5i25 - Hardware Step Gen & Par.Port for Spindel.

I have installed the 5i25 for Hardware Step generation but have no idea how to config the PNCConfig.
I would like to control a 3Axis router with the 5i25 and then control the spindel speed via a inverter controlled by the onboard printer port.
I have looked at the integrators manual and the Hal manual but its just confusing me.

Any body have some suggestions.
I have all the pinout requirements but not sure were they must go.

I have included my current Mach3 XML File for anyone wanting to have a look at it.
The Controller is a Zero3 from CNCStep's High z machines.

Regards,
Oz

Looking at the Zero3 CNCstep LPT pinout, it's pretty close to our dmmbob1x2
pinout. with the exception of the spindle PWM and watchdog pins.

Also I don't quite understand the interface as it has X1,X2 on the same LPT pins
Is this a hardwired gantry config?

I also says it has 5 axis but has only a DIR for axis 4 and only STEP for axis 5

Another thing that not clear is how the watchdog works
(there are no timing specs at all for watcdog)

So at the minimum you would need to flash the 5I25 with the
5i25_dmmbob1x2.bit bitfile and then install the 5i25_dmmbob1x2.xml
file for pncconf to be able to configure the card.

If thats close, then custom firmware for the Zero3 could be created that
has the spindle PWM and watchdog signals on the correct pins.

Thanks,

I can tell you that the X1 and X2 are for the X-Axis, My cnc has two X-Axis Steppers.
As far as the Watchdog, I have never used it, but it is supposed to toggle/charge pump.

So it is actually only a 4Axis Controller.

Hope this helps.

How difficult is it to create Custom Firmware.

I can draw up a pinout configuration that I would use with all possible pinouts if that would help.

Are you using the spindle speed control? If not, and the watchdog
can be disabled or works OK with a software toggled bit, the dmmbob1x2
should work fine

Looking at the LPT pinout in the Zero3 manual, the only things that would
need changing (from dmmbob1x2's pinout ) for full compatibility would be the Spindle PWM
pin and perhaps a stepgen pin on the watchdog in case it requires a high frequency signal

These are simple changes and would take me only a few minutes to do

Ok,
That will be fine to have a toggle bit for the watchdog.

I haven't planned to use the Spindle PWM at this point as I wanted to use a secondary LPT port to control 0-10volt input on the spindle.

If you do the simple changes I think that should be sufficient for me to get going.

Regards,
Oz

Yes, it is out of the ordinary.
I have to look into the Zero3 controller and test the connections, I do think there is a way to do this without the secondary port, just haven't had the time to look yet.

Cheers,

Hmm,

I can't seem to find the file I need to run Zero 3.

PCW, Help!

Oz

Did you download the 5i25 support files?

www.mesanet.com/software/parallel/5i25.zip

Thank you very much.