DDCSV4.1 with Smoothieboard V2

Controllers
1

I am building a CNC router and will use a Smoothieboard V2. I want to implement an offline controller. I am hoping that one of the DDCSV4.1 Offline Controllers will do. I can’t seem to find any discussions on it.
Anybody done this? Where can I find info please?
Thanks

2

This is confusing. As I understand it, the DDCSV is a complete controller. The Smoothieboard is also a complete controller (without LCD) so… they do the same thing, right?

I think you want a RasPi with LCD to run the Smoothieboard instead of a DDCSV?

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3

I think what James was getting at was that the DDCSV4.1 is a one stop shop of offline controller in that it is the GUI interface and the hardware drivers. Look at the back of the unit and you can see all the stepper motor wiring connections.

The Smoothieboard on the other hand is a buffered GCode interpreting controller board while will require something else connected to it to setup the positioning and such and then start sending the GCode to the Smoothieboard. The software to send the GCode can be any number of things on any number of computer type boxes from a tablet running CNCjs, a full blown PC running bCNC or even a Raspberry Pi as James mentioned. All of these would be connected over a USB cable to the Smoothieboard which is how the GCode instructions are usually transmitted. The Smoothieboard + ?(your choice) is going to cost WELL under $880 but you will need to understand how to put it all together.

hints: Free CNC Software

4

Thanks guys. You are correct James. I didn’t quite understand. I have some robotics background and was looking for a pendant that would let me control the CNC router manually (offline) instead of via the Smoothieboard (online). I wasn’t aware of the Smoopi (as James said RPI + LCD) that is for the Smoothieboard. Smoopi works with the MACH3 HB04 pendant. This way all motion is performed by the Smoothieboard. So I have my solution.
Thanks for your type James and Doug.
Fair warning, I will be back because as Doug pointed out, going with a Smoothieboard means needing to know how to put it all together.
Blessings everyone,
Larry

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5

Please keep us updated on your progress. This is the first I’d heard of SmooPi and at a quick glance it looks fascinating.

6

Smoopi is the way to go. It was specifically written for this purpose. I have tested a machine using the WHB-04 pendant and it works great.

Using a raspi/touchscreen is very nice and compact but you can also use Smoopi on any pc. It works very well in widescreen desktop mode on a PC. I have not tested it with a touchscreen/PC setup but there should be no issue doing so.
I have a video which goes over a bit of Smoopi setup and use of the UART logging with it. https://youtu.be/WosrPHwLdAI?si=nOMS5AafPMqsZqsf

I highly recommend using Smoopi with Smoothieboards at least for the initial setup and testing. Even if you plan on using a 3rd party host in the final setup.

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