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Thread: CNC retrofit
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20th Mar 2020, 12:28 PM #1Member
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CNC retrofit
Hello fellow metalworkers,
I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a good CNC controller to retrofit my [small] mill.
There are plenty available on eBay/aliexpress, have any of you guys installed one?
Here is what I'm looking for:
- 4 axis
- encoder position feedback
- graphic user interface
- 2 axis interpolation
- hand controller
I'm also open to purchasing a s/hand unit.
Any reports on your experience would be appreciated.
Thank you
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20th Mar 2020, 01:47 PM #2Senior Member
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What mill?
LinuxCNC is my recommended controller.
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20th Mar 2020, 01:53 PM #3Member
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20th Mar 2020, 09:16 PM #4Senior Member
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Yes, I use Mesa cards.
Will you be using steppers or servo? If servo, what input (analog +/-10v or step/dir)?
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21st Mar 2020, 08:15 AM #5Member
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My setup will have steppers.
I have investigated the LinuxCNC+Mesa option but the current AUD exchange rate makes this a rather expensive option compared to some of the 3-5 axis CNC controllers available from China, hence my question if anyone has used them.
If I end up using LinuxCNC I'd like to run it on a Raspberry Pi 4, do you run yours on a full PC?
I'm even considering something like the Masso CNC controller at A$1k.
Thanks
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21st Mar 2020, 01:57 PM #6Senior Member
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$200US gets you a 7i76e. Or a 7i96 for $120US. That's all you need.
That's a lot cheaper than $1K AUD.
I personally would not buy a Chinese controller. A CNC controller is not something you want to have bad documentation about.
You can get started with LinuxCNC for the price of a cheap parallel port breakout board.
A 3-4 axis converted benchtop mill is not a demanding application for a control. It's not going to move that fast, so software step generation would be fine to start with at least.
I use an old PC. With a 7i43 and 7i76 (not a standard combination, requires custom adaptor cable, just a result of buying the 7i43 second hand), so latency is not a significant issue.
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22nd Mar 2020, 09:44 AM #7Member
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22nd Mar 2020, 07:48 PM #8future machinist
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I bought a Masso to retrofit my CNC lathe. It's not a bad controller. It's expensive yes but in my situation it was worthwhile as I could use the 1984 steppers drivers and I had a analogue output for Spindle speed control.
BETTER TO HAVE TOOLS YOU DON'T NEED THAN TO NEED TOOLS YOU DON'T HAVE
Andre
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23rd Mar 2020, 08:54 AM #9Member
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