What is it?

This is a kit to enable an upgrade from Mach4 to LinuxCNC on AVID CNC machines running the CRP850 break out board for the ESS.

History

I spent a year customizing Mach4 for my needs and eventually got tired of the poor documentation, bad e-stop implementation, design flaws and software bugs. My research on a replacement led me to LinuxCNC.

LinuxCNC is vastly more capable and customizable than Mach4. It has a very large community surrounding it and is open source. I was able to re-create and improve on my customizations in significantly less time than it took in Mach4. The most difficult parts were building the custom firmware required to connect a Mesa 7I92TH to the CRP850 and creating a starting config for my machine.

The Kit

The kit includes:

• Mesa 7I92TH FPGA board with custom firmware
• Custom cables for connecting to the CRP850
• Custom mount for the 7I92TH
• Labeled power wiring
• Hardware installation documentation

LinuxCNC is open source software and is freely available if you wish to install it yourself on your own hardware. Please see http://linuxcnc.org for more information. You will need to provide your own Linux PC running LinuxCNC 2.9 from September 23rd, 2023 or later.

If you want something closer to plug and play, see this product instead. That version of the kit will greatly reduce the time and effort required to get up and running. For those unfamiliar with LinuxCNC, I highly recommend this option. LinuxCNC is sensitive to latency and the PC included in the full kit has been configured to minimize latency and allow for future upgrades in development.

There is an option to include a LinuxCNC configuration with the kit. Configurations are available for the following machines (all are 3 axis machines with Nema 34 steppers and a 24000 RPM spindle based on versions 20.1 & 21.2 of AVID's electronics):

• PRO4824 - 8" Z
• PRO4824 - 12" Z
• PRO4824 - Extended Gantry - 8" Z
• PRO4824 - Extended Gantry - 12" Z
• PRO4848 - 8" Z
• PRO4848 - 12" Z
• PRO4848 - Extended Gantry - 8" Z
• PRO4848 - Extended Gantry - 12" Z
• PRO4896 - 8" Z
• PRO4896 - 12" Z
• PRO4896 - Extended Gantry - 8" Z
• PRO4896 - Extended Gantry - 12" Z
• PRO6060 - 8" Z
• PRO6060 - 12" Z
• PRO6060 - Extended Gantry - 8" Z
• PRO6060 - Extended Gantry - 12" Z
• PRO60120 - 8" Z
• PRO60120 - 12" Z
• PRO60120 - Extended Gantry - 8" Z
• PRO60120 - Extended Gantry - 12" Z

If your configuration is not in this list, contact me and I can probably help produce a new one for you.

A word of caution.

This basic kit is intended for those who are familiar with LinuxCNC. You will need to build your own configuration for your machine. There is documentation on LinuxCNC available here. Support beyond the provided installation documentation is on a best effort basis only. The only warranty provided is that everything will arrive to you undamaged. Insurance against shipping damage is included in the cost of shipping. Each kit is tested for full functionality prior to shipping.

CNC machines can be dangerous. It is your responsibility to be safe while using any machine tool. It is also your responsibility to ensure you are compliant with any regulations that may apply to you.