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Question #: 14421

Question: interst in a 4x8 cnc with spindle and laser combo

Current Solution

Thanks for the interest. What would you like to know about that CNC router and laser combo.

Thanks

Respond:

Other Possible Solutions to this Question

  • DOES ZY PLATE COME WITH LASER HEAD COMBO.

    No the ZY plate is part of the machine kit not the head combo kit.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    DOES ZY PLATE COME WITH LASER HEAD COMBO.

  • Good day to you! We haven't communicated in quite some time! I am still wanting to pursue a 4 x 8 CNC spindle and 80kw laser system! Please respond so we can put this together!

    We already have a system that meets those needs:
    https://buildyourcnc.com/images/machineConfigurations/greenBullV2_size_04x08_angle_flat_f1_no4thaxis_f2_wilasergantry_f3_nolaser_f4_wilaserready_.png

    You can find that machine on the home page. It's the first machine on the page and all you need to do i click on the "Add A Laser" button at the top left of the image.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    Good day to you! We haven't communicated in quite some time! I am still wanting to pursue a 4 x 8 CNC spindle and 80kw laser system! Please respond so we can put this together!

  • [50] this combo is compatible for a CNC with a 48" x 48" work area

    Yes, you can use these electronics to move a machine that has an area of 48" x 48". If you are looking for faster jogging, you can upgrade the motor to this one: https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-nema34-1100ozin

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    [50] this combo is compatible for a CNC with a 48" x 48" work area

  • I PURCHASED A VFD AND SPINDLE FROM FRIEND, HIS SET UP IS 220. DON'T HAVE 220 IN MY SHOP. QUESTION CAN USE YOUR 110 WITH THIS SPINDLE??

    Depending if the spindle can work with this specific VFD, it might be possible. However we would not like to risk you working unit, with a possible match so we would like more details on your specific model and any information available on the spindle itself.

    Response
    The only info on the spindle is 2.2KW 400HZ 220V. Made by Zhong Hua Jiang.

    Was originally on a Delta C200 vfd. That is 220 single phase.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    I PURCHASED A VFD AND SPINDLE FROM FRIEND, HIS SET UP IS 220. DON'T HAVE 220 IN MY SHOP. QUESTION CAN USE YOUR 110 WITH THIS SPINDLE??

  • I’M LOOKING TO PURCHASE SPINDLE AND VFD WAS CURIOS IF THE SPINDLES COME WITH COLLETS SO WHICH ONES?

    Yes, all of the spindles come with collets. The collets have a 1/4" (6.35mm) bore for end mills that have a 1/4" shank. The ER specification is different for the 1.5kW (ER-11) and the 2.2kW (ER-20).

    Additional Information:



    Additional Information:



    Additional Information:

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    I’M LOOKING TO PURCHASE SPINDLE AND VFD WAS CURIOS IF THE SPINDLES COME WITH COLLETS SO WHICH ONES?

  • DOES YOUR COMBO #1 WITH PLANS AND THE DVD COME COMPLETE PARTS LIST?

    The parts list is located on this page: http://buildyourcnc.com/cnckitintro.aspx at the bottom of the description.

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    Additional Information:

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    DOES YOUR COMBO #1 WITH PLANS AND THE DVD COME COMPLETE PARTS LIST?

  • if i purchase the 4 Axis Electronic Combos and the Combo #1 with hardware, plans and DVD what else do i need to have a complete cnc machine

    Other items you will need if you are purchasing the electronic combo (motors, drivers, power supply and computer interface) and the hardware and plans kit:

    You will need the wood to create the structure of the machine. You will need a router to serve as the cutting instrument. You will need a computer to control the machine and the software that will serve as the control program. You will also need lead screws and rails (aluminum angles). If you intend to have faster travel than 20 ipm, we recommend purchasing the 5 start lead screws so you can achieve up to 300 ipm. https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/mechanical-leadscrews-leadnuts-!5-5-starts-10-tpi

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    if i purchase the 4 Axis Electronic Combos and the Combo #1 with hardware, plans and DVD what else do i need to have a complete cnc machine

  • My CNC router stopped in the middle of a job with mach3.

    Dealing with a mid-stop cut via Mach3, you will have to be careful if it is intentionally or unintentional. If you desire to stop your machine while in the middle of a cut be sure to stop it when the machine is moving in an upward motion on the z-axis and the X/Y-axis are stationary. Then you can choose the point (G-code) where the machine was left off and click on the Run from here button on the Program Run screen (left hand side) right above the Reset button.
    (Make sure spindle/router is running before hand!)

    Now if the machine stops unintentionally, and was moving in either the X/Y-axis, then it will be difficult to run the machine from the original point dealing with the coordinates might have been lost due the the machine continuing motion but via Mach3 the machine has stopped.

    If this occurs to fight this issue before hand, is marking your home with the spindle/router to make a hole were your home is. Although moving it manually back to home the machine can be off by the smallest amount and could cause an inconsistent cut. If accuracy is something that can not be risked, then you can home the machine about a 1/4" or 1/2" down from the original home to start your cut on the same material but loosing that small piece.

    Additional Information:


    Additional Information:
    My typical go to solution is:

    - Note the current g-code line where the machine stopped.
    - If Mach3 errored and you cannot control the machine, Exit Mach3 - you may find that reset, stop does nothing to stop the spindle. When you exit mach3, the spindle will stop automatically.
    - Restart Mach3. The DRO (Digital Readout) should show the correct coordinates where the machine position was before exiting Mach3.
    - Scroll to the g-code line where the machine stopped. You may need to go a few lines prior to make sure you are not skipping any machining operations (which is why it is a good idea to learn the basics of g-code - don't worry, it's easy)
    - Click on the "Run from Here" button.
    - Mach3 will present you with a "Preparation Move" dialog box with the location that it will move to. If the coordinates shows a position that is into the material, make sure to specify a rapid height (clearance height) so the machine will move up first and then move to the location before moving down into the material. If the spindle is automatically controlled by Mach3, make sure to check the turn spindle on checkbox. If not, make sure the router or spindle is on before clicking OK.

    Additional Information:
    My cnc router stops at gcode line 50,000 and cannot finish program. They are about 150k of lines total. I have Mach3 and have bought the additional line capability. Is 50,000 (or around that) the limit? Is Mach 4 hobby license better and in what ways? Thanks! Mike Huber

    Additional Information:
    If you have a license for Mach3, then you should be able to run g-code indefinitely. I think there is something else going on.

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    If you have a license for Mach3, then you should be able to run g-code indefinitely. I think there is something else going on.
    What else could be going on?

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    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    My CNC router stopped in the middle of a job with mach3.

  • Can the spindle be controlled with a PWM signal or analog signal? Which pin do I assign the spindle control to in LinuxCNC?

    The Spindle can be controlled with either analog (Like with a DAC card) or PWM.

    If your spindle speed is controlled by an analog signal, (for example, by a VFD with a 0 to 10 volt signal) and you’re using a DAC card like the m5i20 to output the control signal:

    First you need to figure the scale of spindle speed to control signal. For this example the spindle top speed of 5000 RPM is equal to 10 volts.

    10 volts / 5000 RPM = .002 volts / 1 RPM

    If you need a spindle enable signal, link your output pin to motion.spindle-on. To link these pins to a parallel port pin put something like the following in your .hal file (net spindle-enable motion.spindle-on => parport.0.pin-14-out), making sure you pick the pin that is connected to your control device.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    Can the spindle be controlled with a PWM signal or analog signal? Which pin do I assign the spindle control to in LinuxCNC?

  • Are there any other manuals for the VFD that comes with the 2.2kw spindle?

    We have manuals for the VFD rather than the spindles. Can you specify what issue you may be having so we can help you better?

    Additional Information:
    I am having trouble wiring the VFD. (From the wall outlet to the VFD) I think the manual or setup guide on your website is wrong. The two diagrams show two different sets of terminals on the page.

    Also, do you have a video or other documentation on programming the VFD? Your videos and documentation looks like it only covers the 1.2kw version. Are the two different spindles from different manufacturers?

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    Are there any other manuals for the VFD that comes with the 2.2kw spindle?

  • I HAVE THE REDFLY SYSTEM AND A 2.2KW SPINDLE - 110V HOW DO CONNECT SPINDAL?

    It is not necessary to connect the spindle VFD (Variable Frequency Drive also called an Inverter) to the computer or CNC motion electronics. The VFD can be controlled independently using the control panel on the VFD. The control panel has the ability to control all aspects of the spindle including Speed, Torque, limits, etc. However, you can connect the VFD to the computer so the CNC control program can control the spindle during the CNC Machine operation. You will need to connect the VFD to the computer via a serial conection (in this case, it is the RS-485 protocol).

    The following are instructions on how to connect the VFD to Mach3 via this RS-485 serial connection.

    The first thing you will need is the dynamic link library to pair with mach3 called the Huanyang VFD Mach3 PlugIn. You can find this file at the mach3 support forum here: http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,14182.0.html

    You will also need to download the Microsoft .net 3.5 framework and install it: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=21

    Follow the pdf that comes with the library file, but here is a synopsis of what you need to do (I also added a lot more information that may be useful during this process as the manual does not cover the main connections that need to be done):

    You will need to program your VFD so that it knows how to communicate with mach3 and the computer (go into the programming mode of the VFD and change these parameters):
    - PD001 - value 2 - Enables with communication aspect of the VFD
    - PD002 - value 2 - Enables frequency control from the communcations port
    - PD163 - value 1 - VFD address
    - PD164 - value 1 - Baud rate of 9600 (speed of the communication)
    - PD165 - value 3 - 8N1 RTU - 8 bits (that's the size of the word that gets communicated), N (No parity or no error checking) and 1 (1 stop bit)

    Copy the dll file to the PlugIns folder of mach3.

    Connect the RX and TX lines to your computer. There are a couple ways you can do this, but the recommended way would be to use an FTDI USB device which converts a USB to a serial com port. The device will have Rx and Tx connectors to connect to the VFD terminals with the same labels. This method is recommended since serial ports are not as common in computers these days.

    Next, you will need to configure mach3 to use the plugin library. Start mach3 and click on Menu -> config ->Config Plugins. Enable the new plugin by clicking on the red cross on the left column next to the plug in. Restart mach3 after doing this.

    No you need to configure mach3 to use the HuanyangVFD plugin. Go to the ports & pins configuration and select the spindle setup tab. Make sure that the Disable Spindle Relays checkbox is unchecked. We don't want mach3 to output a signal for a relay since the spindle will start up and turn off within the VFD and not from an external relay.

    Next, go to the HuanyangVFD settings by clicking on Menu -> plugin control -> HuanyangVFD. Set the parameters to the same settings you put into the VFD programming. The com port will be shown as new hardward when you plug in the USB FTDI device. A little bubble will be displayed at the bottom right where it will notify you that a new device is being installed (be patient while windows assigns a com port). Alternatively, you can use the windows device manager to see which port was set for the new USB FTDI device). You may need to restart mach3 several times until you get the correct information displayed in the PD001 and PD002 fields. When the com port is correct and the other parameters, like baud and VFD address is the same as you entered in the programming, then the PD001 and PD002 will show the number 2, otherwise, a 99 will appear which means that communication was not successful.

    You can now control the on/off and RPM of the spindle using the RS485 communication between mach3 and the VFD.

    Additional Information:
    The question was how to connect the spindle to the redfy. I did not receive a VFD.
    I have the redFly system and a 2.2kW Spindle - 110V how do i connect the spindle?

    Additional Information:
    If you received a spindle without a VFD, please contact us asap. Our spindle will not work without a VFD.

    Additional Information:
    Hi, how is this setup in mach4?

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    I HAVE THE REDFLY SYSTEM AND A 2.2KW SPINDLE - 110V HOW DO CONNECT SPINDAL?

  • Are there plans to release a USB Controller to work with the Planet CNC Output Board for more advanced spindle control from within Planet CNC?

    At this time we are working to release a new USB controller board that will be compatible with Mach4 software and do not have any immediate plans to update the Planet-CNC USB board.

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    Are there plans to release a USB Controller to work with the Planet CNC Output Board for more advanced spindle control from within Planet CNC?

  • Can the spindle speed and direction be conrolled by LinuxCNC?

    LinuxCNC has excellent documents; however, I would like to offer our help in case you don't understand the information on that page. So, please use this FAQ (Question #: 13233) to state your questions by submitting additional information below.

    The LinuxCNC spindle control page is found here: http://linuxcnc.org/docs/html/examples/spindle.html

    Additional Information:
    After reading the LinuxCNC page my first questions would be can the spindle be controlled by PWM signal? Also, what pin on the parallel port would I set to Spindle Enable and FRW?

    Additional Information:
    To connect your computer to the VFD, use a USB to RS-485 interface. RS-485 is just a serial interface protocol that uses standard 0 to +5 voltage TTL signal levels for communication (as opposed to RS-232 which uses -12v and +12 for signal level changes).

    Get a high quality interface to reduce any issues during the process. The VFD should have two terminals labeled RS+ and RS-. The USB to RS-485 adapter should have this labeled on it as well so the connections should be relatively straight forward.

    In the VFD parameters:
    PD001: 2 to accept RS485 commands
    PD002: 2 to accept frequency comands
    PD163: 1 to RS485 slave address:1
    PD164: 1 RS485 baud rate 9600
    PD165: 3 8bit, no parity, 1 stop bit

    Make sure LinuxCNC is also set accordingly:

    The PIN14 and PIN16 in the stepconf wizard should be set to unused because you don't want LinuxCNC to be outputting unnecessary signals.

    In the options step of the stepconf wizard:
    - Check the Include Halui user interface component.
    - Check the Include custom PyVCP GUI panel.
    - Check Spindle speed display

    You will want to edit the custom.hal text file located in the folder that was created from the stepconf wizard. Add these following lines:
    loadusr -Wn vfd hy_vfd -n vfd -d /dev/ttyUSB0 -p none -r 9600
    net spindle-cmd-rpm-abs => vfd.speed-command
    net spindle-cw motion.spindle-forward => vfd.spindle-forward
    net spindle-ccw motion.spindle-reverse => vfd.spindle-reverse
    net on motion.spindle-on => vfd.spindle-on

    The dev folder in linux is typically used for interfacing devices and peripherals to the computer as these devices are communicated by simple memory addresses and these files are linked directly to these addresses.

    Under the custom_postgui.hal file, change this line:

    from: sets spindle-at-speed true
    to: net spindle-at-speed => cfd.spindle_at_speed

    and add the line:

    setp vfd.enable 1

    When you start LinuxCNC, you will a spindle section with the reverse and forward buttons, a stop button and - and + buttons. Use these buttons to conform that the spindle is functioning properly. The spindle speed indicator in LinuxCNC will show the spindle speed and you can confirm that this is equal to the speed indicated on the VFD.


    Credit for this helpful information goes to:


    Additional information was also added by us to provide a better understanding.

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    Can the spindle speed and direction be conrolled by LinuxCNC?

  • Do you have a diagram on how to connect the vfd so the CNC controller box can turn the spindle on and off whenever i start a job?

    The following videos are helpful when connecting the VFD to a pokeys57CNC controller; however, there is useful information on the external terminals of the VFD and how to connect the VFD to any controller using a relay. Additionally, the videos have useful information on how to program the VFD.

    Start and stop for spindle
    https://youtu.be/0SLFuM4tzuU

    Speed control:
    https://youtu.be/pA69t1ZLY2s

    The following video uses the Mach3 usb controller to control a spindle.

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    Do you have a diagram on how to connect the vfd so the CNC controller box can turn the spindle on and off whenever i start a job?

  • Can you supply a quote for a 4 axis combo kit with NEMA 17 Motors

    To select a 4 axis NEMA 17 motor and driver combination, you will need the following:

    - Four (4) NEMA 17 motors: https://buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-nema17-62ozin-NEWBIEHACK-motors-stepping_motor-62_ozin

    - Four (4) drivers, either the 2.5A: https://buildyourcnc.com/item/motion%20electronics-steppermotordriver-newbiehack-Motor_Drivers-2!5_Amp_modular or the 3.0A: https://buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-stepper-driver-3!0a

    - One (1) Power supply, either the 24V or 36V (recommended): https://buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-power-supply

    - Finally, an interface is needed, either parallel, or USB. The USB works with planet-cnc software only. The parallel interface works with all major CNC control software: https://buildyourcnc.com/category/breakout

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    Can you supply a quote for a 4 axis combo kit with NEMA 17 Motors

  • WHAT SIZE COLLET IS IN YOUR 1.5 KILOWATT SPINDLE?

    The collet in the 1.5 kW spindle is an ER-11 and cannot reach the 1/2" size. I would consider the 2.2 kW spindle instead.

    Additional Information:



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    WHAT SIZE COLLET IS IN YOUR 1.5 KILOWATT SPINDLE?

  • How would LinuxCNC be used with the vertical laser?

    It is possible to use LinuxCNC for laser cutters and engravers but not advisable. The efficiency and control with traditional CNC control programs cannot match that of Laser controllers. This is because laser controllers are very good at matching speed with power, especially with raster image burning. Moreover, controlling the laser tube while cutting and engraving is very built in with gcode. Special software can be used, but the processing and execution is not efficient.

    Laser controllers and associated software have matured well and can do cutting and engraving very well and is worth the extra expense.

    If you are still interested in getting LinuxCNC to work with the laser, let me know and we can discuss this in great detail on this FAQ.

    Additional Information:
    A better question might be "What are some good ways to control the vertical laser directly from a Linux machine without having to hop through Windows?" Let me know if you want me to post this as a separate question.

    If I were buying the blacktooth, I'd order the parallel port board for it and skip the anywells controller -- I notice that you don't show that as an option on the vertical, which is what's generating this question.

    Some background: All of our CAD/CAM is done in Linux (openscad, freecad, librecad, cadquery, blender, pycam, python gcode generators...), we use git and Makefiles and other automation scripts extensively, and we need to be able to avoid doing the double-hop from Linux via Windows to get files sent to the laser.

    An example use case is that of being able to say 'make' in a project's directory on any Linux machine on the network to ship the file to the laser, including power settings etc. Needing to ship it to Windows first, and then manually mouse around to set power etc. is what I want to avoid.

    With Epilogs, I used to always bypass the Windows/Coreldraw toolchain by using Gershenfeld's cam.py, sending PCL from Linux straight to the Epilog.

    Something equivalent to that -- being able to run a script in Linux to convert and ship the file straight to the laser -- is what I'm planning to do here. I mentioned LinuxCNC because it's what I'm already using for our mill, and I'm comfortable hacking on it. I'm not wedded to LinuxCNC for a laser, but I am looking for open-source flexibility and future-proofing.

    We don't even have any Windows machines any more -- we got rid of the last of them years ago, and I'd like to avoid going back.

    Additional Information:
    I've split the more general Linux use case out as a separate question at https://buildyourcnc.com/FAQ/13989

    Additional Information:
    Starting to find some answers -- forums have a thread which addresses some LinuxCNC questions at http://www.buildyourtools.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3452 for instance.

    Additional Information:
    Example LinuxCNC config for the buildlog 2.X laser is at https://github.com/jv4779/2x_laser

    Additional Information:
    I'm going to need some time to digest this information. Curious, are you able to develop a program to change the g-code if need be? Will you be doing vector style cutting operations only? If so, the process may be pretty straight forward.

    Additional Information:
    Before we adapted the blackTooth laser to use the laser controller, we operated the machine using Mach3 and the z-axis direction signal was the chief mechanism to fire the laser (down=on, up=off). It worked like a charm. It would be better to use one of the output triggers to do this for safer operation; however.

    Additional Information:
    Blacktooth adaptation of the above buildlog config can be found at http://www.buildyourtools.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=18157#p18157

    Additional Information:
    Answering the earlier comment (is that you Patrick?) -- yes, we'd be doing vector primarily, though my wife (and CEO) is salivating over the potential for raster. I've got no problem writing a python script to massage gcode if that's what it would take to make things work. CAM is always a problem on Linux but I've been using a mix of things to generate gcode for milling (including just writing it by hand), and can get by as needed. Expect to spend this weekend looking around to see what others are doing.

    Additional Information:
    Yes. This isn’t Patrick. I manage the Customer Service section. I will try my best to help with this over the weekend and balance family time. Haha.

    I will check the links. If raster is a must, you can have two controllers controlling the machine using tri-state gates to the drivers. I did this for a customer a while ago to run CNC and laser with an external switch. You could use an external switch to switch between LinuxCNC operation and laser controller.

    Additional Information:
    This is Patrick. Auto correct on my phone turned the "is" to "isn't". Ha!

    Additional Information:
    The buildyourtools links doesn't really have much to do with LinuxCNC and the buildyourtools information on that thread (by MUK) implements a very similar configuration that I introduced when I first started selling the blackTooth (with the parallel control board). That style of configuration may work well with a LinuxCNC scenario.

    I would rather jump-in cold with the LinuxCNC solution and see if we can address each step. What CAM program will you be using? I ask this question because that program may have the ability to inject g-code at specific points where we can turn on and off the laser.

    Also, I'm going to merge the two FAQs once we pick the one we use the most often to figure this out. I'm also more comfortable using this Customer Service system to address the question for many reasons, one of which is I can tie these questions to the products directly to benefit many others.

    Additional Information:
    For laser CAM on Linux we have used cam.py in the past; it's just a python script, so modifying the gcode it generates is easy.

    I think we've reached a purchase decision; your responsiveness here has helped a lot with that, Patrick. It looks to me like we're going to be able to make this thing work, one way or another.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    How would LinuxCNC be used with the vertical laser?

  • HOW COMPLEX IS YOUR KIT TO ASSEMBLE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY - HARD IT SETUP CONTROL THE LASER WITH MACH3?

    The blackTooth Laser cutter and Engraver can be built in a weekend. Take a look at the build instructions and try to determine if you feel you have sufficient capability to put together the laser system.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    HOW COMPLEX IS YOUR KIT TO ASSEMBLE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY - HARD IT SETUP CONTROL THE LASER WITH MACH3?

  • Do you sell the 3 axis electronics combo , for heavy gantry , with the new Planet CNC usb controller ?

    Unfortunately, we don't sell the planet-cnc controller anymore. They made a change to their software that prohibits us from creating the open source board.

    We do sell three other boards that may work for you.

    The Pokeys57CNC board is the mose feature rich and will work with both Mach3 and Mach4:
    https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-electronic-component-breakout-Mach4-mach3-USB-ethernet-Board

    The MAch3 USB board is a good inexpensive interface that will work well if you need the interface to be USB only:
    https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-electronic-component-breakout-Mach3-USB-Board

    Our in-house parallel breakout board (ytou need a parallel port for this interface to work):
    https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-parallel-breakout-relay
    Most motherboards have the parallel port connector on the motherboard, but not as a connector on the back of the computer case.

    Click the link to add information to this solution:
    Do you sell the 3 axis electronics combo , for heavy gantry , with the new Planet CNC usb controller ?

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