When you plug the USB controller into the computer using a USB cable, and the planet-cnc software is running, you will be presented with a dialog box that will contain a text box for the key that you received from the planet-cnc folks.

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Additional Information:
Is there any other software that will work with your controller Mach3? Thanks for the help!

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However it how do I get the software to work? PlanetCNC sent me a key that looks like it will only work with a backup control board I purchased from them?

The best way to determine how to control your VFD using Mach4 is to read the MAch4 manual found here:
http://www.machsupport.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Mach4%20Installation%20Manual.pdf

You will find that there a a few ways to control the spindle/VFD on your CNC machine or CNC Router.
- The first and easiest is to have your VFD's power controlled by a relay. This will allow your spindle to have on/off control through Mach4 with an output pin.
- The second is to have a controller output a DAC voltage between 0-10 volts to control speed on the VFD/Spindle. There is a termial on the VFD to receive this signal line. The controller will also have an output that outputs a high or low and that can control the on/off on the VFD.
- The third, and more difficult of the three methods is to use a USB to Serial adapter (USB to USART or RS-485). The Computer plugs into the adapter using a USB cable and the adapter uses the RX/TX to connect to the VFD's terminals for communication. This will provide a great amount of control. Mach4 will need a plug-in to make this option work.

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How can I control my VFD using Mach4 cnc control software?

Connect the XD to the Dir, XP to the Step, and the 5V on the Mach3 USB controller to the +5V.

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[575] I have motor control boards that have 4 pin input ( Step, Dir, EN, +5V) how do I connect this USB board?

You can connect the 5V from the Mach3 USB controller to the 5V terminal on the driver, the XP to the Step terminal on the driver and the XD to the Dir terminal on the driver.

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[575] I have motor control boards that have 4 pin input ( Step, Dir, EN, +5V) how do I connect this USB board?

You will need a USB cable to connect the computer and the Mach3 USB. The 64-bit operating system must be Windows and you will need the Mach3 CNC control software installed on the operating system.

You will need to install the USB driver called RNRMotion.dll. You can find the driver here: https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-electronic-component-breakout-Mach3-USB-Board

Move the file to your Mach3 Plugins folder Example: "C:/Users/ProgramFiles/Mach3/Plugins"

Mach3 will prompt you to select a driver and this is where you can select the "RnRMotionController" and check "Don't ask me again". This will allow your board to communicate with Mach3.

You will also need the xml file found on this page: https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-electronic-component-breakout-Mach3-USB-Board

On that page, you will need to download the XML Mach3 Config File by right clicking on the link and selecting "save as". Save the Mach3Mill.xml file in your Mach3 root folder.

That file is the main configuration file for the Mach3 board. It has all of the typical settings that the Mach3 board needs.

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I have a 64 bit operating system and the Mach3 usb control board. What do i need to communicate between the two?

Here is how to connect your router to the parallel breakout board through the on-board relay. You will need a spare extension cord. You will need to remove a portion of the outer jacket of the extension cord to expose the white, black and green wires (white = neutral, black = live and green = ground), understanding that the neutral and live create the completed circuit.

See this image of a similar connection. The terminal has the same connections.
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/images/vacuum-pressure-controller-relay-terminals-700.JPG

Image of the relay terminal:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/images/breakoutboardrelayNONC.PNG

The live/black wire would be cut and one end of the cut would be secured into the P terminal and the other cut end would be secured into the S terminal. The live and ground wire would be uncut and travel from the plug to the router.


Additional Information:
You can also connect other high powered devices to the breakout board using any of the output terminals. You will need to supply extra relays like the one shown here:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-breakout-Relays-relay-board-250V-12A-5V

Or you can find SSRs (Solid State Relays) that will accept 5v to drive the relay coil. Make sure the SSR will protect the 5V line from Back EMF as there is a coil in the relay. The one we sell contains a fly-back diode to protect the 5v terminal.

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I have your breakout board with relay parallel port , how can I wire up a regular router to that board so I can control the router

Yes, you can control the speed of the 2.2 kW spindle, and the other spindles we sell, through Mach3 software. It requires making some changes to the settings in Mach3 and in your inverter. It also requires an additional part, which is called a USB to Serial Converter, found on our site here:

https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/Interfaces-newbiehack-Interfaces-TTL232R-USB-UART-Serial

I have some additional instructions, that I will send upon request, by email. I will also be adding a complete tutorial and video, to the website, on how to do this soon.

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20

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can I control the speed of a 2.2 spindle through your 5 axis breakout board with relay?

To home the z-axis using a plate:
- Connect the end mill using a large clamping device like an alligator clip with a wire connected to GND.

- Connect the plate (solder a wire to the plate) to one of the input pins.

- You can use the autoset to setup that pin in Mach3 simply by touching the two together once connected to the pin and GND.

Alternatively, the end mill can be connected to the pin and the plate connected to GND as long as there becomes a complete circuit when the end mill touches the plate.

To setup homing for the Planet-CNC homing and limits, go to the Planet-CNC Machine setup page which explains the process step by step: http://www.planet-cnc.com/faq/machine_setup/

Customer Response:
How do I get homing on z to work with planet cnc software using build your own usb board. I have gone to planet website and followed the instructions provided but my software will not allow entries in the required fields they are grayed out is it because I am not using planet-cnc's board, I have used this method for years with Mach3 and would like to use it with the usb board and software.

Answer:
Just received information from the developer. The instructions on how to use a plate for z-axis homing (moveable sensor) can be found here:

http://www.planet-cnc.com/faq/moveable_sensor/

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How do I get Homing on Z to work with Plate and Ground using Buildyourcnc usb board all the entries for the sensor in planet-cnc are grayed out. I am using input z- and I purchased the software

The instructions on how to do this are found here, in these two videos, http://buildyourcnc.com/PrimeronHomingandLimitSwitches.aspx

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HOW DO I CONNECT A TOUCH PLATE TO THE BREAKOUT BOARD?

The apply a machining operation that cuts along the inside of a polygon, you will need to use the profile machining operation located at the top of the user interface, the first icon in red to the left. Hovering over the icons will inform you of what machining operation the icon represents.

Select the polygon and click on the profile icon. A new profile operation will be created in the left drawing pane (outline of machining operations). Underneath the drawing pane, there is another pane with parameters for the profile listed. Find the Inside/Outside parameter and click just right of that parameter to change the setting to inside.

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How do I cut on the inside of a polygon using CAMBAM?

CP+ to COM
CP- to STEP
CP+ to CW+ (small jumper wire)
CW- to DIR

Additional Information:
If the driver does not have CP or CW labels, the CP is Step and the CW is Direction or DIR. If you connect the 5v to CP+ (or Step+) and CW+ (or DIR+) and the pin to CP- (or Step-) and another pin to CW- (or DIR-), then in software, the configuration for the step on that axis must be active low. Otherwise, if you connect the GND to CP- (or Step-) and CW- (or DIR-) and the pin to CP+ (or Step+) and another pin to CW+ (or DIR+), then in software, the configuration for the step on that axis must be active high.

Additional Information:
If you have a driver that is labeled pul, dir and ena: Pul+ is the Step+ and Pul- is the Step-. Pul is short for pulse. A pulse will create a step. Don't worry about the enable terminals.

On the x-axis, pin #2 can go to pul- and pin #3 can go to dir-. The 5v will go to pul+ and dir+. The configuration for each axis for step will be active low and toggle active low for the dir on each axis to make it go in the direction desired.

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HOW DO I WIRE FROM THE BREAKOUT BOARD TO DRIVER?

At this time, we don't offer drawings or digital files for the redLeaf or redSprout CNC computer system.

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Can I please buy a vectored drawing of the redleaf control box to cut out on my cnc?

You can go here to find the diagrams and instruction on connecting the parallel breakout board:

https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-parallel-breakout-relay

Also, please make sure to watch all of the electronics tutorial videos here:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/CNCElectronicsandWiring.aspx

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how do I connect the parallel breakout board?

It is not necessary to connect the spindle VFD (Variable Frequency Drive also called an Inverter) to the computer or CNC motion electronics. The VFD can be controlled independently using the control panel on the VFD. The control panel has the ability to control all aspects of the spindle including Speed, Torque, limits, etc. However, you can connect the VFD to the computer so the CNC control program can control the spindle during the CNC Machine operation. You will need to connect the VFD to the computer via a serial conection (in this case, it is the RS-485 protocol).

The following are instructions on how to connect the VFD to Mach3 via this RS-485 serial connection.

The first thing you will need is the dynamic link library to pair with mach3 called the Huanyang VFD Mach3 PlugIn. You can find this file at the mach3 support forum here: http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,14182.0.html

You will also need to download the Microsoft .net 3.5 framework and install it: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=21

Follow the pdf that comes with the library file, but here is a synopsis of what you need to do (I also added a lot more information that may be useful during this process as the manual does not cover the main connections that need to be done):

You will need to program your VFD so that it knows how to communicate with mach3 and the computer (go into the programming mode of the VFD and change these parameters):
- PD001 - value 2 - Enables with communication aspect of the VFD
- PD002 - value 2 - Enables frequency control from the communcations port
- PD163 - value 1 - VFD address
- PD164 - value 1 - Baud rate of 9600 (speed of the communication)
- PD165 - value 3 - 8N1 RTU - 8 bits (that's the size of the word that gets communicated), N (No parity or no error checking) and 1 (1 stop bit)

Copy the dll file to the PlugIns folder of mach3.

Connect the RX and TX lines to your computer. There are a couple ways you can do this, but the recommended way would be to use an FTDI USB device which converts a USB to a serial com port. The device will have Rx and Tx connectors to connect to the VFD terminals with the same labels. This method is recommended since serial ports are not as common in computers these days.

Next, you will need to configure mach3 to use the plugin library. Start mach3 and click on Menu -> config ->Config Plugins. Enable the new plugin by clicking on the red cross on the left column next to the plug in. Restart mach3 after doing this.

No you need to configure mach3 to use the HuanyangVFD plugin. Go to the ports & pins configuration and select the spindle setup tab. Make sure that the Disable Spindle Relays checkbox is unchecked. We don't want mach3 to output a signal for a relay since the spindle will start up and turn off within the VFD and not from an external relay.

Next, go to the HuanyangVFD settings by clicking on Menu -> plugin control -> HuanyangVFD. Set the parameters to the same settings you put into the VFD programming. The com port will be shown as new hardward when you plug in the USB FTDI device. A little bubble will be displayed at the bottom right where it will notify you that a new device is being installed (be patient while windows assigns a com port). Alternatively, you can use the windows device manager to see which port was set for the new USB FTDI device). You may need to restart mach3 several times until you get the correct information displayed in the PD001 and PD002 fields. When the com port is correct and the other parameters, like baud and VFD address is the same as you entered in the programming, then the PD001 and PD002 will show the number 2, otherwise, a 99 will appear which means that communication was not successful.

You can now control the on/off and RPM of the spindle using the RS485 communication between mach3 and the VFD.

Additional Information:
The question was how to connect the spindle to the redfy. I did not receive a VFD.
I have the redFly system and a 2.2kW Spindle - 110V how do i connect the spindle?

Additional Information:
If you received a spindle without a VFD, please contact us asap. Our spindle will not work without a VFD.

Additional Information:
Hi, how is this setup in mach4?

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how do I connect my spindle to mach3 so mach3 can control it

If your computer does not have a parallel port, all you will need is a low cost PCI parallel adapter card (these can be found on amazon for $15-$20). If you plan on using a laptop (not recommended) you can try to find a PCMCIA parallel adapter, but many people have frequent issues with this setup. A more expensive solution would be to purchase a USB smooth stepper board. Unfortunately, we do not supply any of these adapters and cannot attest to their reliability.

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ur gay

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MY COMPUTER DOES NOT HAVE A PARALLEL PORT. HOW DO I INTERFACE WITH THE BREAKOUT BOARD?

We currently can only control the On/Off of the spindle via Mach 3 and through our Parallel Interface Board. We have the listed instructions on our Parallel Interface Board webpage, will be a easy job that will included 2 wires (18-24g wire will be fine) from your inverter(VFD) to the location of your Parallel Interface Board.

Parallel Interface Board webpage: https://buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-parallel-breakout-relay

In regards to our USB Interface Board, we are currently working on a prototype board that will allow the same On/Off capability with Planet-CNC. Prototype Board currently not available as of yet.

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I can't seem to find information on spindle control via the breakout board. Can someone point me in the right direction?

You will need a 24V relay to control mist using the Mach3 USB breakout board. The wiring diagram (link below) will show one of the output terminals (O1, O2, O3 or O4) connected to one of the leads of the relay. The other lead is connected to the V+ to complete the circuit. The other part of the relay is used as a switch to control the mist on/off.

Wiring diagram: https://www.buildyourcnc.com/Documents/Electric%20Wiring%20Diagram.pdf

Mach3 USB Breakout Board for CNC Routers: https://buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-electronic-component-breakout-Mach3-USB-Board

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How can I to connect a signal to turn on a mist in a USB board? Thank you

The instructions on how to use a plate for z-axis homing (moveable sensor) can be found here:

http://www.planet-cnc.com/faq/moveable_sensor/

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Using your USB control board, is it possible to install and use a Z axis touch plate? If yes, what board connections would it be installed to?

Do you have anything connected to the relay?

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is the relay controlled by a pinout on the BoB?

Additional Information:
Nothing is attached to the relay pins I am only using 2 and 3 and 5v for x driver and led indicator, 4 and 5 and 5v for y driver and led indicator, and 6 to fire the laser and the led indicator. I am also using a 5v out for the laser power control circuit and one pin of the 5k pot. Ground is shared on the laser power supply, the cnc power supply and the x and y driver. I am using the computer motherboard supplied by Buildyoucnc running ubuntu 12.04.5 LTS and linuxcnc. Bios is set to use ECP, I have tried normal and I have tried EPP, all with the same results. If I plug in the parallel after the computer starts up it doesn't switch but I can't control either axis motors


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Laser is currently not connected for safety reasons


Additional Information:
I am using the parallel BoB for the 40 watt C02 Laser Cutter and Engraver(blacktooth), with the supplied integrated computer running Ubuntu 12.04.5 LTS and linuxcnc. Right now, when I have the parallel header connected to the BoB(as well as usb power supplied by the computer) and I start the computer, I am able to see the first splash screen of text indicating that the computer is starting up, then the relay on the BoB switches, turning the computer off and then back on again. This happens over and over again and the computer cannot fully start into the linux os. If I unplug the parallel cable from the BoB, I can start the computer, sign in and then plug the BoB back in without it shutting down the computer. Can anyone explain why this happens? I should also say that I cannot talk to the steppers in stepconfig of linuxcnc, I get to the test this motor section and nothing happens when I try to jog either the x or y motors. In the y config, I actually triggered the relay and sent the machine back into the start up failure loop I mentioned in the beginning.

Additional Information:
Fixed this problem, the parallel cable was not seated well, found some screws to make a strong connection, now that part is working. Unfortunately, the stepconfig in linuxcnc is still not talking to the motor drivers and the setup for determining steps for inch in the build instructions is nothing like the set up in linuxcnc. In the instructions it says motor steps per revolution*microsteps/pulley pitch per tooth*number of teeth and in this case the recommended input would be (200*16)/.08*20 teeth = 2000 steps per inch the formula in linuxcnc is very different

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parallel break out board is not working-relay keeps switching my computer off when I power up