I have a small CNC running with Arduino + Shield. For controlling I have our laptop with CNCjs. Now, I am planning on building a slightly bigger one and I was thinking about simplifying the whole setup if it is doable. I would use Raspberry Pi and Protoneer Hat. Additionally, I would get a touchscreen for the Pi and use CNCjs directly on Raspberry? Has somebody done something like that? Which Raspberry is compatible with the Protoneer Hat? Can Raspberry handle it all? As a second option I might just replace the laptop with Pi and touchscreen and also put Arduino + Shield for the new one... I want to sell my laptop in the end...
See OpenBuilds Software - FREE Software for CNC Control: OpenBuilds CONTROL and OpenBuilds CAM Checkout BlackBox https://docs.openbuilds.com/blackbox and Interface https://docs.openbuilds.com/interface - doesn't get easier
protoneer hat is for 3D printers (-: those drivers are really tiny compared to what is needed for a NEMA23 motor. Blackbox is much much better, but of course you can always use an Uno (or even a hat) with external drivers. I use an Uno with DQ542 drivers, I do have a Blackbox here for the next machine (yes, there is always a next machine ) and I also have an Uno hat which I tried and it proved to me that it is for 3D printers. I also have a RAMPS 1.4 with 8266 (?) drivers for the 3D printer that is 'in progress', ie, partially done and I will get back to it at some future point. (Prusa i3 Clone, frame is 16mm MDF cut on the OX).
I tried to dip my feet in the RPi pool and didn't have much luck. It's too complicated to work with it, when you come from Windows, with all the permissions and what have you. Mind you, I tried it with the RPi 3B+ and not the 4. I ended up buying a miniature PC, which are about the same size as the Pi and it works a charm with no problems. It's totally dedicated to the CNC machine and is therefor enclosed in a housing with the drivers, with are,BTW, DQ540. LOL, I did mine out of 3/4" plywood cut on the PhaltPrinter III.
the protoneer board and a pi 3b run my workbee with nema 23s just fine. it is not limited to onboard drivers. full disclosure - so far, it has only cut air, but that is not the fault of the controls but a result of the operator sitting on the couch watching tv every night
Ok, so I read between the lines that I can get at least 3B or even 4 to work with protoneer board. I am going for a Pi and touchscreen in any case, as I do not want to drag my laptop to my working room. Secondly, as my son is getting his own desktop PC, we do not need the laptop anymore and it makes no sense to keep it merely for CNC. So in the end I want a Pi with touchscreen to take over. Linux and the stuff is not really a problem for me, I have already couple of Pis running in my house. I think it would be more intelligent to go for Uno and Shield at this moment, as I can still use my current CNC until the new one is ready - then I have a controller which I can plug between the machines. I might even need to mill some parts for the new one. Noted that with the external drivers and Nema 23, at the moment I am still happy with with Nema17, will get a higher torque variant, but that's about it. Nevertheless, the controller should not become the bottle neck so soon, AFAICS.
I run a Pi 3 B+ with a Protoneer v2.60 hat running headless and access with a Surface for the application and phone for pendant, it is not be the best experience running the application on the Pi. I originally ran with the onboard drivers and then switched external drivers to run 48v supply, the onboards will run steppers fine near the ~2.2 amp limit and limited current on ones rated above that. They have bypass board for onboard driver. Hard to tell on how you have your external drivers wired but it looks like you have the drivers installed still?
