Those 51 pins consist of 20 dedicated output pins, 15 dedicated input pins, a group of 8 bidirectional I/O pins that may be set as a group as either inputs or outputs and then a second group of 8 bidirectional I/O pins that may be set as a group as either inputs or outputs. You can choose any output pin for any output signal you want (X Step, Y Dir, Flood, Mist, Spindle, Alarm, etc.).Ī single ESS has 3 parallel ports (replacements) on it, giving you 51 total I/O pins to work with. You can choose any input pin for any input source you want (X home switch, Z limit switch, Probing, etc.). Here is a schematic showing the input and output capabilities of the Ethernet SmoothStepper:

Keep in mind that the SmoothStepper and compatible BOBs will use this Parallel Port pinout numbering style ( click here for more details): Please note that the SmoothStepper uses a 26 pin header and not a parallel port DB-25 connector. Also some Break Out Boards connect directly to the SmoothStepper. There are several styles of Parallel Ribbon cables available, depending on your needs. Here are specific product details for the Ethernet SmoothStepper (ESS) and the USB SmoothStepper (USS). Here is a basic connection diagram showing how the the USB SmoothStepper connects to your PC and Break Out Boards or Motor Drivers: Here is a basic connection diagram showing how the the Ethernet SmoothStepper connects to your PC and Break Out Boards or Motor Drivers: The SmoothStepper's parallel ports allow it to integrate seamlessly with most external devices (CNC equipment and Break Out Boards) that require a Parallel Port interface, with only a ribbon cable to connect them together. The USB SmoothStepper (USS) connects to your PC via USB, has 2 parallel ports and a third dedicated input port. The Ethernet SmoothStepper (ESS) connects to your PC via Ethernet, has 3 parallel ports. We produce two SmoothStepper models, both of which have connectors that conforms to the Parallel Port standard. Mach3 or Mach4) and produces a very high quality pulse train to drive stepper and servo motor drivers. It is a 6-axis motion control device that accepts commands from a trajectory planner (i.e. The SmoothStepper is a high-performance external motion controller that interfaces between your PC and your CNC equipment. SmoothSteppers are used to control Mills, Lathes, Router and Laser tables, Plasma and Oxy-A cetylene tables, Waterjet and Ultrasonic Cutters, Drag Knives, Pipe Benders and many other devices that can be controlled by GCode. Getting Started: What is a SmoothStepper?

Usb cnc motion controller mach4