UC100

USB CNC motion controller to use with MACH3 software

Current plugin version: V2.127

Contents:
1. Product description and ac!"round of wor!in". #. $nstallation of the USB dri%ers and the plu"in. 3. S&stem setup. a.' (he first run. .' Settin" up Mach3 with the UC1)) controller . *. +,- feed ac! si"nals on the UC1)) controller. .. ,rrors and installation de u""in". /. -SUB0#. connector pinout. 1. 2nown limitations and u"s. 3. Parameters and functions summar&. 4. Safet& notes.

1. Product description and ac!"round of wor!in"

Mach3 is a popular CNC machine tool control software runnin" on des!top computers and laptops under 5indows operatin" s&stem. Mach3 in default wor!in" the the computer6s parallel 7printer' port and sendin" all si"nals %ia this port. 5indows is not a realtime operatin" s&stem and therefor it is a difficult and CPU time consumin" tas! for Mach3 to "enerate these si"nals in a precise manner. As the output si"nals fre8uenc& "ets hi"her with usin" toda&s more and more ad%anced motor control electronics Mach3 needs the more processor time of the computer. $f the computer "ets o%erloaded & Mach3 or & runnin" other software7s' in the ac!"round ma& leads to a la""in" of the 90code code e:ecution to e%en a falter in the motion interpolation which ma& lead to a catastrophic failure of some applications. Another pro lem with the +P( port is that in toda&6s informatic technolo"& this !ind of port is no more used and is a d&in" out de%ice and non of the new laptops ha%in" this !ind of port uilt in an&more. (he UC1)) motion controller o%ercomes these pro lems with remo%in" all time critical tas!s from the control computer and 5indows and e:ecutin" all these tas!s on inside it6s own hi"h speed -SP control chip outside the PC. (he UC1)) controller connects to the PC %ia the USB port and this !ind of port is more modern as an +P( port and e:ists on all toda&6s computers. (he UC1)) has a loo! as if it was a ;simple USB to +P( port con%erter module<= ut it is much more than this. (he UC1)) is the result of a # &ears hard de%elopment and testin" c&cle and it implements linear and arc interpolation routines with tra>ector& planner= communication routines= limits and homin" functions handlin" and it has nearl& all the functions 7with some limitations' as what Mach3 supports with the +P( port dri%er. Because of usin" a hi"h speed -SP core the UC1)) ma!in" the interpolations and other timin"s much more precise as Mach3 could e%er do usin" it6s standard +P( port dri%er and ecause the time critical tas!s are no more done on the PC side= ut on the UC1)) controller the PC6s CPU time usa"e is much lower and the ris! of o%erloadin" the PC resources lowers with factors as the UC1)) has a lon" enou"h data uffer so that it can handle a 1))? CPU usa"e and o%erload for some seconds without interruptin" the motion and the 90code e:ecution. @or these reasons it is also possi le to use a much slower and cheaper computer to"ether with the UC1)) as what is needed for Mach3 if usin" the +P( port dri%ers and this can e%en lower the s&stem6s o%erall cost.

5hen de%elopin" we also thou"ht a out ac!ward compati ilit& with the old +P( printer port and therefor the UC1)) has a -SUB0#. female connection interface to the en%iroment with the same pinout as what a printer port has. (his means that the UC1)) can replace an +P( port on an e:istin" s&stem simpl& with plu""in" the controller to the USB port of the PC and plu""in" the -SUB#. ca le end 7which was ori"inall& plu""ed into the +P( port of the PC' to the UC1)) controller6s -SUB0#. port.

#. $nstallation
(he UC1)) controller is compati le with the same operatin" s&stems as what Mach3 is compati le with= these are 5indows AP= 5indows 1 and 5indows 3. (he installation can e done easil& with our automatic installer software: http:BBwww.cncdri%e.comBUC1)).html (he automatic installer is an online and offline installer which means it connects to the internet and downloadin" and installin" the latest plu"in and the USB dri%ers for the UC1)) controller. $f the software cannot connect to the internet 7due to missin" internet connection of the computer' then it installin" the prepac!ed plu"in and dri%ers %ersions= this is the offline installation mode. Currentl& the automatic installer is wor!in" under the followin" operatin" s&stems: 5indows AP 5indows 1 3# it and /* it %ersions. 5indows 3 3# it and /* it %ersions. Note: @or 5indows3B/* it users on newer computers which has secure oot function implemented in the B$CS= this function must e disa led for the USB dri%ers to install. 5ith the secure oot function ena led the USB dri%ers mi"ht fail to install on some computers.

3. S&stem setup a.' (he first run

Start Mach3 and the followin" screen will popup indicatin" the UC1)) motion controller as an alternati%e selection o%er the +P( port dri%ers.

Select the UC1)) CNC motion controller from the list. $f selectin" the ;-ont as! me this a"ain< then this screen will not popup an&more when startin" Mach3 and the default dri%er will e the UC1)) in this case. $f once the ;-ont as! me this a"ain< was selected and if for an& reason the +P( port dri%ers will need to e used at a later time then pressin" the ;C@96s0DEeset de%ice sel...< menu item in Mach3 will reset this popup screen and at the ne:t start of Mach3 the +P( port dri%ers will ecome selecta le a"ain.

$n the ootup procedure the plu"in automaticl& chec!s the actual firmware %ersion in the UC1)) motion controller. (he firmware and the plu"in %ersions must e matched= so if Mach3 finds an uncompati le 7fore:ample an older %ersion' of firmware in the UC1)) which is not compati le with the installed plu"in then Mach3 will popup a warnin" screen and will download the compati le dri%ers to the UC1)) automaticl&. (his automatic chec!in" procedure at each Mach3 startup "uarantees that the firmware in the UC1)) and the plu"in in Mach3 will e alwa&s compati le with eachother.

.' Settin" up Mach3 with the UC1)) controller

Because the UC1)) has the same pinout as an +P( port the setup is the same as when usin" the +P( port dri%ers. (o setup the inputs and outputs set the port num er to 1 alwa&s and the pin num ers are the same as in an +P( port. (o chec! the status of the pins the ;Plu"in control0DUC1)) $BC monitor< screen can e used. (here is an option to set the ma:imum step output !ernel fre8uenc&. (he 3 selecta le options are currentl& the #.= .) and 1))!HF. $mportant to note that chan"in" to a different step !ernel fre8uenc& Mach3 must e restarted for the chan"es to ta!e effect and the tra>ectories must e retuned in the Confi"0 Dmotor tunin" menu in Mach3. (here is also an e:tra option which the standard Mach3 +P( dri%er not implements and this is the followin": $t is possi le to use an encoder or a more than one pulse per re%olution electronics feed ac! si"nal for the spindle speed feed ac! to Mach3. (he num er of pulses per re%olution data can e set in the UC1)) setup window and the controller will de%ide and count with the num er of this settin" when measurin" and calculatin" the real speed of the spindle motor.

The UC100 I/O monitor screen.

*. +,- feed ac! si"nals on the UC1)) controller

(here are # +,-s located and floatin" out of the UC1)) -SUB ac!shell. (hese +,-s pro%idin" informations a out the UC1)) wor!in" states and these states are the followin": 0 (he "reen 7power +,-' li"htin" continiousl& indicates normal operation and that the UC1)) is up and runnin" normall&. 0 (he "reen 7power +,-' lin!in" with a out .HF fre8uenc& indicates a firmware error. 0 (he "reen 7power +,-' lin!in" slow= with a out 1HF indicates a firmware update in pro"ress and in this case wait till the firmware update procedure ends and the "reen +,returns to a continuous li"htin" state. 0 (he lue 7communication +,-' if on indicates that the connection etween Mach3 and the UC1)) controller is acti%e. (he +,- sometimes lin!s 7mostl& on slower computers' and sometimes li"hts continiousl& 7mostl& on fast computers'.

The 2 LEDs on the backshell of the UC100 controller.

.. ,rrors and installation de u""in"

$f the followin" screen pops up when startin" Mach3:

then the .N,( framewor! was not installed on the computer. (he .N,( framewor! #.) is the prere8uirement for runnin" the UC1)) controller plu"in. (he framewor! can e downloaded from the UC1)) product pa"e= here: http://cncdrive.com/UC100.html or from Microsoft6s we site. (he .Net framewor! #.) is part of 5indows1 and therefor it is not re8uired to install it on 5indows 1 operatin" s&stems. $t is onl& re8uired to install it on 5indows AP as it not containin" this tool & default= it must e installed separatel&= & the user on the 5indows AP operatin" s&stem. (he followin" popup screen indicates that Mach3 is una le to esta lish the connection with the UC1)) controller= chec! the USB connections and the +,- states of the UC1)) and restart Mach3. $f the error does not "o awa& then chec! and if nessessar& reinstall the USB dri%ers.

(he followin" popup screen appears if Mach3 loosin" the connection with the UC1)) meanwhile it is operatin". (his e%ent ma& happen if the USB ca le is ro!en or if the ca le connector was accidentall& slippin" out from the UC1)) or from the PC. (he wor!around is chec!in" the USB ca le connections and plu" it ac! and restart Mach3.

$f Mach3 tri""ers the ,0stop e%ent and if the ;UC1)) S&nc ,rrorG< messa"e appears in the status ar of Mach3 then the UC1)) lost the communication s&ncronisation with Mach3= this can happen if the computer is too slow or if the PC is so much o%erloaded with runnin" other software in the ac!"round that there is not enou"h CPU or memor& resources for Mach3 to !eep the step with the UC1)). Also the indication of this !ind of error is that the lue +,- in the UC1)) ac!shell is lin!in" slowl& with a out 1HF fre8uenc& onl&. (he wor!around is to chec! and close the runnin" processes in 5indows which o%erloads the PC too much= or if the PC itself is too slow and does not compl& the minimal re8uirements to run Mach3 then e:chan"e the PC to another= faster one.

/. -SUB0#. connector pinout

in n!mber 1 2 % & ' ( ) * + 10 11 12 1% 1& 1' 1( 1) 1*-2'

"i#nal direction $!tp!t $!tp!t $!tp!t $!tp!t $!tp!t $!tp!t $!tp!t $!tp!t $!tp!t ,np!t ,np!t ,np!t ,np!t $!tp!t ,np!t $!tp!t $!tp!t .ro!nd

1. 2nown limitations and u"s

2nown limitations: (here are no !nown limitations in the current firmware %ersion. 2nown u"s: (here are no !nown u"s in the current firmware %ersion.

3. Parameters and functions summar&

9eneral properties: Automatic firmware chec!in" and firmware update. Motion control on upto /0a:is 7A= H= I= A= B= C'. Confi"ura le ma:imum steppin" fre8uenc&= the options are #.!HF7with #)usec pulse len"th'= .)!HF7with 1)usec pulse len"th'= 1))!HF7with .usec pulse len"th'. Cn the fl& confi"ura le 1# pieces of .Jolt 7((+ le%el' uffered outputs. (he current sin!Bsource capa ilit& is #)mA ma:. per output. Cn the fl& confi"ura le . pieces of .J 7((+ le%el' schmitt tri""ered and filtered inputs. (he input internal pullup resistance to .Jolts is *.1!Chms. A out 1 second lon" communication uffer. 1))? +P( port compati le pinout. Supported Mach3 functions: Ko". Eeference inputs. ,0stop input. Softlimits. +imit switch inputs. +imits o%erride. $nde: input 7e:tended function supports multi slot spindle sensors= for Mach30mill onl&= not for Mach30turnG'. Spindle speed P5M control output. Step and direction spindle control output. Spindle and coolant rela& control. Char"e pump safet& si"nal output 7confi"ura le to acti%eBinacti%e when in ,0stop'. Char"e pump ad>usta le fre8uenc& 71#..)!HF in normal or .!HF in laser mode'. All si"nals confi"ura le to acti%e Hi"hB+ow. 9eneral purpose $BC si"nals handlin". Cffline mode. All MP9s and encoders support. 7#pcs ma:imum one time' Sla%e a:is. Bac!lash compensation. -i"itBpro e input. (HC control inputs.

4. Safet& notes
G $t is important to install and use optical isolation etween the en%ironment and the computer= therefor it is recommended to connect the UC1)) to the motor dri%es and e:ternal sensors on the machine %ia si"nal isolators= e.". %ia an opticall& isolated rea!out oard. A "ood e:ample for this is our H-BB and H-BB# rea!out oards= the datasheet of these de%ices can e found and downloaded on our we site. G Use the UC1)) motion controller product onl& if &ou understood it6s wor!in" and also understood the ris! of wor!in" with machine tools. G $t is important to compl& the safet& standards li!e installin" the e:ternal ,0stop utton= limit switches= char"e pump safet& circuit. G (he UC1)) motion controller is uilt into an enclosed -SUB0#. shell= ut this enclosure is not ment to protect the de%ice from fallin" chips or li8uid= protect the de%ice from taint dama"e. G Protect the de%ice from direct intensi%e sunshine eams and from e:treme temperature le%els and from e:tra hi"h humidit&. G $n electricall& nois& en%ironment it is ad%iced to place and install the UC1)) controller into the same electric ca inet where the motor dri%es are installed to. G 2eep the UC1)) controller awa& from hi"h Jolta"e parts and ca les of the installation.

The act!al look of the UC100 motion controller prod!ct.

For more informations please visit us at:

http://///.C0Cdrive.com

Appendix A. : New functions and bug fixes:

l!#in version 32.10' Description of chan#e1s2 - ,nitial release for international sales start. 4!nctions /ere missin# in previo!s version and /ere added in this release: 1.2 Lathe spindle speed s5ncronisation /ith the inde6 p!lse. 2.2 'k78 laser mode char#e p!mp 9:. ;!# fi6es in this release: 1.2 ,n the home settin#s in some cases the o!tp!t bits n!mbers #ot corr!pted. ;!# fi6ed. 4!nctions /ere missin# in previo!s version and /ere added in this release: 1.2 "oft/are limits handlin#. ;!# fi6es in this release: 1.2 4TD, chip erroro!s C sleep case handlin# for the <ev.%.0 boards onl5. ;!# fi6ed. 0ote: This b!# /as fi6ed before the boards #ot released for sales. 4!nctions /ere missin# in previo!s version and /ere added in this release: 1.2 7andlin# all : .s and encoders in :ach%.1ma6im!m 2pcs one time.2 ;!# fi6es in this release: 1.2 E6ternal man!al : . p!lse #enerator missin# p!lses. ;!# fi6ed. ;!# fi6es in this release: 1.2 Direction o!tp!t not /orkin# correctl5 for the spindle control if the spindle set in 9: o!tp!t control mode. ;!# fi6ed. 2.2 $n spindle on/off s/itchin# the controller not /aitin# the set time period= s/itchin# the o!tp!t immediatel5. ;!# fi6ed. %.2 ,f the limit and home s/itch inp!t pin confi#!ration is the same then the home f!nction ma5 not f!nction properl5 in some cases. ;!# fi6ed. ;!# fi6es in this release: 1.2 The T7C inp!ts handlin# for plasma c!tters the direction chan#es not /orkin# correctl5. ;!# fi6ed. 2.2 >?llo/ T7C U /D$90 Control event if not in T7C :ode> setable in the > ort @ ins / :ill $ptionA f!nction not /orkin#. ;!# fi6ed. ;!# fi6es in this release: 1.2 9hen probin# /ith .%1 the meas!rement val!e= 3ar 2002 parameter not passed thro!#h to :ach% correctl5 /hich co!ld lead #ettin# !ncorrect meas!rement val!e. ;!# fi6ed. 4!nctions /ere missin# in previo!s version and /ere added in this release: 1.2 "lo/ 8ones handlin# in /orkin# area implemented. ;!# fi6es in this release: 1.2 9hen homin# the acceleration /as not /orkin# as set in the motor t!nin# in :ach%= this f!nction /as corrected and no/ /orkin# /ith the set correct acceleration profiles. ;!# fi6ed 2.2 9hen strai#ht probin# 1.%12 the decceleration /as not /orkin# correctl5= no/ !sin# the set decceleration profile. ;!# fi6ed. %.2 ,n the soft limits settin#s the offsets /ere not co!nted in= no/ the soft limits are based on the machine coordinates /ith the offsets also co!nted in. ;!# fi6ed. &.2 ersistent D<$ f!nction /as not /orkin# and :ach% /as not savin# the coordinates after closin# and restartin# :ach% the coordinates /ere all 8ero. 0o/ these saves and reloads are done as nessessar5. ;!# fi6ed. '.2 ,n some ne/est release of :ach% after feed holdin# the pro#ram contin!e e6ec!tion /as onl5 possible if pressin# stop and after start. This is no/ /orkin# correctl5= no need to press the stop b!tton an5more. ;!# fi6ed. 4!nctions /ere missin# in previo!s version and /ere added in this release: 1.2 ,nternal comm!nication protocol /as re/orked for even more rob!stness. 2.2 "electable BtopmostA propert5 on the UC100 ,/$ monitor /indo/. ;!# fi6es in this release: 1.2 "pindle 9: missin# some p!lses /hen backlash compensation is set and /hen backlash compensation movement is in pro#ress. ;!# fi6ed. 2.2 .%1 strai#ht probin# not /orkin# other than /ith pin10. inp!t= no/ it /orks /ith all inp!t pins. ;!# fi6ed. Update in the a!tomatic installer: 1.2 9indo/s ) 6(& s!pport /as added= no/ the installer /orks also on (& bit $peratin# "5stems.

32.10(

32.10)

32.110

32.111

32.112

32.11&

32.11)

32.121

;!# fi6es in this release: 1.2 .2*.1 st!ck the pro#ram e6ec!tion if e6ec!ted from .-code pro#ram. ;!# fi6ed. 2.2 Co# f!nction /as not /orkin# on ; and C a6is. ;!# fi6ed %.2 ,n plasma mode the inde6 prescale val!e /as not sho/n in the pl!#in. ;!# fi6ed. Update in the a!tomatic installer: 1.2 9indo/s * 6*( and 6(& s!pport /as added= no/ the installer /orks on 9indo/s * $ s5stems. 4!nctions /ere missin# in previo!s version and /ere added in this release: 1.2 :10 1/:11 1 and E0 1/:1 1 fast o!tp!t codes /ere implemented. 1Usef!l f!nction for e6ample for laser machines.2 ;!# fi6es in this release: 1.2 :odifications in the handlin# of .2*.1 and .%0 codes. 2.2 :odifications in .0& dela5 code to /ork more precisel5 in the milliseconds ran#e. 0ote: the minimal e6ec!table settin# is 200msec= lo/er val!e parameters /ill e6ec!te as 200msec. ;!# fi6es in this release: 1.2 The spindle o!tp!t 9: prod!ced a ver5 short e6tra p!lse /hen :ach% #oin# into E-stop mode. This p!lse /as removed. ;!# fi6ed. 2.2 l!#in defa!lt Do# mode on installation /as : . mode /hich ca!sed do!bts for some c!stomers= /e chan#ed the defa!lt Do# mode no/ to contino!s mode in this pl!#in. This /as not a b!# tho!#h= D!st a comfort iss!e. 0e/ installer and common drivers for UC100= UC<200 and UC%00 /as released. ;!# fi6es in this release:

32.12%

32.12&

32.12' 32.12)

1.2 ,t /as possible to s/itch the spindle on /hen e-stopped /ith a short p!lse #oin# o!t on the spindle o!tp!t si#nal. This b!# /as fi6ed. 7avin# a problem= fo!nd a b!#E ,nform !s and /e /ill fi6 it F!ickl5G