Linuxcnc Hardware

Hardware to run the LinuxCNC software

A computer is required to run LinuxCNC itself.

Minimum computer requirements can be found in the LinuxCNC docs: http://linuxcnc.org/docs/stable/html/getting-started/system-requirements.html

The most common is to use a x86 computer (standard Intel / AMD computer)

ARM computers such as the Raspberry Pi or Orange Pi can be used

Hardware Interface to CNC machine

There are multiple different ways to interface between LinuxCNC controller software, and CNC hardware (such as stepper / servo drivers, limit switches, inputs and outputs etc.)

Interfaces include:

• Parallel Port
• Ethernet
• Ethercat
• PCI / PCIe
• SPI (where the computer has a native SPI interface, such as Raspberry Pi)
• USB (not realtime interface)

A mix of different interfaces can be used. For example, a combination of ethercat for servo drives, and parallel port for additional General Purpose Inputs / Outputs (GPIO)

Some of these solutions are usable for all aspects of hardware interfacing, and some have specific roles (e.g. non-realtime GPIO, for an operator inferface).

Parallel Port

Using onboard motherboard parallel port, or a PCI/PCIe? parallel port card.

Parallel Port Software Interface

Realtime (time critical) tasks such as step generation are done in software on the LinuxCNC host - this means the parallel port interface is much more sensitive to the LinuxCNC computer's latency.

Advantages:

• Low cost
• Simple configuration

Disadvantages:

• Sensitive to the LinuxCNC computer's latency
• Limited inputs/outputs
• Some PCI/PCIe? parallel port cards do not work well or do not properly support the required EPP mode

Parallel Port FPGA Communication

Realtime (time critical) tasks such as step generation are done in hardware (not on the computer)

Mesa via Parallel Port

Mesa use Field-programmable gate array (FPGA) interfaced via parallel port - e.g. 7i43

Website: http://mesanet.com/ Store: http://store.mesanet.com/

Pico Systems via Parallel Port

http://pico-systems.com/univstep.html

Ethernet

Mesa Ethernet

Mesa cards with a Field-programmable gate array (FPGA), interfaced to LinuxCNC computer via Ethernet. Time critical (realtime) tasks are performed on the FPGA card.

Multiple ethernet interface FPGA cards are available, with many expansion cards

Website: http://mesanet.com/ Store: http://store.mesanet.com/

Remora Ethernet

Realtime requirements are offloaded onto a controller board. Multiple differnet controller boards are supported - see Remora docs.

Note that some of these controller boards (e.g. NVEM, EC300, EC500) are designed / sold for use with Mach3. Use with LinuxCNC requires flashing new firmware, which has been developed by the LinuxCNC community. The manufacturer does not support LinuxCNC.

Expatria Technologies PicoBOB?-DLX was designed for LinuxCNC Remora.

Remora docs: https://remora-docs.readthedocs.io

As of March 2024:

STM32 based controller boards NVEM - an STM32F207 based board with Ethernet PHY chip, originally intended for Mach3. [No longer in production, Legacy Support - no new features] EC500 - an STM32F407 based board with Ethernet PHY chip, originally intended for Mach3. [No longer in production, Legacy Support - no new features] Expatria Technologies Flexi-HAL with uFlexiNET Ethernet adapter - an STM32F446 based board with W5500 Ethernet SPI adapter designed for Remora iMX RT1052 based controller boards NVEM, EC300 & EC500 - iMXRT1052 based controller boards with Ethernet PHY chip, originally intended for Mach3. [In active development] RP2040 based controller boards WIZnet W5500-EVB-Pico - Raspberry Pi RP2040 based development board with on-board W5500 Ethernet SPI adapter Expatria Technologies PicoBOB-DLX - Raspberry Pi RP2040 based board with on-board W5500 Ethernet SPI adapter designed for Remora

Litex-CNC

This project aims to make a generic CNC firmware and driver for FPGA cards which are supported by LiteX?. Configuration of the board and driver is done using json-files. The supported boards are the Colorlight boards 5A-75B and 5A-75E, as these are fully supported with the open source toolchain.

Colorlight 5A-75B and 5A-75E cards are designed as a LED receiver card - it outputs to LED matrix panels. These cards have outputs only - hardware modification is required to enable use for inputs. Soldering required. Output buffers can be replaced with an input buffer.

https://litex-cnc.readthedocs.io

LinuxCNC-RIO

RealtimeIO? for LinuxCNC based on an FPGA

Ethernet interface can be used with a Ethernet to SPI interface.

https://github.com/multigcs/LinuxCNC-RIO

Ethercat

Beckhoff EtherCAT(TM) and compatible systems can be made to work with LinuxCNC using the open source etherlab software.

EtherCAT is the open real-time Ethernet network originally developed by Beckhoff.

The EtherCat? master (LinuxCNC computer) uses a standard ethernet (network) interface - no special hardware is needed on the master. The slaves use special hardware.

There are many EtherCat? slave devices available including servo drives, stepper drives, input, output interfaces, VFDs, and others.

https://github.com/linuxcnc-ethercat/linuxcnc-ethercat

== PCI / PCIe

Mesa

Mesa PCI / PCIe cards with a Field-programmable gate array (FPGA). Time critical (realtime) tasks are performed on the FPGA card.

Multiple daughter / expansion cards are available

Website: http://mesanet.com/ Store: http://store.mesanet.com/

== SPI SPI = Serial Peripheral Interface. SPI interfaces can be found on single board computers like Raspberry Pi, or Orange Pi. SPI interface is _not_ generally present on standard computers (AMD/Intel?).

Remora SPI

Realtime requirements are offloaded onto a controller board. https://remora-docs.readthedocs.io

<nowkik>LinuxCNC-RIO</nowiki>

RealtimeIO? for LinuxCNC based on an FPGA

https://github.com/multigcs/LinuxCNC-RIO

Mesa

Mesa cards with a Field-programmable gate array (FPGA), interfaced to LinuxCNC computer via SPI. Time critical (realtime) tasks are performed on the FPGA card.

Example: 7C80 for Raspberry Pi

Website: http://mesanet.com/ Store: http://store.mesanet.com/

USB

USB devices cannot be used to control motors or perform other __"real time"__ tasks.

[LinuxCNC ArduinoConnector]?

This Project enables you to connect an Arduino to LinuxCNC and provides as many IO's as you could ever wish for. This Software is used as IO Expansion for LinuxCNC. It is NOT intended for timing and security relevant IO's. Don't use it for Emergency Stops or Endstop switches!

Site: https://github.com/AlexmagToast/LinuxCNC_ArduinoConnector

OLD INFO

Supported Hardware

The purpose of this page is to describe the electronics that interfaces your PC to your CNC machine. For information on selecting a PC to run LinuxCNC, please see Hardware Requirements. Not a definitive list, by far.

HardwareDesign - general notes on the hardware interface designs that work well with LinuxCNC

Commercial PCI/ISA cards

General Mechatronics: http://www.generalmechatronics.com/en/linuxcnc

DIN-rail mounted modular system

Servo-To-Go ISA: http://www.servotogo.com/

$888 for 8 axis model II card (8 encoder inputs, 8 DAC outputs, 32 bit I/O, 8 analog inputs)

Vital Systems Motenc-Lite Servo PCI 4-Axis Card and I/O Boards: http://www.vitalsystem.com/

7541: $595 includes 8 DAC outputs, 8 analog Inputs, 4 encoder inputs, 32 digital inputs, 16 digital outputs

7544: $495 includes 8 DAC outputs, 4 encoder inputs, 32 digital inputs, 16 digital outputs

Mesa Electronics Anything I/O boards (plus all the Servo & Stepper Daughter Boards, etc) http://www.mesanet.com/

The Anything I/O boards are all based on FPGAs, so they can be loaded with different firmware when LinuxCNC starts.

Firmware defines the number of encoders, PWMs, stepgens and General Purpose IO.

5i20, PCI, 200K gates, 72 I/O pins, $200

5i22, PCI, 1.0M or 1.5M gates, 96 I/O pins, $370-$430

5i23, PCI, 400K gates, 72 I/O pins, $230

5i25, PCI (low-profile) 2x25 IO pins on a DB25, expanding to 96 or more with daughter cards.

4i65, PC-104/Plus?, 200K gates, 72 I/O pins, $200

4i68, PC-104/Plus?, 200K or 400K gates, 72 I/O pins, $230 (for the 400K gate version)

3x20, PCI-Express, 1.0M or 1.5M or 2.0M gates, 144 I/O pins

look here for more info: mesa cards

Axiom Measurement & Control AX5214H 48 Channel Digital I/O Board (ISA): http://www.axiomtek.com/

$ price ?

Siemens EVOREG Motion Control Board?

$ price ?

Vigilant Products PCI-ENCDAC 4 Axis Controller and EXPDIG I/O boards: http://www.vigproducts.com

$1000 for 4 Axis Controller

Opto22 PCI AC5 adapter card- 48 points of I/O usually used with their relay racks.

$475 new, Ebay -a lot less! Details here:OptoPciAc5

Advantech ISA card

PCL-720 [1] You would be unlikely to choose this for a new build but this driver can make some retrofits easier.

Commercial Systems using the Parallel port as a data bus.

Pico Systems Universal Stepper Controller: http://pico-systems.com/univstep.html

$250 includes 4 step/dir outputs, 4 encoder inputs/counters, 16 digital inputs, 8 SSR sockets

$50 option adds a spindle speed DAC

an encoder input can be used for spindle-synchronized threading

Pico Systems PWM Controller: http://pico-systems.com/univpwm.html

$250 includes 4 pwm outputs, 4 encoder inputs, 16 digital inputs, 8 SSR sockets

$50 option adds a spindle speed DAC

an encoder input can be used for spindle-synchronized threading

Pico Systems PPMC Board Set: http://pico-systems.com/PPMC.html

$780 includes 4 16-bit dac outputs for +/- 10 V analog servo amplifiers, 4 differential or single-ended encoder inputs, 17 digital inputs, 8 SSR sockets

all-in-one package for analog servo retrofits

an encoder input can be used for spindle-synchronized threading

Using a NetMos parport card

Mesa Electronics 7i43: http://www.mesanet.com

$80. The 7i43 is an FPGA-based "Anything I/O" board. It has a Spartan3 FPGA (200K or 400K gates) and 48 I/O pins. LinuxCNC supports this board with the HostMot2 firmware, which is available in many different configurations providing encoders, PWM generators, step/dir generators, and general purpose digital I/O pins.

look here for more info: mesa cards

Ethernet based BUS Systems

Beckhoff EtherCAT(TM) and compartible systems can be made to work with LinuxCNC using the open source etherlab software. see etherlab for details

AB&T EpoCAT FR1000: http://www.bausano.net/en/hardware/ethercat/epocat-fr-1000.html

5 axes slave module EtherCAT(TM) compatible.

$550 includes 5 1MHz step/dir outputs,1 auxiliary analog output, 2 analog inputs, 12 digital inputs, 8 digital outputs, 1 probe input.

Mesa Electronics 7i76E, 7i96, 7i92 and 7i80

CAN based BUS Systems

currently there is no known driver for LinuxCNC to connect to CAN based bus systems

Step & Direction Drives

Note: any Stepper-motor or servo-motor drive that accepts step/direction signals could be used with LinuxCNC. These are just some examples of inexpensive stepper/servo drives.

[HobbyCNC]

$54 ([3-axis EZ board] only) to $240 ([4-axis PRO board], parallel cable & 4 motors).

Step & direction signals on 25 pin D, selectable microstepping, 3A/phase.

Requires no break-out board, simplified installation. Board sold as a kit, assembly required (basic soldering skills needed)

Updated 6/24/16 - BrianV?, HobbyCNC.com

[Xylotex]

$155 (3-axis board only) to $525 (4-axis board, motors, and power supply).

Buffered step & direction signals, selectable microstepping, 2.5A/phase.

Gene Heskett says:

I'm using a 3 axis board myself, and have been since (the early) days, using a radio shack breakout board to remap the signals. Now particularly since hal now has mappable i/o pins, the pinout diffs between the Xylotex boards and other driver boards is a total non-issue & the rs232 breakout box isn't needed anymore. LinuxCNC even comes with a halfile made for the xylotex boards.

[PMDX-150]

1 axis, 3A, bipolar, 1x/2x/4x/8x microstepping, idle current reduction, etc. Requires separate breakout board. $73/axis

[Gecko Drive]

Stepper drives and Servo drives.

$147 G203V Stepper Drive 7A 80V Short-circuit, Reversed-polarity, Over-temperature, Over-voltage protection.

2.5V, 3.3V and 5V logic compatible inputs, 350 kHz maximum Step pulse frequency.

[Motion Control Products MSD542].

1 axis, RMS 3A, microstepping drive. Looks identical to the Keling KL- 5042 (I think they are both Leadshine drives).

[http://www.granite