CNC Mach 3 Parallel port replacement

[dnalot]

UC100 Motion Controller

Well it happened. My old PC with a parallel port lost its magic smoke and died. I was expecting that to happen so I had backed up my Mach 3 program a while back so I wouldn't lose the setup for my CNC router table.

Not wanting to spend a lot of money I opted to try the UC100 parallel port adapter (motion controller) for a USB port. I have been saving an old PC-64 bit with Win 7 installed for this purpose. I bought the UC100 from Amazon and found the software to install it here http://www.cncdrive.com/UC100.html

The UC100 should work on all windows versions from 7 thru 10.

To set things up correctly you must install Mach 3 on the new computer and then copy the original Mach 3 directory from your old PC over the Mach 3 directory on the new computer. That will transfer your license and setup files. The License must be valid. Only then can you install the UC100. Load the UC100 Installer and a popup screen will let you load the drivers and the plugin for Mach 3. The first time you load Mach 3 a popup screen will prompt you to select the port, select the UC100 port. Your now good to go. Actually if your old PC is as old as mine was you will probably need a new keyboard and may need to setup your hotkeys. And you may need a gender adaptor for a parallel port. Total cost was $135

Mark T

 

[joerom]

I used one of them once and it worked.. It was quite a while ago but I do remember using it ..The computer I had died and I could not find a parallel port computer at the time so I bought one of them and put it on a laptop.. Now I just go with Mach4 and a compatible board.. I had used a smoothstepper on my last CNC router build with Mach 4 and that worked well. It seemed at least for me a bit of a headscratcher to hook up..My newest CNC mill build uses a Hicon Integra board which is easy to hook up but is not cheap.. I guess what I am getting at is I got away from the parallel thing which I always thought was the way (you know old dog new tricks) but finally gave in and went with the newer stuff and now I find that is the way...I am not telling anyone what is best, just sharing...............

 

[dnalot]

Now I just go with Mach4 and a compatible board..

In the long run that is what I plan to do. What I needed now was something simple and cheap to get me up and running quick.

Mark T

 

[SPOTTER]

on amazon? if it is a clone it will surely not work, you need the original UC100 combined with mach3 with serial number.

 

[timo_gross]

... I guess what I am getting at is I got away from the parallel thing which I always thought was the way (you know old dog new tricks) but finally gave in and went with the newer stuff and now I find that is the way...I am not telling anyone what is best, just sharing...............

One option for other older dogs that is overlooked often.
To put a cheap PCI-(e) parallel card into the computer can often solve the lack of a built in port.
I added a 2nd card to the linux CNC computer and it was not particular difficult to get it up and running.

In my opinion USB is too unstable for this kind of task. (opinion based on dangerous half knowledge and hearsay )
USB is just not for me.
"Do you want to restart your computer, now? In an hour?, or another (now) time?" Does also not belong near any machine tool. (opinion)

Greetings Timo

 

[joerom]

My Hicon Integra from Viral Systems runs with an Ethernet cable.. The smoothstepper on the CNC router ran with an Ethernet cable.. I never had a problem and used the smoothstepper when I was making guitars and had some very long runs on it for some of the projects... Again, I am not telling anyone what is best, I am just sharing from my previous experience on my machines..................

 

[JohnBDownunder]

I also have the real UC100 and it does intermittently come up with, "UC100 not responding" and this seems to require a re-start of Mach3. So something more stable would be preferred. A PCI card would not work in my case as my cnc lathe runs on an old laptop.
When I do change to an old desktop, the PCI would work or as has been mentioned above ethernet seems more stable.
John B

 

[SPOTTER]

I have 2 UC100, if they are original and also mach3 is original it works very well, and it is possible to use a pc with a usb port, the parallel port is an old system that is no longer used, with the parallel port the pc must be configured a lot well, with the usb port you don't need to do anything.

 

[stragenmitsuko]

On a laptop , certainly the older ones , there will be one or two pcmcia expansion slots .
A pcmcia parallel card cost almost nothing , and it will work just like a pci-e on a desktop .

 

[timo_gross]

I have 2 UC100, if they are original and also mach3 is original it works very well, and it is possible to use a pc with a usb port, the parallel port is an old system that is no longer used, with the parallel port the pc must be configured a lot well, with the usb port you don't need to do anything.

Just curious: Did you have bad experience with "fakes" or are you deducting that your systems are working because they are original?
From my personal experience with Computer systems it seems often to be a matter of pure luck if a system works or not. (just rumbling! no trolling intended )

Parallel not used anymore, yes and no.

older system, yes. No longer used, no, I still use mine . To be honest I thought of retiring it at some point too. The old PC died and I had to replace it. Some new Chinese machines still use it. (however a questionable practice).

I ended up buying three vintage PCs for about 90 USD plus 30 USD for some parallel interface cards.
One refused to run the linux cnc stable, one is running linux cnc, the third one is a ready to run backup. Just because I thought it is nice to have an independent experimenting system.

Mentioned UC100 seems still do use the parallel interface of the machine side of things or not?

I think it still can make sense to use a 2nd hand vintage PC to run Mach3 or Linux-cnc, if you do not want to touch the parallel interface on an existing machine, or if you got the PC for free because it was obsolete for someone else.

A 10 USD Parallel card can save an obsolete PC from junk pile. I found out about this option far too late, so I advertise it (maybe too agressive ). Not because I think the Parallel port is still going strong, but I think it is not quite dead yet as long as so many older machines are still using it and at the same time hardware can be found free of charge in many occasions.

Spending "big bucks" can safe time, but comes at increased purchase cost. If I debug my ****** controller, hate debugging controllers and do this instead of building my other projects. I am doing something wrong.

I think people tend to not value their own time enough.

If I debug a ****** controller, because it is part of my hobby to debug ****** controllers. Then it is fine O.K. and nothing wrong with it.
In that case I think a parallel ports system is an excellent starting point, because often you can get a free PC from obsolescence pile.

Cheap 3d printer controllers might be an option for the hunter of the cheap but amazing CNC hardware. Beware it might be only another way to learn the hard way, that it all seems to be: You get what you pay for.

Greetings TImo

 

[Aerostar55]

UC100 Motion Controller

View attachment 126389

Well it happened. My old PC with a parallel port lost its magic smoke and died. I was expecting that to happen so I had backed up my Mach 3 program a while back so I wouldn't lose the setup for my CNC router table.

Not wanting to spend a lot of money I opted to try the UC100 parallel port adapter (motion controller) for a USB port. I have been saving an old PC-64 bit with Win 7 installed for this purpose. I bought the UC100 from Amazon and found the software to install it here CNCdrive - motion controls

The UC100 should work on all windows versions from 7 thru 10.

To set things up correctly you must install Mach 3 on the new computer and then copy the original Mach 3 directory from your old PC over the Mach 3 directory on the new computer. That will transfer your license and setup files. The License must be valid. Only then can you install the UC100. Load the UC100 Installer and a popup screen will let you load the drivers and the plugin for Mach 3. The first time you load Mach 3 a popup screen will prompt you to select the port, select the UC100 port. Your now good to go. Actually if your old PC is as old as mine was you will probably need a new keyboard and may need to setup your hotkeys. And you may need a gender adaptor for a parallel port. Total cost was $135

Mark T

I'm totally new with CNC, do you have to purchase Mach3 to get a workable download? Is the free version just a sample screen shot or something that won't actually run the mill?

 

[stevehuckss396]

I'm totally new with CNC, do you have to purchase Mach3 to get a workable download? Is the free version just a sample screen shot or something that won't actually run the mill?

If you are just starting out go straight to Mach4. Developement on Mach3 has ended. Mach4 is just as capable and contines to be refined. I think the latest version is only weeks old. You will want to upgrade eventually and if you have a lathe it will be very soon. Start with Mach4

 

[SPOTTER]

I'm totally new with CNC, do you have to purchase Mach3 to get a workable download? Is the free version just a sample screen shot or something that won't actually run the mill?

The demo version of mach3 allows you to use only 1000 lines of G code

 

[timo_gross]

If you are just starting out go straight to Mach4. Developement on Mach3 has ended. Mach4 is just as capable and contines to be refined. I think the latest version is only weeks old. You will want to upgrade eventually and if you have a lathe it will be very soon. Start with Mach4

To someone who just starts out I would suggest, also look into all sorts of alternatives first.

I am a convinced Linux CNC "experimenter" (almost could call it user). Admittedly sometimes I almost come across like a fanboy .
I just see a lot of false information about Linux CNC. I think it is not as difficult to use in a simple set up as people often claim. It can be fairly reliable if done correctly.

In this thread there were also some other alternatives mentioned.

https://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/threads/cnc-controller.31560/
3d printer hardware and firmware can also be used to run a CNC mill if the budget is very limited.

 

[timo_gross]

I'm totally new with CNC, do you have to purchase Mach3 to get a workable download? Is the free version just a sample screen shot or something that won't actually run the mill?

The first question should be. What do you want to control?
Motor types, Spindle types, glas scales, other sensors, rotary encoders, hydraulics, pneumatics, pumps etc.?

Then find, buy or assemble a matching CNC control that is according to the "whishlist".

 

[salzburg]

I think the trial version of Mach3 allows only 500 lines .

 

[Aerostar55]

If you are just starting out go straight to Mach4. Developement on Mach3 has ended. Mach4 is just as capable and contines to be refined. I think the latest version is only weeks old. You will want to upgrade eventually and if you have a lathe it will be very soon. Start with Mach4

OK thanks for the info

 

[Aerostar55]

The first question should be. What do you want to control?
Motor types, Spindle types, glas scales, other sensors, rotary encoders, hydraulics, pneumatics, pumps etc.?

Then find, buy or assemble a matching CNC control that is according to the "whishlist".

I have a Sherline CNC mill with the Sherline controller box.

 

[awake]

On a laptop , certainly the older ones , there will be one or two pcmcia expansion slots .
A pcmcia parallel card cost almost nothing , and it will work just like a pci-e on a desktop .

Hmm ... I haven't seen as pcmcia expansion slot on a laptop here in the US in at least a decade, maybe more. Have laptops sold in other parts of the world have continued to offer that slot?

<rant mode on>
As someone who once made a living working with / designing embedded systems ... I find it endlessly fascinating that the venerable parallel port continues to play such an integral role in both the Mach and LinuxCNC environments. It must be acknowledged that using a parallel port in this way started out as a hack workaround, a way to avoid the expense of a purpose-designed interface card. 30 years later, Ι see what appear to be sophisticated interface / break-out boards with ethernet interfaces ... where the "break out" seems to be little more than the reproduction of a parallel port. Meanwhile - even more of a hack - Windows is being used to drive the signals via real-time bit-flipping, despite the fact that Windows is not a real-time operating system, or at least not without yet more hacking. (Linux is not typically an RTOS either, though its open-source nature allows the design of custom real-time kernels.)

All that to say, I find it hard to understand why USB is viewed with suspicion in this equation, despite the fact that it is regularly used to convey real-time video, even in the lowly USB 2.0 standard. Yes, some buffering and a teeny bit of smarts is needed, but surely that is a much less difficult and expensive approach than continue to funnel everything through a completely outdated protocol which was never designed for the purpose in the first place!
<rand mode off>

Let me be the first to throw stones at my own remarks above: I do not have first-hand experience with either Mach# or LinuxCNC; this rant is based on what I have tried to learn as I have thought about building a system on either platform. It may be that I have completely misunderstood what I have seen as I have researched various options. Please feel free to throw stones as needed!

 

[Aerostar55]

UC100 Motion Controller

View attachment 126389

Well it happened. My old PC with a parallel port lost its magic smoke and died. I was expecting that to happen so I had backed up my Mach 3 program a while back so I wouldn't lose the setup for my CNC router table.

Not wanting to spend a lot of money I opted to try the UC100 parallel port adapter (motion controller) for a USB port. I have been saving an old PC-64 bit with Win 7 installed for this purpose. I bought the UC100 from Amazon and found the software to install it here CNCdrive - motion controls

The UC100 should work on all windows versions from 7 thru 10.

To set things up correctly you must install Mach 3 on the new computer and then copy the original Mach 3 directory from your old PC over the Mach 3 directory on the new computer. That will transfer your license and setup files. The License must be valid. Only then can you install the UC100. Load the UC100 Installer and a popup screen will let you load the drivers and the plugin for Mach 3. The first time you load Mach 3 a popup screen will prompt you to select the port, select the UC100 port. Your now good to go. Actually if your old PC is as old as mine was you will probably need a new keyboard and may need to setup your hotkeys. And you may need a gender adaptor for a parallel port. Total cost was $135

Mark T

Maybe this is my problem? I don't have any special parallel port chord, just the regular one for that computer, I think it's for a printer.
To drive the Sherline controller I will probably have to buy a UC100 parallel port adapter?