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.

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[575] Can it control a safety 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?)

The Spindle can be controlled with either analog (Like with a DAC card) or PWM.

If your spindle speed is controlled by an analog signal, (for example, by a VFD with a 0 to 10 volt signal) and you’re using a DAC card like the m5i20 to output the control signal:

First you need to figure the scale of spindle speed to control signal. For this example the spindle top speed of 5000 RPM is equal to 10 volts.

10 volts / 5000 RPM = .002 volts / 1 RPM

If you need a spindle enable signal, link your output pin to motion.spindle-on. To link these pins to a parallel port pin put something like the following in your .hal file (net spindle-enable motion.spindle-on => parport.0.pin-14-out), making sure you pick the pin that is connected to your control device.

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Can the spindle be controlled with a PWM signal or analog signal? Which pin do I assign the spindle control to in LinuxCNC?

Our spindle VFD's, have a multitude of different connectors that can be used for different operations. There is a manual that comes with each VFD, and you can refer to page 11 for different functions and descriptions.

We currently have a PWM, working with our machine, however it is connected via USB, and setup through Mach 3.
Also if you may have misplaced or lost the manual here is a link to the pdf:

(https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCAQFjAAahUKEwibxaaIndTHAhXQlogKHZVyDFE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.c-n-c.cz%2Fdownload%2Ffile.php%3Fid%3D42252&ei=_cHkVdvSC9CtogSV5bGIBQ&usg=AFQjCNHTQcxs-KhJkvkhMdxVFPzkoYJtsA&sig2=JAcZawTGMuC-t4wmn1z-rA)

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It is possible to control externally the 1.5kW Inverter (VFD) (220 Volt) with PWM so i can control the spindle rotation? Do you have the documentation? Thank you

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?

There are several CAD/CAM programs out there for MacOS. Here is a list of a few: http://www.macuser.de/forum/f53/3d-2d-cad-395058/#post4499316
I've also read good things about punchCAD: http://www.punchcad.com/
Of course, there is always SketchUp if you are in a pinch. There are a few CAM plugins for SketchUp as well, but I've never used them, so I can't vouch for them.

CAD/CAM will get you as far as designing your parts and producing the g-code, but if you also want to run the CNC machine with your Mac, you will need a piece of software similar to Mach3 or EMC to run the g-code. I haven't been able to find anything like these programs that runs on Mac, so you may have to run Mach3 or EMC in Windows using Boot Camp or a virtual machine such as VMware or Parallels.

Personally, I would use the Mac to do all the CAD/CAM, then use a cheap PC to run the CNC machine.

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EasyDNC for OSX
www.dnc-x.com

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Hi guys I’m new to the cnc and I’m beginning to learn how to operate and cad-cam software also my cnc runs on Mach3 my questions is if I should use MacBook to do all designs if I can have all this software to run on Mac or I have to use windows software to operate it? I have separate small computer connected to the cnc table who have Mach3 on it please help. Also if you know any other software much easy for beginners please let me know thank you guys!
My email if needed is r1jastrzebski@gmail.com

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Hi , thank you for your advise!

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Hi , thank you for your advise!

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Hi , thank you for your advise!

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Hi , thank you for your advise!

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CAN I USE A MAC TO CONTROL THE CNC?

Yes, you can control the VFD using the a relay.  You will need to connect the relay output (NO) to the forward terminal of the VFD and the gnd terminal.  You will need to look at the diagram for your VFD to determine which gnd to use in the set of terminals that is associated with the forward terminal.  The forward terminal may be called something else, but the manual will tell you (something like X1, or D1, etc.)

You will also need to change a parameter in the VFD to use the external terminals as opposed to the control from the control panel.

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Can you control the VFD from mach3?

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

It is possible to connect and configure the spindle VFD to the mach3 via an RS485 communication and protocol.

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.



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This looks easy enough, however, the VFD that came with my spindle is made by Huajiang, not a Huanyang. The parameter codes are different and do not line up with the ones offered in this response.

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How do I program the 2.2kw VFD to jog with a Digital Input

The power supply that is used to power this controller must be 24VDC maximum. Any higher voltage and the controller components can be damaged. The 24VDC power supply doesn't need to be a high amp power supply. I would recommend This power supply: https://buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-power-supply-24v-1a-dc

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[575] Instructions read 24v on the card, can it support 36vdc ?

It is possible to wire this controller so a spindle can be turned on and off, but spindle speed would not be possible and would need to be controlled from the control panel. It is not recommended to use a laser controller to control a spindle as a laser controller is specifically made for lasers to control speed and intensity. A traditional CNC controller is best to be mated with a system that uses a spindle as there are more sophisticated machining operations that take into consideration the features of a tool (end mill, drill, surfacing tool, etc.).

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I would recommend creating a system, similar to the greenBull, where there are two gantries on a single table where one gantry houses a spindle and the other gantry houses a laser. Each gantry can use a disparate controller, but be mapped/calibrated/aligned to the same surface.

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[521] Can this be used to control a spindle as well as a laser?

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?

Yes, that driver has standard step and direction signal terminals that will work fine with the Mach3 USB controller.

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[575] We have Gecko 203V that require 5v input signal, can this be done?

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?

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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Is there a way to use Mach4 to control my VFD?

The blackTooth Laser cutter and Engraver can be built in a weekend. Take a look at the build instructions and try to determine if you feel you have sufficient capability to put together the laser system.

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HOW COMPLEX IS YOUR KIT TO ASSEMBLE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY - HARD IT SETUP CONTROL THE LASER WITH MACH3?

No, ground from the pokeys57cnc controller should not be required. Your VFD should have two terminals that will turn on and off the spindle (forward, or stop). These two terminals simply need to be connected to each other to invoke that operation. In the VFD manual, you will see a schematic with a normally open switch symbol between these two terminals. The onboard relay on the pokeys57CNC would be a great feature of the board to connect to the two terminals of the VFD.

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I have a Glack CNC motor and VFD and confused if a ground from the Pokeys57 needs to be ran to the VFD to turn on and off the motor and to also control the speed. I can provide a picture

If you have the USB controller you will need to purchase a USB controller license from planet-cnc.

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with the blueChick v4.2 can any software be used or doo we need to purchase a lic key from the manufacture of the control board for 75 bucks