I have built a CNC Plasma cutter and was going to use Mach 3 for my software until a friend showed me the control software. I hooked up my board but got a firmware error. Is the software compatible or configurable with other hardware or only open builds hardware? Stephen
Mach3 is like the opposite of Grbl - so no LPT based breakouts, etc. Check the specs of the controller you want to know - it should say whether it runs Grbl Learn more about Grbl here > gnea/grbl If you don't have a controller yet, consider the https://docs.openbuilds.com/blackbox
Then no, but considering that Mach3 has also been a dead application since 2012 (See https://www.machsupport.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Changelist90.txt) - so you may want to throw that controller aside and invest in something more modern, and a tonne easier to use. Scrupolous chinese sellers include Mach3 controllers because it used to be the bees knees a decade ago, and they rely on people who do not know better, to believe its still relevant today Mach3 has been superceded by Mach4 many years ago. A licence for Mach4 would run you $200 Newfangled Solutions Mach4-Hobby plus another $25 for the Parallel port plugin (Newfangled Solutions Parallel Port Legacy Plugin for Mach4) so you might as well order a BlackBox for $199.99 instead (BlackBox Motion Control System ) and end up with a modern easy to use controller, packed with all the accesories and features you need, and its not vendor locked like the Mach4 licence, you can use ANY of the many awesome and FREE / Open Source Grbl applications with it.