EMC or Mach-3 for micro-mill

On my first CNC project I had two PCs setup, one with EMC (BDI 1.8 I think) and one with Mach2 (was pre Mach3 then). I got both configured and running properly, but in short order I determined that Mach2 was well worth it's very modest cost for it's vastly more refined configuration utility and overall feel.

From what little I've seen, EMC2 seems like more of a potential contender to Mach3, however Mach4 is just about out and with the flat one shot licensing for Mach3 for personal use there seems little reason to investigate EMC2 further. Even for commercial use Mach3 is so inexpensive that if it has any advantages over EMC2 (like better support from

then it's probably still the best bet.

Even more importantly, you can test drive Mach3 for free with the only limitation being a 1,000 lines of G code limit so you can really get a feel for it. Indeed if your needs are such that the 1,000 line limit isn't a problem you can just run the demo version (Art even said this on the support forum).

All that said, the upcoming Mach4 which works in conjunction with a hardware pulse generator engine by Geckodrive looks very promising. A little more expensive due to the hardware engine, but still a modest price and really pushes it further into the "pro" arena where Mach3 already does pretty well.

Pete C.

I agree with cliff... mach 3 is the way to go..

Contact

they sell the mach3 but have developed some of their own windows that allow for easier programming and addition runtime information..

Thx! Reason I didn't try Mach-3 yet, 'cause it needs NT4 minimum, means Win 2000 or XP. My Laptop has Win ME, when I tried to install Mach-3 it quit, saying - NT4 required. EMC had no problem to install. Soon I will upgrade the laptop to win2000. Thx, J

I use this small mill for polishing and for some simple linear cuts, no complicated 3D stuff. EMC is FREE and public domain. THx, J

============ Be aware this upgrade will break many applications and drivers which will not run under w2k. This seems to be particurarly true of twain devices such as scanners and cameras. If you have an older unit, tech services will suggest you update, not the drivers which they don't/won't supply but a new scanner or whatever.

Unka George (George McDuffee)

There is something to be said for government by a great aristocracy which has furnished leaders to the nation in peace and war for generations; even a democrat like myself must admit this. But there is absolutely nothing to be said for government by a plutocracy, for government by men very powerful in certain lines and gifted with the "money touch," but with ideals which in their essence are merely those of so many glorified pawnbrokers.

Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), U.S. Republican (later Progressive) politician, president. Letter, 15 Nov. 1913.