CNC_0072

OTHER: CNC Work Station - Controller - Parallel Ports to Computer

The cable is an RS232.with MALE DB25 connectors at both ends.

The cable must be a Straight-Through Cable Assembly. Pin 1 must connect to pin 1 etc. A NULL Modem Cable Assembly will definitely not do.

The CNC4PC Parallel Port Interface Card that the;

OUTPUT pins (from the computer) are; 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,14,16,17.
The INPUT pins (to the computer) are; 10,11,12,13,15.

There are pull-up resistors in the computer that pulls these pins up to +5VDC when nothing is connected to them.
If an LED on the Diagnostic Screen's Input section is lit then it means that the Configuration screen has the pin set as Active LO and the workstation device (limit switch or manual switch etc) has been activated and thereby taken the pin LO. This appears to be what the wiring diagram shows for the Home switches, since they are shown as NO contacts. In other words, the pin is high until the switch is closed, since the wire from the switch goes to ground.

These directions are confirmed in Mach3 manual, Section 4.4.1
Why then does the schematic on C:/Helicopter/CNC-Workstation/Controller/Gecko320Wiring.dxf, which was drawn by; Donald Brock and put in the public domain, show pull up resistors on; Inputs 10,11,12,13,15, plus on; Outputs 1,14,16,17? To me; the inputs are understandable but why the outputs?

The CNC4PC Bi-directional Breakout Board can use the pins 2-9 for Input or Output.;

Pinout:

Board:	Pin:	Direction:	Function:	Wire: - Color ~ Gage:
1	1	Output	Proposed for Spindle and Vacuum ??
1	2	Output	X-axis, STEP. To Gecko	Mauve ~ 22 AWG
1	3	Output	X-axis, DIR. To Gecko	Blue ~ 22 AWG
1	4	Output	Y-axis, STEP. To Gecko	Mauve ~ 22 AWG
1	5	Output	Y-axis, DIR. To Gecko	Blue ~ 22 AWG
1	6	Output	Z-axis, STEP. To Gecko	Mauve ~ 22 AWG
1	7	Output	Z-axis, DIR. To Gecko	Blue ~ 22 AWG
1	8	Output	A-axis, STEP. To Gecko	Mauve ~ 22 AWG
1	9	Output	A-axis, DIR. To Gecko	Blue ~ 22 AWG
1	10	Input	E stop & Limits ~ From CNC4PC - Parallel Port Interface Card.
1	11	Input	C-axis control Input ??
1	12	Input	Home for combined X, Y, Z & A. Limit switches are in parallel. Or X-axis home.
1	13	Input	Unused at present Proposed for Y-axis home.
1	14	Output	Proposed for C-axis control Output
1	15	Input	Unused at present Proposed for Z-axis home.
1	16	Output	This line is similar to 10-17 except the drawing shows it with a doted line.
1	17	Output	Safety Charge Pump ~ To CNC4PC - Parallel Port Interface Card.
1	18		Computer's 0-volt line. Is this actually tied to the computer or not ??
1	19		Computer's 0-volt line. Is this actually tied to the computer or not ??
1	20		Computer's 0-volt line. Is this actually tied to the computer or not ??
1	21		Computer's 0-volt line. Is this actually tied to the computer or not ??
1	22		Computer's 0-volt line. Is this actually tied to the computer or not ??
1	23		Computer's 0-volt line. Is this actually tied to the computer or not ??
1	24		Computer's 0-volt line. Is this actually tied to the computer or not ??
1	25		Computer's 0-volt line. Is this actually tied to the computer or not ??

Notes:

Direction is [Input] to computer or [Output] from computer. ~ To/From ~ CNC4PC - Parallel Port Interface Card.

Opto-isolation is only on the inputs ~ From CNC4PC - Parallel Port Interface Card.

Buffered Outputs, which allows the card to output the signals without using the power from the parallel port (i.e. PC). ~ From CNC4PC - Parallel Port Interface Card.

What would the 2nd parallel port's pins be, particularly since Mach3 manual Section 4.15 says that even with 2 parallel ports there are a total of only 10 inputs.

Have bought 1 only 3-ft. cable and 1 only 6-ft. cable. Also, RP Electronics stock these cables in a few different lengths.

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Last Revised: May 22, 2007