Is there a plugin that will allow Mach 3 to support USB?

Plugins are specific to a specific piece of hardware. There are several USB devices available with Mach3 plugins.

KFLOP
USB Smoothstepper
UC100
UC300
and probably several others.

See the plugins page for a list of devices that have plugins available.

Plugins are specific to a specific piece of hardware. There are several USB devices available with Mach3 plugins.

KFLOP
USB Smoothstepper
UC100
UC300
and probably several others.

See the plugins page for a list of devices that have plugins available.

I have a UC-100 but it goes from the PC USB to parallel connector on the device such as the Gecko G540.  My concern is getting Mach 3 to work from PC USB to device USB.  Is that possible?

Yes, there's a Mach3 plugin for the UC100

Yes, there's a Mach3 plugin for the UC100

 I need to run Mach3 straight from the USB instead of the parallel port because I use a TinyG which is a USB board.

No, you'd need a plugin for the TinyG, and I don't think one exists.

No, you'd need a plugin for the TinyG, and I don't think one exists.

Can someone make one?  Maybe a niave question.

Hi Christine88:

Regarding plug-in's for Mach3, the task is quite formidable. I am not a plug-in programmer, but do have a Pokeys and a UC300 for my small CNC project mills.

Reading the plug-in history for the UC300, it was a long and difficult process to achieve the current state of reliability, and the plug-in's for the UC100, and the UC300 are different plugins. Both of those USB units are now very reliable, and also have a completely automatic installation process over the internet, which is pretty slick.
The same time consuming process was the Pokeys development.
I am building a plasma installation for a customer, and am using the Ethernet Smooth Stepper board by Warp 9. They still do not have an automated installation, and there is a lot of fiddling to do, getting all the pieces to work. However, it is said by many on this forum, to be an excellent product. Since starting this ESS build process, there have been 2 newer plugin versions for the board.

All of these above mentioned boards are fully Mach3 compatible, and the ESS is nearly complete with the Mach4 plug-in.

Just a little trivia i.e. plugins.

John

Hi Christine88:

Regarding plug-in's for Mach3, the task is quite formidable. I am not a plug-in programmer, but do have a Pokeys and a UC300 for my small CNC project mills.

Reading the plug-in history for the UC300, it was a long and difficult process to achieve the current state of reliability, and the plug-in's for the UC100, and the UC300 are different plugins. Both of those USB units are now very reliable, and also have a completely automatic installation process over the internet, which is pretty slick.
The same time consuming process was the Pokeys development.
I am building a plasma installation for a customer, and am using the Ethernet Smooth Stepper board by Warp 9. They still do not have an automated installation, and there is a lot of fiddling to do, getting all the pieces to work. However, it is said by many on this forum, to be an excellent product. Since starting this ESS build process, there have been 2 newer plugin versions for the board.

All of these above mentioned boards are fully Mach3 compatible, and the ESS is nearly complete with the Mach4 plug-in.

Just a little trivia i.e. plugins.

John

Thank you.  The smooth stepper is something I'm considering.  I'm also looking at a Gecko G540.  I love the TinyG though. Just a really nice little all in one controller.  It's perfect for me.  I also love Mach 3 so I'm disappointed that the two are incompatible.