Setup USB Smooth Stepper with ClearPath Servo - Neo7CNC.com

[@neilwilson8742]

I'm starting my build of this now for my shop, I really appreciate your information and knowledge. I'm trying to utilize a touch screen as well as a USB port to load cut lists created by my cabinet software. Not exactly sure how to make these changes but that's part of the fun.

[@steveeparsonsjr7929]

Very nice information, If a 15k cnc machine didn't break my pocket I'd donate.

[@DaveGatton]

Great informative video David. I purchased a Ethernet Smooth Stepper this past week to use with my laptop (no parallel port) to demo my GarageWorX CNC DIY kits. I still use an old PC with Windows XP to run my CNC in my shop. As long as it keeps chuggin' along I will continue to use it. Also, have an old Compaq Pentium 3 running Windows 2000 that has no problem running Mach 3.

[@Neo7CNC]

+Dave Gatton Hi Dave. How do you like the Ethernet Smooth Stepper?

[@DaveGatton]

+Neo7CNC Hi David, I'm really liking the Ethernet Smooth Stepper. It makes it so much more convenient as I can now run from my laptop and not have to leave a computer at the machine. When I get done running the machine I can take the laptop back in the house. I will eventually get another smooth stepper for my older CNC in my shop when that old XP computer bites the dust.

[@mrbollinger]

Thank you. Perfect timing as I'm looking at using this exact setup.

[@Neo7CNC]

+mrbollinger Great! glad to help and thanks for watching!

[@ensaricokur1784]

Is it possible to test C76 UC300eth with clearpath? Thank you.

[@DrFiero]

Mechatronix FTW! still using one on the first router I made from scratch. That being said, I really do want to do a smooth stepper for my mill. :)

[@Neo7CNC]

+DrFiero I got to say... the old mech never let me down :) Thanks for watching!

[@adamfilipowicz9260]

Do you need endstops with a Servo/Clearpath?

[@RoboCNCnl]

Hi Buddy.... Do you still use it..? I'm still i doubt on the control for the new router build I'm doing.. Use EdingCNC now on my BF20 mill but still find mach3 working great and intuitive

[@ensaricokur1784]

If you want to connect each HLFB to each separate inputs how would you setup Mach3? Also the resistor has to be pull up or pull down? Thank you.

[@steveeparsonsjr7929]

Have you experimented with Arduino with Mach 3 using a close loop?

[@cybot63]

BTW The Smooth Stepper is not just a breakout board It takes the signal and speeds it up and stores it till the drivers can use it from the software and passes it through the breakout board to the drivers. That's how it increases the quality of the machine so you are paying for something that a breakout board won't give you.

[@rodstartube]

In less words: Smoothstepper is a microcomputer that generates realtime pulses based on G-Code instructions from PC. A breakout board is just connectors, no processor inside.

[@Z-add]

@@rodstartube but is a bob necessary to connect clearpath servos

[@yonray]

Great videos. What model clearpath servo motor are you using?

[@johnbreaux3176]

on the transfer from C10 to usb smooth stepper, are the cmn and ground the same thing? I was told the switching would be easy but the nomenclature slightly different.

[@oldestnerd]

I looked for the SmoothStepper breakout board on CNC4PC but wasn't able to find it. Do you have a part number for just the breakout board? I already have a SmoothStepper. Thank you for all your videos. John

[@DavidKenny64]

John Nelson No need for a SS breakout board. Just about any should work fine for you. I am using a couple inexpensive ones off EBay that work great.

[@theeminitrader]

Thank you so much for doing those 2 videos on the clearpath servo to mach3. what I was surprised with is that in between to breakout board and the motor, you do not have a so called "motor driver (like a gekco G320)! is that mean that we don't need a driver? would love to understand that if you can and if so what does a driver brings to the system.( if I sound like new to this is because I'm) Thanks

[@Neo7CNC]

Hi, The motor driver is actually in the motor itself. You need only to send the motor step and direction signals. Besides the motor and power supply, you just need some type od break out board.

[@seimela]

thanks

[@cybot63]

All a breakout board does is buffers the signal from the parallel port on the computer to the drivers so the computer is safe from power spikes that can harm the motherboard of the computer. You could use the signal right from the printer port but if your parallel port is putting out 3.3 volts (like some older computers) and the drivers need 5 volt the signal could be degraded. The pin 2, 3 and so on will be the same pins on the parallel port and 18-26 will be grounds. How a buffer works is the computer signal is applied to a pin that go through a mini light emitting diode which received buy a light receiving transistor (with no physical connection between the two) that sends the signal to the stepper drivers from the 5volts that is being supplied by the USB or better yet to be safe a external 5volt power supply. It doesn't make much sense to use the USB power after buffering the parallel port when that is the whole idea behind the breakout board to keep the computer separate from the drivers.

[@carbonKID77]

Hello, where can I buy / order the end users in the USA? I´m from Europe.

[@UberAlphaSirus]

nice upload. Given the price of the board I think I will stick with the old school parrallel. I'm sure the drivers fix usb cache lag etc, but I could build a basic clunker pc with new components for the cost of the board. all the best

[@Neo7CNC]

+Sirus I'm hear you. All my clunker PCs have parallel so that's why I haven't been quick to go to something else. thanks for watching!

[@Z-add]

Another video on KZbin shows clearth servos connected directly to ess. Although he didn't explain how. Just showed it running without any bob.

[@kenhendricks1135]

CAN YOU HOOK THE OTHER MOTORS UP I CAN NOT FIGURE WHERE THE OTHER WIRES GO I DO NOT SEE A PATTERN I DID NOT NOTICE YOU CROSSING WIRES ON THIS VIDEO BUT YOU DID ON THE C10 BOARD IT IS REALLY EASY TO CONFUSE ME ON ELECTRONICS ALSO PLEASE SHOW CLOSE UPS SO WE CAN SE3 THE WIRES ON THE C10 VIDEO THE WIRES ON PINS 1-5 PORT ONE WAS UNCLEAR LIKE I SAID I DO NOT UNDERSTAND ELECTRONICS

[@oldestnerd]

I just found it. They are calling it a terminal board.

[@hulladek3]

165$???? And its only an ubs to 2 parallel port? How about a 2$ usb to parallel cable ? Okay its 4$ if you want 2 parallel port. Bandwidth might be low though. Have any1 tried this? If you have 165$ to throw away you might have 4$ more so pls try the usb to parallel cables. Subscribed just to see how the 2$ parallel cable performs, so now you have to do it :P