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  1. #21
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    Default Re: Help ID this controller in my Chinese 3040?

    I was reading through the previous posts in this thread and saw where I had mentioned in a post about upgrading to a different controller and mach 4. I would like to add to that by saying I did eventually upgrade my controller and to mach 4 and I didn't really see any advantage to doing the upgrade in regards to my hobby use other than I got to really find out a lot about how my cnc is put together and how all the software works. I wrote up a review on my upgrade last winter in a different post but in short if you are pleased with your machine as configured and mach 3 in general I wouldn't suggest doing such an upgrade.



  2. #22
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    Default Re: Help ID this controller in my Chinese 3040?

    Hi.
    I am in the same place as you were.
    Please where is the dll code and where did you put it to get the machine to work.
    Any help would be great.
    Kind regards.
    James



  3. #23
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    Default Re: Help ID this controller in my Chinese 3040?

    the controller chip on that board is an STM32F103 I'm wondering if it can be re-coded for GRBL.



  4. #24
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    Default Re: Help ID this controller in my Chinese 3040?

    Hi,
    those boards are called 'RnR' boards and sorry to say they are junk. That's not to say that with the correct plugin (.dll file) that they don't work....
    but they don't work well or reliably.

    They, along with most Chinese made motion boards, run best on pirated Mach3, which differs from the genuine article.

    US and European made boards are hands down better. These boards have both Mach3 an Mach4 plugins:

    Ethernet SmoothStepper by Warp9TD
    UC100, UC300, UC400 by CNCDrive
    57CNC by PoKeys.

    All of these boards are in the region of $120 to $180. I personally use an Ethernet SmoothStepper ($180USD), as it has 51 inputs and outputs and can operate up to 4MHz,
    which is really fast.....more than I require really.

    There are others as well, but some have only Mach3 plugins, one or two that have only Mach4 plugins, and some which are quite expensive....600 Euro in the case of CSlabs stuff.

    Craig



  5. #25
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    Default Re: Help ID this controller in my Chinese 3040?

    So I did a little digging. I have one of these boards on hand I also built a custom input filter board for the 2x5 IDC connector. This board has HORRIBLE noise sensitivity on the low voltage inputs, the addition of filters is a must. I tried installing the "chines """"full version""" hacked mach3" got it going. figured out how to use the IDC header for limit switches and so on. Ran into a few snags on that regard, where some of the inputs worked on the 5v level but other limit inputs would NOT. Had to do with combinations of xyz inputs for both + and - limits 6 inputs in total. Some would not work unless they were seperated to the high voltage inputs ??? I know go figure something to do with how it was coded and mach3. But regardless it works ISH. The more I look at it. I'm thinking this board will be a great candidate for GRBL!!!!, MARLIN, Machinekit or maybe even smoothie. Though smoothie would require a chip swap from stm32103RCT6 to stm32103RET6 the rct6 has only 128k flash and 20k ram, the RET6 has 512k flash and 64k ram. Unless I'm mistaken they are pin for pin compatible. I'm going to assume some remapping will likely need to be done using ANY flavor of firmware's. also it seems to be that the SERIAL pins for programming are broken out on the traces. If you notice on the board between the stm32 and the USB port. there are 2 round solder test point pads or break outs. THOSE are connected to the serial pins for programming on the STM32., PIN 46 PA13, PIN 49 PA14. This board can be read with the STLINK programmer. There is no reason an updated firmware could not be generated to use the board as it is configured and convert it to GRBL or some other firmware version. If anyone is interested in helping convert this board to a simple firmware upgrade and giving it a whole new life please let me know!!
    Help ID this controller in my Chinese 3040?-20210418_110246-jpgHelp ID this controller in my Chinese 3040?-20210418_113010-jpg

    Last edited by berin; 04-18-2021 at 11:31 AM.


  6. #26
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    Default Re: Help ID this controller in my Chinese 3040?

    Help ID this controller in my Chinese 3040?-20210418_110246-jpg I added the pinouts for the IDC 2x5 header. I may have made some errors but I dont believe so. The pins on the chip are very small, though I used a USB microscope when testing the pins. So far as I can tell the board construction is only a 2 layer top/bottom and the only bottom traces going from the stm32 chip to anything are to the idc header. All other traces are top side mounted. PIN 46 PA13 SWDIO, PIN 49 PA14 SWCLK. ON the chip its self the little circle is the pin 1 VDD/pin 64 VBATT location both are connected to the 3.3v regulator. THE BIG tab and the center small tab are both output from the ams1117 linear regulator. With this info that should be enough for anyone to start digging into this controller.

    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Help ID this controller in my Chinese 3040?-20210418_110246-jpg  
    Last edited by berin; 04-18-2021 at 12:54 PM.


  7. #27
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    Default Re: Help ID this controller in my Chinese 3040?

    256k flash, and 48k ram my mistake STM32F103RCT6



  8. #28
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    Default Re: Help ID this controller in my Chinese 3040?

    HI Chimer How are you I hope you can help me to solve the problem I had the CNC controller like your but not driver Please sent me you driver I am so happy to know you have correct the driver. Thank you in advance. I have a question have you set up the digitizer on IN4 and are they working?. If you know how Please so me how to do too.my email is mctslc@gmail.com
    Thank you very much you have a nice day



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Help ID this controller in my Chinese 3040?

Help ID this controller in my Chinese 3040?