PicoBOB-DLX

Hello everybody,
I do have a self build portal CNC machine with LinuxCNC and LPT running. Never really disappointed me, well maybe it could be a little less noisy (more microsteps). Now a WABECO F1210 found its way into my workshop. I would like to convert the whole system to LinuxCNC since I got the whole "chain" for this running. When I started LPT was the choice of the time. Now I read about MESA and stuff. ChatGPT brought me to the PicoBOB-DLX. This thing looks quite like a smart "simple" solution. Does someone has this running? Since I got some kids since my last build the "free" time did not get more... So I am really interested in a quite simple solution.
regards Han

Stick with Mesa, loads of info, it works without issues, they've been around for ages. Support is fantastic. A 7i92T gives you 2 lpt like interfaces. So 34 io pins, can be expanded via SmartSerial cards to get even more io. Mesa drivers are part of the Linuxcnc source code, so you know they will always be supported.

Oh BTW chatgpt has given so much useless info regarding Linuxcnc it's gone past be a joke to a complete waste of time.

Hi,
thanks for the answer!
To get the 7i92T working I need at least a "standard" lpt breakoutboard, right? That would be for the steppers. What would I need for a 0-10V signal for the spindle? Can I plug in glass "sensor" into it? (I would not really need it, never had any step losses with my other machine).
Well yes you always have to double check what the KI says, but for programming it helps alot
regards Han

Yeah std breakout board, a lot of the generic Chinese one have a 0-10v converter. Mesa also sells something called spinx1 store.mesanet.com/index.php?route=produc...oduct&product_id=205 which could be connected to the 2nd port on the 7i92T.
Glass sensor would require a buffer circuit of sorts I guess, PCW would have the best advice regarding that.

I've been using an original 7i92 for years (the change was to a different FPGA for the T) and had no issues........plus a number of other cards as things grew


This how good the support from Mesa is. Some users have bought clones from AliExpress (I'd recommend the genuine thing) and he's been happy to help those users out. TBH PCW has helped me out when I got bored and tried to build a clone of a 7c81 based on a Spartan6 FPGA dev board. Which does work either via SPI to Raspberry Pi 4/5 or a PC with a parallel port using the EPP protocol.

You may find some forum users very biased towards Mesa, some build machines professionally and only use Mesa, other have converted a mill or a lathe....or many other machines that I have probably missed. But they all swear by Mesa products.
Not that there aren't other options, but it's the best way if you "just wanna make chips".

See also Mesa 7i96S and 7i76E and 7i95 and many other combos, but for a start 7i96S is the easiest to wire and quite cheap.

Hi,
I would probably not say quite cheap. But the support probably is worth it. I did not find anything about an actual usecase of the picoBOB.
As far as I understand right now the 7i96 is a 7i92 with an "integrated" breakoutboard right?
Then this would probably really be the easiest way. But disadvantage is probably if something smokes up the whole card is done. With a seperate breakout board maybe I need only to change the BOB.
Does someone knows a BOB that has the function of a 0-10V output for spindle that works with the 7i92?
For Inputs I would probably only need 3 Endpointswitches and one for the probe and toollength. If I would like to add the glass sensors later, can I do this with another daughter cards from mesa?
Thanks alot!
regards Han