The Mach3 USB interface board requires 24V relays externally. There are no relays on the mach3 usb board. If you use an external relay on the mach3 usb board, the relay connects to the V+ which is 24V and the output pin is the return.

Additional Information:
I understand what you are saying. Does your relay board work with the Mach3 USB board? If not, what relay board do you suggest to work with this usb controller?

Additional Information:
Our relay board works with our parallel breakout board. An off the shelf SSR (Solid State Relay) made for 24V should work fine.

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I have your Mach3 usb interface board and am interested in the relay board to turn plasma torch on/off. I have a different relay board that doesn't work, it needs 0/5v from output pin to trigger and the usb board doesn't put out 5 volts. Does this relay board need 5v on output or will work fine with this usb controller?

I would not recommend slaving an axis using the method of taking an additional axis from the USB interface. Instead, wire both drivers to a single axis on the USB interface. This will insure perfect signal output to both drivers. If you requre the motors to spin in opposite directions, simply wire one of the motors to the driver reversing the coil A and B connections, or use a hex inverter (https://www.buildyourcnc.com/tutorials/Tutorial-Two-Motors-Spinning-Oppositely-On-Single-Axis).

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I purchased a USB Breakout board, motors and drivers, paid for CNC USB Controller Software and I CAN NOT "Slave" an axis, but there is an option to do that. The moment I connect USB Breakout Board "Slave" option becomes shaded and I can no longer select it (becomes not functional). What is going on? Need help asap. Thanks

The Mach3 USB will not work with Linux CNC. You can use our parallel breakout baord instead (if you have a computer that has a parallel port available).

Here is the link to that interface:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-parallel-breakout-relay

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Hello. I'm currently building my first CNC router, and I'm powering it with a 3 axis electronics kit that was purchased through your site. I chose to get the Mach 3 USB Breakout board, but now I'm wanting to try to use Linux CNC to work with the computer I have available. Will that work with this board?

Fusion 360 is a program that allows you to design in a parametric 3 dimensional environment and also provides a great CAM toolset. Fusion 360 will produce the gcode with the CAM capabilities. The gcode is used to move the machine in various ways in order to mill the material; however, software is needed to interpret this gcode and cause the machine to move according to the gcode instructions. This is called control software. So Fusion is CAD/CAM, and you still need "control". Mach3 is one example of control software for milling and is highly recommended.

Install Mach3 onto the computer that will connect to the redFly(CNC electronics), then configure the Mach3 parameters for the machine (motor tuning, plug-ins, inputs/output, etc.). Home the machine, load the gcode into Mach3 and the machine will move according to the gcode.

A word of caution, since you are new to CNC machines, make sure you familiar yourself with the machine and the movements of the machine specific to how the gcode is arranged with respect to the coordinates of the machine. Try with very simple gcode until you get a very good understanding of how the machine will move.

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Hello, My friend has purchased the Redfly and I am helping him a little with it. We are both very new to CNC. I am using fusion 360 at the moment. This can tool path and create gcode. I was wondering if Mach 3 or similar is still needed. Is there a tutorial you could point me to that explains how to get the Gcode from the PC, via Serial to the Redfly?

The Mach3 USB interface board requires 24V relays externally. There are no relays on the mach3 usb board. If you use an external relay on the mach3 usb board, the relay connects to the V+ which is 24V and the output pin is the return.

Additional Information:
I understand what you are saying. Does your relay board work with the Mach3 USB board? If not, what relay board do you suggest to work with this usb controller?

Additional Information:
Our relay board works with our parallel breakout board. An off the shelf SSR (Solid State Relay) made for 24V should work fine.

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I bought a 'BuildyourCNC V1' relay board to go with my mach3 usb controller. I have been sent a 'Songle' relay. It's not the one in your picture and it's got different connections, for which there isn't a wiring diagram. The one I ordered says it is 5v, this one seems to be saying it's a 24v unit. Can you please explain what has happened? Thanks

The Mach3 USB interface board requires 24V relays externally. There are no relays on the mach3 usb board. If you use an external relay on the mach3 usb board, the relay connects to the V+ which is 24V and the output pin is the return.

Additional Information:
I understand what you are saying. Does your relay board work with the Mach3 USB board? If not, what relay board do you suggest to work with this usb controller?

Additional Information:
Our relay board works with our parallel breakout board. An off the shelf SSR (Solid State Relay) made for 24V should work fine.

Click the link to add information to this solution:
I bought a 'BuildyourCNC V1' relay board to go with my mach3 usb controller. I have been sent a 'Songle' relay. It's not the one in your picture and it's got different connections, for which there isn't a wiring diagram. The one I ordered says it is 5v, this one seems to be saying it's a 24v unit. Can you please explain what has happened? Thanks

I also place the controller very close to the drivers (on the back of the gantry). All of the cables are shielded. The only long cables are the mains power cables and the USB cable. The USB cable is shielded and contains active repeaters.

There is no problem putting all of the electronics in a box and using long cables to the motors. This is the way I did it for a very long time.

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Great site. I saw your videos of wiring the Mach3 USB controller. You place the drivers next to the Steppers. This means that you have very long leads to the USB Board? What about the placement of the controlling PC? Is it a problem to have the USB board, PSUs and Drivers in a control box and long leads to the steppers? Thank you.

The RNRMotion driver will not conflict with the mach3 license. Make sure you have the RNRmotion driver in the plugins folder and the provided xml in the main mach3 folder. Also, make sure to have the mach3 license file in the mach3 folder. If you still experience problems, please give us a call.

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i purchased a breakout board from you guy and the rnr motion control is messing with my license in mach 3 tech support at mach said it is the rnr software i need help to contact them and let them see what they can do to help

You can only use the planet-cnc interfaces with the PlanetCNC software. If you like the software and want to remain with that software, the hardware interfaces will need to be purchased from the planet-cnc folks.

I would recommend using the Pokeys57CNC interface which is compatible with Mach3 and Mach4. You can also consider the Mach3 USB interface if the Pokeys57CNc interface is out of your price range.

Pokeys57CNC product page:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-electronic-component-breakout-Mach4-mach3-USB-ethernet-Board

Mach3 USB product page:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-electronic-component-breakout-Mach3-USB-Board

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I have registered version of planetcnc software that I purchased with a Chinese controller I want to use 3 better drivers with a separate USB controller can you recommend a controller and how to link my existing software. Regards Lloyd from Australia

Red is A+
Blue is A-
Black is B+
and Green is B-

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I purchased the 3 Axis Heavy Gantry Electronics /w Pokeys57CNC controller and the motors supplied only have 4 wires coming out of them (R,G,B,Blk). Your wiring video shows wiring 8 cables. do you have a video showing how to wire the 4 wire version?

Did you install the Mach3 USB plug-in?

Make sure that you followed all of the steps and diagrams on the following page:
https://www.buildyourcnc.com/item/electronicsAndMotors-electronic-component-breakout-Mach3-USB-Board

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ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WORKS. I HAVE ALL STRUCTURE AND MECHICAL PARTS OF THE BLACKTOOTH CUTTER DONE. HOWEVER WHEN WIRE UP STEPPER MOTOR TO DRIVER. THAT MACH 3 USB CONTROLLER BOARD, TRY JOG MOTOR, WORKS! PREVIOSULY HAD PLANET CNC BREAKOUT HOWRVER, ONLY MOVED MOTORS IN ONE DIRECTION COULDNT CHANGE IT. ANY HELP WOULD BE APRECIATED

It appears that the LCD that you have on the vacuum pressure controller is damaged. You will need to remove the LCD (desolder the LCD) that is on the controller and resolder a new one.

Here is a link to the LCD used for that vacuum pressure controller:
https://newbiehack.com/categories/newbiehack-LCD_Displays_and_LEDs-LCD-16x2

Newbiehack is a sister website to buildyourcnc.

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I have a vacuum regulator pump controller that I purchased from you previously. The LCD display is now missing the bottom line of text. Have you run into this issue before? Can I just swap out the LCD displays or is a fix going to be more involved?

The Mach3 USB interface board will require a 24V power supply to enable the use of the input, output terminals, and the spindle VFD 0-10V and output for speed control.

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Hi Patrick right now I have a parallel port cnc machine that I built in 2013 using the hardware and components I purchased from your website. I want to update my system by changing my current parallel port interface board to a Mach3 USB interface board from your website. Is the Mach3 USB interface board all I need to do this or is there other components I need to get. please advise.

Sure, the USB interface has a place for 4 axes of limit switches.

Each axis can have two limit switches: one for the ++ (positive) end and one for the -- (negative) end. The positive end would be the limit switch at the end of the machine that, say the machine has a 4'x8' area, reaches a bit after the 8 foot mark. The negative end would be the limit switch behind the 0 foot location behind the origin. If the origin is in the middle, the negative would be at a little more than the -4 foot end and the positive would be at a bit more than the +4 foot end. Note that you can have more than one switch on each pin where the NC is connected in serial fashion and the NO is connected in parallel fashion (this can be seen on the diagram in the multiple limits switch section). The software configurations for the limits switches are under File -> Settings -> Limit.

A typical limit switch has three connections on it. These connections consist of COM (common), NC (normally closed) and NO (normally open). The COM would generally go to GND and the NC or the NO would go to the pin. If the NC is used, then the the switch is constantly connected until the switch is pushed (engaged) then the connection from the pin to gnd is broken (open). Use the settings in software to set whether in NC or NO configuration.

Let me know if this information was helpful (or not) by adding information to this question. Thanks.

User response:
Thank you very much for this helpful information. I'm still a little fuzzy on how the 6 limit switches physically connect to each other and to the USB breakout board. You've stated one switch (home) goes to positive and another switch (limit) goes to negative. Are all the GND prongs from all 6 switches connected to each other and going to GND on the breakout board, or no? And the NC prongs, how exactly are they connected to each other? And to the board? There has to be a diagram somewhere shows this visually, no? I don't know how to wire the switches in series or in parallel. I have already physically installed all the switches on the machine and ran the wires to where the board is. Now I just need to know where to plug these wires into the board. Also, taking into consideration that I'm using the Planet CNC software, the only settings I have pertaining to limit switches is "Enable/Disable" for each axis, and the actual limit for each axis. Nothing about NC or NO. Is that only in Mach3?
Thank you.

buildyourcnc response:
On the USB interface, the COM on the switch connects to GND and the NC or NO connects to the input pin (i.e. x++, y--, etc.)

Limit switch configuration is rather difficult to understand, especially with series and parallel. You can think of series as a single wire going from GND to the axis letter input terminal (i.e. X++ or X--). If the wire is broken, then the circuit is open (or the switch is engaged in a normally closed scenario). Normally closed is like an actual wire, and when engaged, the switch "opens" (breaks the wire). This is why we recommend in some systems that you can put many switches in series on a single pin. When one of the switches is engaged (breaking the connection) then the entire circuit of switches is broken and the machine stops.

In a parallel scenario, the state of the circuit is always broken until the one of the switches is engaged and the circuit is then closed or connected. The topology looks like a ladder. All the switches connect to both sides of the ladder and the switches are like the runs of the ladder (the horizontal bars that the feet are placed while climbing). Imagine all of the switches broken in this scenario (normally open). It would be like the ladder could be split in two, but if one of the ladder runs (switches) is closed by engaging it, then that run would connect both sides of the ladder and the two sides of the ladder would have a connection.

There is a diagram on the USB page of the various limit switch configurations. If you need more information (visual and/or otherwise), please let us know and we will immediately add that information to benefit everyone.

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I have nearly completed the CNC machine from the book, but I am using it with a USB breakout board, and have no idea how to wire the 6 limit switches to the board. I'm having difficulty following the diagram on the USB breakout board screen. Can someone please help me?

You would use a combination of bearings and collars to prevent your lead screw or rod from being able to move back and forth. Without it being able to move back and forth, you shouldn't have the couplings coming apart, because the motor is solidly mounted and unable to move as well.

I will try to draw a picture using symbols, with a key to define what each part is.

--CB|--------------|BC}{M

- = Lead Screw or Rod
C = Collar
B = Bearing
| = Wood, the frame of your machine
}{ = Coupling
M = Motor

On the example above you could replace the collar on the motor side with one half of the coupling, putting it right upside of the bearing to hold it in place instead. Like this:

--CB|--------------|B}{M

You could also place the bearings on the inside as follows:

----|BC----------CB|--}{M

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can you please specify how to connect the collar/nut and bearings to prevent the axial movement of lead screw. Do I have to put that next to the stepper motor /coupling assembling or on the other side where the lead screw comes out. Or is there any way I can make the flexible coupling rigid so it does not come out of the middle spider?

In the scenario where the motors are not moving, do you see the red LED on the Mach3 USB controller blinking fast?

- If not, then there is a communication issue between the computer and the Mach3 USB controller.

- If you do see the blinking, then there is an issue between the Mach3 USB controller and the drivers, or a power supply issue (the power supply that is connected to the drivers that power the motors).

Additional Information:
20

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Asus Laptop win11 running Mach3USB and rnrmotion board. Sporadic event. Everything starts and looks correct. Readouts show motor movement with arrow keys, however, motors don't move. Came back 1 day later to resolve and everything worked fine. this has happened 3 time in the last year. I am having this problem right now. What should I do?

Attaching two motors in parallel is possible, but you will need another motor and driver for the opposite side. Each motor must have its own driver to work accordingly and fluently. The two can be wired together, to the same pins on your breakout board and set the dip switches on the driver to match the ones on your x-axis(ex). But remember to view the orientation of the motor and which way it spins, since it is on the opposite side it will have to be orientated correctly to move in sync with the other motor.

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I just finished building my first CNC with the electronics I purchased from you and I am already thinking about improving it. I would like to build a 2 motor X axis solution. Is it possible to attach 2 parallel motors and drivers to the BlueBrew Breakout Board? If so, how?

Please contact us at sales@buildyourcnc.com so we can provide you with assistance on your order

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I am trying to purchase a kit for our school in Singapore, and your site keeps refusing our corporate AMEX card. Can you help us figure out what is up with that? Are you not ship to Singapore or something? Our AMEX rep says that the account is authorised for this purchase from our end, so the problem may be with your site? Please advise.

You want to look for the analog input terminals in the wiring diagram in the manual for your VFD. I believe the VFD you have, the XSY-AT1 has three terminals that will accept an analog voltage to adjust the speed. These terminals are:
COM or ACM - this is where the ACM from the controller will connect
VI/CI - The AVI will connect to this terminal which is the actual voltage level that will determine the speed from 0 to 10V.
10V - This connects to the 10V terminal of the controller which will provide 10V to the controller allowing the top voltage reference for the controller. This will provide a 0 to 10V range for the AVI or VI/CI terminals, and if 5V is available on the VFD, then the range will be 0 to 5V.

The parameter you need to change in the VFD is P10 which will change the source of the frequency, either the control panel which is the default (0 or 1, keys or potentiometer - dial, if that is available on the VFD), External analog signals which are the ACM, VI/CI and 10V/5V terminals in the VFD, or the RS485 which is a serial connection to the computer. You want to set this parameter to the External terminals which may be 2, but check your manual for the proper value.

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I'm hooking up the VFD Controller to the USB controller to control the speed of the spindle. In your video you have the wire from the USB controller to the ACM of the VFD controller. The VFD controller I have is a XSY-AT1 model AT1-2200s. It does not have an ACM contact. It does however have a SP1 contact, is this where I land that wire?