Auto Tool Zero button fixed position???

ger21
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Re: Auto Tool Zero button fixed position???

Post by ger21 »

Gary, what Martin means is that he'd like to be able to use different software with his UC300ETH, for example. He's talking about motion control hardware.
Just think it would be nice to not be tied to any specific brand of hardware just because of my choice of control software
Martin, it just doesn't work that way. Mach3/4 is the only software that uses hardware from a variety of vendors. The reason for this is that Mach3 started as a parallel port only, software only control. When they added support for motion controllers, a lot of manufacturers started making Mach3 hardware.
While this made Mach3 much better for many people, this approach has a serious downside. You have two different companies, developing complex hardware and software, that needs to work very well together. But they are developed independently. This leads to a lot of compatibility issues, and lengthy waits for bug fixes, from both parties.

When both the software and hardware are done by the same company, they are designed from the beginning to work together flawlessly, and both are developed together, simultaneously.
Other than Mach, virtually all control software/hardware is locked to each other, unless you look at open source projects.
Gerry - http://www.thecncwoodworker.com

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IslaWW
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Re: Auto Tool Zero button fixed position???

Post by IslaWW »

Gerry...
I agree and Martin can take his UC300ETH and connect it to almost any breakout board that is available. One pin at a time. Or he can purchase supported hardware that will "plug" right in that comes with instruction. It appears that all the companies that are growing have used the software/hardware/support model. Martins wishes are noble and if he does his homework can do what he wishes. There will just be no instruction or support. But isn't that what DIY stands for?

Martin, be sure you are not the first to want this. Tens of thousands have. Mach may have listened. It may also be what killed them.

These components keep getting better and cheaper too. For example a UC400ETH and a UCCNC license is less than a Mach license. And, the 50 pins out will give more than enough I/O for most any machine. And there must be hundreds of B-O boards that will connect to it.

Or the Centroid Acorn DIY kit. Software, controller, I/O board, cables, power supply and conversational design software in one package under $300. One of the most advanced controllers on the market.
Gary Campbell
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ATC & Servo Controller Controller Upgrades
GCnC411 (at) gmail.com

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martin54
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Re: Auto Tool Zero button fixed position???

Post by martin54 »

apologies to the OP if I have hijacked this post a bit :oops:

Gerry you have it round the wrong way, it was the software that I would have liked to operate on different machines without being tied to the same brand motion control.

Gary the software is locked to their own brand motion control, if it can't find one of their motion control devices then it defaults to demo mode. Yes if I knew something about computer programming I might be able to change something but as I have already said I know nothing about computer programming & have no desire to start now at my age :lol: :lol:
My Gerber system 48 got the same treatment Gary, I bought it as a non running machine, ripped all the old control system out & replaced it with up to date components & a windows based PC :lol:

Can I say that I use a UC400 ETH & UCCNC control software currently & I have absolutely no complaints about either of them, I am very happy with things just now & presently see no reason to change :lol: :lol: :lol:
I said it would be nice to be able to stick with one Control software package regardless of what brand Motion Control device you used & I still think it would be nice but if that's not how things work then that's OK, just now if I were to acquire another machine then I would be quite happy to purchase another UC400 & another licence for UCCNC but you never know in a year or so's time I might not feel the same way :lol: :lol: :lol:

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