Changing over to a UC400ETH, Advice Appreciated

[TReischl]

Been upgrading computers around here. Got around to replacing the machine computer with an Intel NUC I7 cause I also use it for design work in the shop. I was running a USB Smooth Stepper (it is about 15 years old, they did not have the ethernet version when I bought it). Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) the software will not install on Windows 11 Pro. So I needed to do something new, and here we are.

I would like to continue using Mach 3 because I have a good screen set provided by GER21 and I use a microscope for positioning. Sort of like using a laser dot, but much more accurate. I would go with something like UCCNC but I cannot find any info on adding something like that microscope. I hate that about buying this stuff, never any real in depth docs, just a lot of marketing garbage about how it will make a person's life wonderful, blah, blah, blah.

So, if anyone has some pearls of wisdom, experiences they would like to share. . . .please do. Especially stuff about the UCC NC software.

[ctbjdm]

Hey there,

I converted my Avid CNC Pro to the UCCNC (UC300 vs the 400) many years ago and am using their software - working great.

Here is a post on my conversion: https://www.cnczone.com/forums/avid-cnc ... tware.html

Not sure about the microscope you mention - is there something specific I can look for for you?

[Bobtail Farm]

a little longer before i go to the UC400ETH (similar setup and age of equipment) -- in the meanwhile, was curious also about using a microscope

[TReischl]

Thanks guys.

About the microscope. A cheap one, like $25 cheap. I have had it on the machine for about 5 years or so. Just plain love it. First it is great for aligning things on the machine, like a pair of vises. Second, it can find an existing feature on a part. Third, it can accurately measure the size of a feature.

An example of what I do with it: Have turned a diameter on a shaft, think walking stick. Now I want to bore a hole in the end of it, centered nicely. I made simple fixture so I can clamp the stick vertically off the end of the machine, I use the microscope to find the precise center. Set zero and away I go.

A person made a plug in for Mach 3 to be able to use the camera, Ger21 has a screenset that has a laser pointer button for setting zero (doesn't know it is looking at a microscope). Really useful stuff.

So my question is, can that set up be more or less duplicated using UCC NC? I think I will be able to do the centering thing sort of manually, worst case, by jogging the machine while looking through the microscope via a camera app, and then keying in the coordinates referencing zero. But it would be great to have that button.

[TReischl]

Been upgrading computers around here. Got around to replacing the machine computer with an Intel NUC I7 cause I also use it for design work in the shop. I was running a USB Smooth Stepper (it is about 15 years old, they did not have the ethernet version when I bought it). Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) the software will not install on Windows 11 Pro........
.
.

This was really annoying me, yanno, the "wake up thinking about it" kind of annoying. Turns out I can install the software on Windows 11. Warp9 (the smoothstepper company) has the directions on their website, it is not real obvious (at least to me) how to go about it. But I figured it out. Also got the microscope/camera plugin working while I was at it.

Soooo, I do not need the UCC NC thing I ordered. But I am not going to return it. Makes for a good backup. Or I may install it anyhow because it is supposed to be more stable than the USB version. Either way, I am all happy now. Well, except for cleaning up my shop which looks like a small bomb went off in here.

[Bobtail Farm]

swell. luck with the clean up.