TTL (PWM) Laser head and Mesa 7i76

Hello mates.
I wonder if there is any way to drive a laser head (40W, 12V, 5A) using a Mesa7i76. Well, maybe the question would be how to do it. The idea would be to be able to implement it to the current milling machine as a complement. The downside is that the five STEP/DIR are busy.
What can you think of?
Is there any chance?
Greetings.

You could add another 7i76 to your 5i25 card to give you 10 step/dir interfaces.

I would add a simple breakout board to the other FPGA
expansion connector to give a buffered 5V PWM signal

Even the common "Mach 5 Axis" board would do
with proper FPGA firmware

PCW wrote:

I would add a simple breakout board to the other FPGA
expansion connector to give a buffered 5V PWM signal

Even the common "Mach 5 Axis" board would do
with proper FPGA firmware
 

Do you mean something like a 7i52, 7i52S that gives me additional STEP/DIR outputs or which one you would recommend to me PCW?
It has to be via STEP/DIR then.
Thank you both very much.

The 7I52 and 7I52S are made for 50 pin FPGA cards
for a 25 pin FPGA card, you could add a buffered PWM
output with something like the mentioned "Mach 5 Axis) parallel
port breakout or a simple Mesa Breakout like a 7I85S or 7I78

Excuse me PCW, I had not understood you, with Mach 5 axis you mean something like the attached image. This creates a series of doubts for me:

1-Obviously if the DB25 I have busy with the 7i76, that BB should connect it to the extension port of the 5i25.
2-The configuration of the INI and HAL to be able to conduct the laser.
3-If I can wire the BB and drive the laser, could I also use the rest of the outputs as additional axes?

Thank you very much, this could open me a wide range of possibilities.

Yes, that kind of a breakout can be used on the 5I25s other connector.
It would need custom firmware to put at least one PWM generator on
the one or the breakout boards step/dir outputs (the spare outputs
can be more step/dir axis)

I can make this firmware if you indicate the breakout type you choose.

That would be wonderful!! What exactly you need.
The one in the image is one I have, from when it was young and ignorant, now I am not so young anymore

do you have a pinout diagram of that one?

If the info I´ve found is ok the pinout is as follow:
1-Enable
2-X step
3-Y dir
4-B step
5-A dir
6-A step
7-Z step
8-Z dir
9-Spindle
10-X limit
11-Y limit
12-Z limit
13-A limit
14-X dir
15-Input (E-stop)
16-Y step
17-B dir
18 to 25-Ground