CNC Optimum DM45 Milling Machine - Need advice

[rodw]

Mach4 can have as many inputs as how many it's motion controller has. For example with this card it has 49 digital and 2 analog inputs: CNCdrive - motion controls

Interesting. I never considered Mach4 becasue I was warned it was not stable when I started dabbling in this world.
What voltage can the inputs and outputs handle? Industry standard 24 volts was important for me for best noise immunity becasue I was building a plasma cutter.
But to access those inputs and outputs don't you need to add 5 breakout boards?

With the Mesa 7i76e I have, if I run out of inputs (and I'm close), I can add up to 32 x 7i84 smart serial boards each with 32 inputs and 16 outputs for a total of 1024 additional inputs and 512 additional outputs. Then there are still 2 x 25 pin connectors to add other cards to so you can do it all again twice! The mesa ecosystem is simply amazing with basically unlimited stepgens, inputs and outputs, analog servo controllers and encoders.

But the big advantage of LInuxCNC over every other system for me is that we can build in torch height control in ways no other systems I am aware of can do except for maybe the higher end Hypertherm and Thermal Dynamics systems. But we think Linuxcnc and Mesa will give them a run for their money too now!

[wmgeorge]

For a plasma cutting and I had one once, you could use or should consider shielded cable for all your inputs. My CNC router uses the inductive/capacitive proximity switches with shielded cable. I believe Mach3/4 has a THC plug in.

https://warp9td.com and they have THC for Mach4 and it looks like voltage is limited to 5 vdc.

[rodw]

For a plasma cutting and I had one once, you could use or should consider shielded cable for all your inputs. My CNC router uses the inductive/capacitive proximity switches with shielded cable. I believe Mach3/4 has a THC plug in.

https://warp9td.com and they have THC for Mach4 and it looks like voltage is limited to 5 vdc.

Thanks, I don't have any problems with noise and yes we use shielded cable to prox sensors plus a number of other defensive measures to ensure RFI is under control. But its much harder for RFI to interfere with a 24 volt signal vs a 5 volt one.

Funny, I was just reading a new post form a Mach user on the LinuxCNC forum who was stunned by the amount of I/O pins on a large router he's just purchased after "coming from a G540 about 3 limit switches and a spindle control". He was amazed with what others had achieved with major retrofits using Mesa ecosystem.

Moving off topic for a moment, the whole concept of external THC controllers has been rendered obsolete in the last couple of weeks by the release of LinuxCNC's Plasmac config which is part of Versions 2.8 & 2.9 and a $69 Mesa THCAD voltage to frequency interface. They don't know it yet, but I'm sure it will put some manufacturers out of business as its all documented in open source.

[OlfCNC]

Interesting. I never considered Mach4 becasue I was warned it was not stable when I started dabbling in this world.
What voltage can the inputs and outputs handle? Industry standard 24 volts was important for me for best noise immunity becasue I was building a plasma cutter.
But to access those inputs and outputs don't you need to add 5 breakout boards?

With the Mesa 7i76e I have, if I run out of inputs (and I'm close), I can add up to 32 x 7i84 smart serial boards each with 32 inputs and 16 outputs for a total of 1024 additional inputs and 512 additional outputs. Then there are still 2 x 25 pin connectors to add other cards to so you can do it all again twice! The mesa ecosystem is simply amazing with basically unlimited stepgens, inputs and outputs, analog servo controllers and encoders.

But the big advantage of LInuxCNC over every other system for me is that we can build in torch height control in ways no other systems I am aware of can do except for maybe the higher end Hypertherm and Thermal Dynamics systems. But we think Linuxcnc and Mesa will give them a run for their money too now!

I have no opinion about how stable or not Mach4 is, because I'm using UCCNC, just saying that mach4 too can have many I/Os. But the mentioned motion controller works with both mach3, mach4 and UCCNC. I'm using UCCNC for like 2 years now and have used mach3 before and it works with my plasma machine very well. Better than mach3.

[wmgeorge]

How many I/Os do you need? The Warp9 ESS has a onboard microprocessor and being Ethernet helps to keep noise out of the system. Mach4 (3) is the most widely used CNC
control system in the world. Stable when designed and installed correctly. However saying all that I would really consider the Acorn software and controller today.
Added: I would not consider the Gecko 540 to be a state of the art controller / breakout board especially with only 4 inputs!

[OlfCNC]

How many I/Os do you need? The Warp9 ESS has a onboard microprocessor and being Ethernet helps to keep noise out of the system. Mach4 (3) is the most widely used CNC
control system in the world. Stable when designed and installed correctly. However saying all that I would really consider the Acorn software and controller today.
Added: I would not consider the Gecko 540 to be a state of the art controller / breakout board especially with only 4 inputs!

The controller I linked also has ethernet connection and more I/Os than the ESS and supports more softwares and talking about THC it supports realtime THC control.
I would not consider the acorn, as far as I know it has no THC control and is a too new product with less features than UCCNC, Mach3 and Mach4 and LinuxCNC.

[wmgeorge]

OlfCNC I had forgotten about the THC, very good point. Its going to be a game changer if the LinuxCNC THC board works as its suppose to.

[rodw]

OlfCNC I had forgotten about the THC, very good point. Its going to be a game changer if the LinuxCNC THC board works as its suppose to.

Trust me its good. Here is a comment I received from a full time fabricator with extensive plasma experience and a few commercial systems earlier this week. He wanted to include the new Linuxcnc docs in his plasma manual for new staff. I wrote one of the articles.

Using PlasmaC for the first time in the last couple of weeks really opened my eyes as to just how good LinuxCNC really is. I still find it hard to believe that the Mesa THCAD card cost so little yet is just as capable as the XXXXXXX XXXX card which retails for around $500 USD and can only be used with their propriety hardware.

Sorry. product name deleted to protect the innocent.

[rodw]

Added: I would not consider the Gecko 540 to be a state of the art controller / breakout board especially with only 4 inputs!

You got my vote on this. There are much better and more economical options available today and I continue to see Linuxcnc users struggle to get this hardware working becasue its not designed for industrial 24 volt controllers. I did note one discussion where a recommended workaround by an Aussie distributor was not right and that the error pin required connection to a common earth which broke the advantages of the carefully designed isolated Mesa circuitry.

[Bob_ski]

Hi Guys,

It's been a while since I've posted on here. I'm making a bit of progress on the machine at the moment. I've made the frame for the enclosure, still working on the pan. I almost have the Z axis complete. I'll post pics as soon as it's done. I have a question, and I'm hoping someone could possibly help.

I purchased my ball screws from a Chinese supplier. They have deep groove ball bearings attached. I have noticed a lot of people are using angular contact bearings. I'm wondering if the deep groove bearings will last or have a similar precision
to the AC's. They seem like they are easier to install, not requiring a pre load. I'm not concerned about the fact the AC's are going to cost more. My worry will be making sure I get the pre load correct.

Has anyone used the deep groove bearings and had any success?

Cheers, Bob