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?

Yes, you can use 12VDC for the MAch3 USB controller at the 24V and DCM terminals. I have not tested using 12VDC in conjunction with the ACM and AVI terminals (PWM output) to control the spindle speed. PWM typically requires a reference voltage (from the VFD) and it's own voltage to produce the PWM signal. I am not sure if 12VDC is sufficient for the PWM. I have tested the inputs with 12VDC and they work fine.

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[575] does the 24VDC input actually need 24 VDC if only using the input for homing switches? Can you use 12 VDC? and would it be damaged with a higher voltage than 24 VDC?

I would recommend using a separate 24VDC power supply for the controller. The 24VDC that is connected to the controller is used for delicate input signals and output signals that control external devices. To keep interference and possible current and voltage fluctuations at a minimum due to the motor load, a separate power supply would be best.

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[575] Can the 24VDC supply used for the interface board be the same supply used for stepper drivers, or do you need separate power supplies? If not, does GND and DCM need to be isolated?

This controller does not have an encoder input to determine the speed of a lathe spindle. The Pokeys57CNC does have an available encoder input.
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-electronic-component-breakout-Mach4-mach3-USB-ethernet-Board

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[575] how do i connect a lathe spindle speed encoder to this usb breakout board controller so i can set up for thread cutting on my lathe and on the mill for threading

with parallel port controllers, you have the ability to jog using two axes at the same time, but with USB controllers, this is not possible.

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[575] Hi, I recently purchased this board and everything seems to be fine! But I am not being able to jog two axis at same time as I used to do on my older board. Did I do something wrong?

The output current for the Mach3 USB Interface Board is 50mA. These outputs are generally not designed to handle heavy loads like Spindle Governor Relays (SGRs).

If your SGR requires a hefty current. Attempting to directly switch it using just the Mach3 USB Interface Board would not be a good idea. In that case, using your existing C36 rev1.1 board as an intermediary is the way to go. That board can handle higher currents and will act as a buffer, ensuring that the Mach3 USB Interface Board doesn't get overwhelmed.

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[575] How much current can the outputs handle? I want to know if I can directly switch my SGR or if I have to go through the existing C36 rev1.1 board first.

BYCNC Response:
This is correct. You will need to use a method appropriate for the software you are using. Also remember that NC switches are typically wired in series, while NO switches are normally wired in parallel.

User Response:
I am using the cnc planet software for your USB board. Are the limit configurations in this software?

BYCNC Response:
Yes, Planet CNC software is compatible with the use of limit switches. Configuration information will depend on your specific application. You can view Planet CNC's information here: http://www.planet-cnc.com/files/CNCUSBController.pdf

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LIMIT SWITCHES FOR AXIS. THE PRINT SHOWS THAT YOU CAN WIRE LIMITS EITHER N.O. OR N.C. SO IF THIS IS CORRECT I WOULD NEED TO TELL BOARD IN SOFTWARE HOW LOOK AT THESE LIMITS, I'M GOING GET AN INPUT LOOSE DEPEND ON IT.

The Mach3 USB Interface Board is designed to handle an output current of 50mA. These outputs are generally not suitable for heavy loads like Spindle Governor Relays (SGRs)​​. Given that your SGR pulls 2.6 Amps, it exceeds the capacity of the Mach3 USB Interface Board's output. Therefore, directly switching the SGR using the Mach3 USB Interface Board is not advisable. Instead, using your existing C36 rev1.1 board as an intermediary would be the recommended approach. This board can handle higher currents and will act as a buffer, protecting the Mach3 USB Interface Board from being overwhelmed by the higher current demand of your SGR.

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[575] How many Amps can the output handle? My SGR pulls 2.6 Amps so I need to know if the output can handle that much.

Yes, you can use a conductive metal to serve as a zeroing block for the Z axis. All you need to do is connect the block (conductive metal) to one of the 4 inputs on the controller. The end mill must be connected to the DCM terminal (the GND of the 24V power supply) of the controller. In the inputs dialog box (config-ports and pins-inputs). Under the probe line, enter port 3 and the pin used for the block.

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[575] Hi can I use a zeroing block with mock three interface board and do you have one I can purchase and directions on how to set up

You should not have a problem with using this controller and having more than 500 lines of GCode. The 500-lines limitation is specific to licensing. Make sure that the Mach3 that you are using does not show "Demo" at the top of the screen. You can also confirm this in the help->about. If you are using a license that was purchased through this website, or from Machsupport.com, you should be fine.

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[575] Although i have licensed mach, when i use that particular board it seems to run only 500 lines of code, how can i fix that? i

You will want to connect the homing switches (which may also serve as your near limit switches) to different input terminals. It's ok to add more limit switches with the home switches, but each home should be on independent inputs. For example, connect home X and any other limit switch to IN1, connect home Y and any other limit switch to IN2, and so on. This will allow you to properly use the "ref all home" button in Mach3.

Additional Information:


Additional Information:
In the instructions (diagram 1) you show all the home switches connected in parallel? But here you say they need to each have their own inputs. "You will want to connect the homing switches (which may also serve as your near limit switches) to different input terminals." I dont see how the second and third axis can go home if the first axis has already closed the parallel circuit unless they back off a bit until the switch opens up again before the next axis goes to home? My machine has no limit switches so I assume they are home switches.

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[575] I have finally got my limit switches wired and working - thank you. Can they also used as homing switches and if so it it just a question of looping the two inputs on the board i.e. the limit and home terminals IN2 to IN3

Yes, the Mach3 USB controller will work with the latest Windows version and in 64-bit mode. The 32-bit mode is only relevant for using the parallel port driver if you are using a parallel port breakout board. Since this controller is connected via a USB cable, the 64-bit state will work fine.

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[575] I have a 64 bit Windows 11 laptop. Will this interface board work with this? If not is there an option you can suggest.

Make sure to wire the limit as normally open.

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[575] I had limit switches working and on input 2. Now looking at Mach 3 diagnostics, Input 2 is continuously on and triggers limit stop. I removed all input 2 so the machine can run. Rebooted all. Anyway to reset Input on card?

The Mach3 USB controller does not provide 5V output signals. The Inputs, Outputs, and PWM Spindle Speed terminals are separated from the 5V side of the board. The output terminals use the 24V portion of the controller and you will need a 24V power supply to make these outputs work.

Please watch the video below to completely understand how the outputs of this controller work. Make sure that you are using the RNRmotion.dll plugin and that the port for each of the outputs is set to port 3.

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[575] I cant get a 5v signal on any of the Outputs on the board. what Port# and Pin #s should I be using on Mach3?

The pulse stream is output directly from the onboard microcontroller on the Mach3 USB controller, so there is no need for a safety charge pump from the computer to the controller. Parallel port breakout boards were connected to the computer via GPIO pins (General Purpose Input/Output) and each pin dedicated to the step pulse would be output directly from those pins. In that case, a safety charge pump was needed.

Additional Information:
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Additional Information:
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[575] The older B.O.B. needed a charge pump as an added safety feature, does this U.S.B. board need a charge pump?

I am not sure of the resolution for the PWM output for spindle speed control. However, if you are worried about getting the exact speed you need, 8-bit will provide 256 levels of increments. This translates roughly to a change of 94 RPM from one increment to another. Remember to provide some inductance and shielding to the signal lines so you won't get fluctuations in speed.

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[575] How is the bit-resolution on the PWM output for the spindle control? (8-bit or higher?)

You have the ability to designate the 4th axis, commonly known as the A-axis, for rotary indexing operations when using a Mach3 USB controller.

To achieve this in Mach3, you'll need to:

Open the Mach3 software.
Navigate to "Config" and then to "Ports and Pins."
Go to the "Motor Outputs" tab.
Enable the A-axis and assign the respective Step and Direction pins.
Save your settings and exit the "Ports and Pins" dialog.
To calibrate the A-axis, go to "Settings" and use the "Set Steps Per Unit" option.

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[575] Does this board support indexing on mach3 turn? Planning to use it on a lathe and will do threading jobs

You can use this board to have two motors/drivers on a single axis.

You have two solutions for this:

Wire the YP and TD to two drivers so they are receiving the same pulses and direction signals from the controller (if you need the motors to turn in opposite directions, just swap the A and B coils where the motor connects to the driver for one of the drivers/motors). This will free up an axis on the board.

Use the Mach3 slaave axis option where you resolve the two motors on a single axis by software. This will require you to use the extra axis on the board.

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[575] Can this board drive two (2) Y-motors? Design uses 1 X, 2 Y, and 1 Z motor. The schematic has X, Y, Z