom ribbon cables to keep them as short as possible.
Be aware that both the MB2 and the UC300ETH provide 5V on pin 26 of the ports. CNC Drive wasn't sure if this would damage the UC300ETH, so I cut the pin 26 wire in the ribbon cables I'm using for testing. You can also remove a solder bridge on the MB2 to disable the 5V converter that sends the power to pin 26.

In testing, all of the functions in UCCNC are working fine with the MB2. I've tested Inputs, outputs, the relays, and charge pump, and all work great. When the charge pump is active, it activates a 24V output on the MB2.

UCCNC is starting to grow pretty fast, and they provide excellent support, and their forum is getting pretty active.

I was looking into EdingCNC with their industrial board before I bought the UC300ETH, but it just seemed as little too "different" to me. And I think the UC300ETH/MB2 gives you similar features to Eding's industrial board, for a lot less money.

[jon8949]

Nice rendering Gerry, really like your planned setup with this pair. Sounds like the MB2 is a good match for the UC300ETH. Looking forward to how it preforms on a machine.

One of the things I'm looking for more information on is how UCCNC handles a slaved drive in regards to the setup. I know the plugin for the IP-S with Mach3 allowed me to dial it in precisely, to make sure my gantry is perfectly square. It allows for a geometry correction value.

Yes I did see there has been a lot more activity in regards to UCCNC lately. Which I believe will be good for the overall community.

I have similar views on EdingCNC. Have been messing with it in demo mode for a few months, although it is nice, its a big change from Mach3 whereas UCCNC is more similar in its layout.

[ger21]

One of the things I'm looking for more information on is how UCCNC handles a slaved drive in regards to the setup. I know the plugin for the IP-S with Mach3 allowed me to dial it in precisely, to make sure my gantry is perfectly square. It allows for a geometry correction value.

There's no native function to do that, but there's a macro posted on the forum to offset the slave axis by a specified amount during homing.

forum.cncdrive.com ? View topic - Slaved gantry offset macro


Yeah, UCCNC is a really easy transition from Mach3, as it "feels" very similar, in almost all aspects of it's setup and operation.

[CNCMAN172]

I am running the ESS/MB2 combo with Mach4 and it works well. Have noticed some comments that Mach4 is not strong in dealing with large 3D carving files but I have not actually tested that aspect in Mach4 yet.

The MB2 board is nice it is optically isolated provides differential outputs to servo drives or stepper drivers. LED indicators and some safety features, and a Spindle control with isolated power supply.

[jon8949]

There's no native function to do that, but there's a macro posted on the forum to offset the slave axis by a specified amount during homing.

forum.cncdrive.com ? View topic - Slaved gantry offset macro

Great info Gerry. Thanks for the link.

[jon8949]

CNCMAN172 - from my testing Mach4 is no better at 3D files than Mach3. It is my understanding the trajectory planner is the same as Mach3.

Yes the MB2 board has some very nice specs. It has a lot of the features I like about my current IP-S.

[asuratman]

Hi Gerry,
Looking at your picture above, ribbon connections from UCC300ETH to MB2 from top to bottom are the same as ESS to MB2. Its a straight connection, no such handshake connection.

[ger21]

Yes, they are straight connections, but they don't line up perfectly like they do on the ESS.

Note that the port numbers don't match between the UC300, and MB2. Port 2 on the ESS uses pins 2-9 as inputs, and port 1 on the UC300 uses pins 2-9 as inputs.
Port 1 on the UC300 goes to Port 2 on the MB2.
Port 2 on the UC300 goes to Port 1 on the MB2.
Port 3 on the UC300 goes to port 3 on the MB2.

However, the ports on the MB2 are numbered 2, 1, and 3, so they line up with ports, 1,2 and 3 on the UC300 above them.

Just remember when you're looking at the port and pin number on the MB2, you have to swap the port numbers between ports 1 and 2.

The MB2 labels there inputs like this, X110 is port 1, pin 10. In UCCNC, this would be port 2, pin 10.
Similarly, the MB2 has the X Step pin as port 1, pin 2. This needs to be port 2, pin 2 in UCCNC.

[asuratman]

Thanks Gerry for the reply. This is good for my future build reference.

[ger21]

Here are some pics of the UC300ETH connected to the MB2.
Unfortunately, it'll be a few weeks before I can make up the plate to mount them together.