BuildYourCNC - Mach4 CNC Control Software

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Mach4 CNC Control Software

Price Options Your Cart

Mach4 Hobby License

$200.00

Includes free technical support.

Mach4 Parallel Port Legacy Plug-in (Required for Parallel Breakout Board)

$25.00

Includes free technical support.

Mach4 Industrial License

$1295.00

Includes free technical support.

Introduction:

This is the newest software offered by the makers of Mach3. Mach4 will have more features and an entirely new interface. Mach4 will also run on most Windows operating systems. You will be able to run a single license on up to 5 machines simultaneously.

Description:

Information from the Mach4 webpage: "Mach4 is completely new software and has less than 1% of the programming code in common with Mach3. It was written from the ground up to be expandable, flexible, and extremely responsive for use with very large files on any operating system; including Windows, Apple, and Linux. While there was only one version of Mach3, Mach4 will be offered in different versions (not including the many customized OEM versions)."

Download Mach4 Software Note: This is the base Mach4 software. You will need to purchase and install the license to enable the full version of the software (see registration instructions below).

If you are using the Pokeys57CNC Controller, download the Mach4 plugin and manuals for this controller. You will not need the legacy parallel port plugin with this controller.

New Features on Mach4

Type C (Fanuc) cutter compensation standard in Mach4.
More accurate tool path compensation for different size tools
Improved Anti-gouging
Synchronous Motion of up to 6 completely separate coordinate systems (instances) at the same time.
Multiple heads, machines and processes to produce complex parts.
Asynchronous Motion (out of band axis) to control uncoordinated motion.
Pre-change tool changers
Robotic Loaders
Torch height manual compensation control
Multi-Axis Work Shifts and Head shifts to offset cutting tool path for multiple work piece holders and fixtures.
Remote Control of machinery (IPC)
Control or track CNC equipment from a remote location
Greatly expanded troubleshooting
Track the operation of equipment
Link information between other computer applications Excel, etc
New Dynamic tool path display
View, rotate, pan, and scale the tool path quickly and easily to ensure G-code is creating the path you expect.
Improved screen layout and easily customizable screen modification tool.
Change buttons, displays, and indicators easily, quickly, and on the fly!

Parallel Port Legacy Plug-in: For compatibility with Parallel Breakout Boards, Mach4 requires an additional $25 purchase for the legacy driver to run off the parallel breakout system.

Mach4 Industrial Additional FeaturesTool Life Management (G10 L3 command), Screw MappingProfessional Screen Designer (advanced G.U.I.) - Screen Animation Control - Screen Integrated Tool Table Control - Screen Integrated Work Offset Control - Screen Integrated gcode editor - Screen Artsoft Wizard Package IntegrationMacro B gcode Programming (#variables) - User definable gcodes via marco calls - Macro Calls: G65, G66, G66.1 - gcode via marco call (custom G codes via macro B) - mcode via macro call (custom M codes via macro B) - mcode via sub code (custom M code via sup program) - Conditional gcodes - set VN call - define variable namesgcode Editor IncludedPhone support with the developer with priority support.

Mach4 Registration Instructions:

Download the demo version of Mach4 Hobby here
After installation, run Mach4 Mill
Navigate to "Help" tab on the top menu and select "About"
Copy Your PC-ID number and include it in the notes when purchasing or email it to customerservice@buildyourcnc.com with subject line "Mach4 PC-ID for -your name-"
Once we have your PC-ID we will send you the license file that will register your copy of Mach4 and email you the license zip file
After receiving the file containing your license, save the file into a folder on the same computer you have installed Mach4 on.
Open Mach4 Mill and navigate to Help and About again.
Click on "Load License File" and select the license file you have just saved. You will receive a confirmation message that Mach4 is registered and you will be asked to restart your computer.

Instructions for Parallel Port Legacy Plug-in You will receive a file emailed to the email address you have used to register on BuildYourCNC.com unless you specify otherwise. Important Note: The Parallel Legacy Plug-in will not run on 64-bit Operating Systems.

Follow the same instructions for Mach4 license file installation for the Parallel Port Legacy Plug-in. First download the demo from the downloads page, extract the files and run the program to install the demo driver. Once you have purchased a license, download the license file, save it to your hard drive, locate it in Mach4 under "Help" and "About" and then load the license file to register the plugin.

As we do with Mach3, if purchasing Mach4 as an add-on with one of our Computer CNC Systems, we will preload Mach4 onto the redLeaf or redSprout at no additional charge.

Ask a question about the Mach4 CNC Control Software:

Previously answered questions:

Click on the question to reveal the answer.

[Mach4 CNC Control Software] Hello Dear, I would like to build my cnc that is controlling by camera. There are 4 crosses on the sheet that is marked on laser. I need to make part zeroing according to 3 points on the part. I would like to ask, Does mach4 support camera that is make zeroing automatically?

Yes, you can use OpenCV to grab the video/image data and use the crosses as a detection object in OpenCV. Mach4 has Lua scripting capabilities, so you can create a script that takes the coordinates from the OpenCV image and set the machine's zero point accordingly.
Click the link to add information to this solution:
[468] Hello Dear, I would like to build my cnc that is controlling by camera. There are 4 crosses on the sheet that is marked on laser. I need to make part zeroing according to 3 points on the part. I would like to ask, Does mach4 support camera that is make zeroing automatically?
[Mach4 CNC Control Software] I wanted to know if I could use a computer with 64 bits windows installed (with Parallel port in the mainboard) or not. Thanks

Mach4 is designed to run in both 64 and 32-bit computers and operating systems, however, the parallel port interface will not work with 64-bit windows. The easiest solution would be to use a more modern CNC controller, like the:

pokeys57cnc that I sell
https://buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-electronic-component-breakout-Mach4-mach3-USB-ethernet-Board

Or other options like the Smoothstepper board that I do not sell.

Both are great options.
Click the link to add information to this solution:
[468] I wanted to know if I could use a computer with 64 bits windows installed (with Parallel port in the mainboard) or not. Thanks
[Mach4 CNC Control Software] I have a Shark HD520 and will I have to change all of my controller cards?

If the Shark HD520 has separate drivers for each stepper motor, you will only need to change the controller that connects the computer to the drivers. If the Shark HD520 has the controller and driver all on one board, then you will need to get a controller and one driver for each stepper motor. You can determine if your electronics have independent drivers by opening the electronics enclosure and checking for three boxes each having wires that connect to a stepper motor (or stepper motor connector.
Click the link to add information to this solution:
[468] I have a Shark HD520 and will I have to change all of my controller cards?
[Mach4 CNC Control Software] The CNC is routing my letters half the size

In Mach4, you need to calibrate your axes so that real-world measurements are the same as the measurements for your axes' position.

Mach4 has a wizard that allows you to calculate the steps per unit for an axis. This is a manual operation, so you will need to use the existing steps per unit in the axis you wish to change.

Go to motor tuning to grab this number and copy it to the clipboard. Now go to the wizards menu and "select wizard". Scroll through the wizards until you see "StepsPerUnitCalculator" wizard and accept that wizard.

A new dialog box will appear with fields that you can use to determine the new steps per unit for the desired axis. The incremental move button is available so you can test new values calculated for the steps per unit for the axis. Use the "move distance" along with the "move velocity" to incrementally move to determine move distances.
Click the link to add information to this solution:
[468] The CNC is routing my letters half the size