4-Axis CNC Motherboard
User Manual
Printed Circuit Board for
ESP32 DevKitC Microcontroller Hosting
Made in Greece
Nikolaos Siatras
10 Serifou st., Holargos, 15562, Attica, Greece
https://www.sourcerabbit.com
1
Disclaimer 2
Intended Purpose 2
General 3
Features & Specifications 4
At a glance 5
Basic Wiring 6
Electromagnetic Shielded Box 7
EMF filter and Emergency Stop Button 7
Connection to 12V Power Supply 8
Connecting Motor Controllers (Stepper Driver or Servo Driver) 9
Connecting Terminal Switches and Probe / Tool Setter 10
Simple Spindle Connection without Speed Control 11
Connection for Spindle with VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) Speed Control 12
Help & Support 14
Security & Compliance 16
Declaration of Conformity EC 17
2
Disclaimer
Read and understand the contents of this user manual. Failure to read the manual may
result in injury, degraded results or damage to the 4-Axis CNC Motherboard. Always ensure
that anyone using the 4-Axis CNC Motherboard knows and understands the contents of the
manual.
The conditions or methods used for the assembling, handling, storing, using or disposing of
the 4-Axis CNC Motherboard are beyond our control and may be beyond our knowledge.
For these and other reasons, we do not take any responsibility and expressly disclaim
liability for any losses, injuries, damages or costs arising from or in any way related to the
assembly, handling, storage, use or disposal of the product. The information in this
document was obtained from sources we believe to be reliable. However, the information is
provided without any warranty, express or implied, as to the correctness.
GRBL software is provided to you as is, without warranty. There is no warranty for open
source GRBL software. The entire risk for the quality and performance of GRBL is on you.
Intended Purpose
4-Axis CNC Motherboard is designed and manufactured to control Stepper Motors, Servo
Motors, Spindles, Mist Pumps and Coolant Pumps of CNC machine tools, through special
control software running on PC which is compatible with the GRBL firmware.
Copyright © 2021 SourceRabbit. All rights apply for the whole world. This manual is translated from
the manufacturer's official language. No part of this publication, including images, may be reproduced
and / or made public, either by printing, photocopying, microfilming or otherwise, without the prior
written permission of the manufacturer.
3
General
The 4-Axis CNC Motherboard is a "small PC" that connects a personal PC with drivers of
stepper motors or servo that operate with Step / Direction. It is compatible with all
motor controllers on the market, can produce 120,000 pulses per second and is intended
for controlling CNC 3 or 4 Axis CNC machine tools such as Router, Mills, Plasma and Lasers.
The 4-Axis CNC Motherboard hosts an ESP32-DevKitC-32D microcontroller manufactured by
Espressif Systems which is always loaded with the latest 32-bit version of the GRBL
firmware. The ESP32-DevKitC-32D microcontroller has a dual core 240mhz, 520Kb ram
processor and connects to the USB port of a modern personal computer (PC). The
ESP32-DevKitC-32D microcontroller also has bluetooth and WiFi but you need to change the
Firmware to enable it. We recommend that you leave the GRBL firmware as is and
use the USB port to communicate with the board from your computer as it is the
safest means of communication between PCs and CNC machine tools.
4
Features & Specifications
Motor Outputs Up to 4 Stepper or Servo motors
Max. Step Frequency 120khz
Limit Switches 3 opto-isolated limit switch inputs (12VDC)
Tool Setter / Probe Opto-isolated tool setter input (12VDC)
Spindle Control PWM output for Spindle control up to 10Khz (5VDC)
Coolant Mist and Flood coolant outputs (5V DC)
MCU ESP32-WROOM-32D με Dual Core Xtensa 32bit CPU @
240MHz και 520Kb SRAM
Firmware GRBL for ESP32
Connectivity USB
Voltage Input 12V
Power Ιnput 0.75Watt
Ambient Τemperature 15°C – 50 °C (59°F – 122°F)
Size (W x D x H) 103mm x 66.4mm x 25mm
Net Weight 50gr
5
At a glance
In the image below you can see the top view of the 4-Axis CNC Motherboard. In the rest of
the pages of this user manual you will see how to connect to the necessary electronic
components to complete your controller.
6
Basic Wiring
In the following drawings you will see how to connect the necessary components to
complete the controller of your machine tool with the 4-Axis CNC Motherboard. If you are
not familiar with the connection of electronic and electrical components, seek the help of a
professional electronics or electrician.
CAUTION: Always use high quality power supplies that meet all CE regulations and have
protection against short circuit, overload, overvoltage and overheating.
CAUTION: For your own safety do not make connections or other tasks to the controller
that if it is connected to the mains. Always unplug the power supply before carrying
out any work and wear protective goggles approved in accordance with EN 166 and
Ansi Z87 +.
CAUTION: For your own safety you should ensure that your construction has a single
grounding point, i.e. a point where all the GND and EARTH groundings of the electronic
and electrical components will connect together. This point must end at EARTH ground.
This point is usually the "chassis" of the control box, i.e. the body of the metal box that
contains the electronic parts of the controller.
Tip: The 4-Axis CNC Motherboard has a Micro USB port. We recommend using a Panel
Mount USB Cable from B Female to Micro-B Male. With this you will be able to use high
quality USB cables from A to B with electromagnetic shielding and ferrite at the ends. In the
photo below you will see a Panel Mount USB Cable - B Female to Micro-B Male
7
1. Electromagnetic Shielded Box
Although many users, for the hosting of their controller, use plastic boxes of electrical
installations and in many cases do not cover their controllers at all, we recommend
that you use an electromagnetically shielded box to be sure of the performance
of all your electronic components..
The 4-Axis CNC Motherboard as well as all other components such as Stepper or Servo
Drivers, and power supplies should be placed in an electromagnetically shielded
box, i.e. a metal box whose body is connected to ground (Earth).
The electromagnetically shielded box prevents electromagnetic noise from entering
inside your controller. The most common problems from electromagnetic noise arise
from Fluorescent Lamps, transformers of other devices, Plasma Cutters,
Inverters and Spindles.
2. EMF filter and Emergency Stop Button
We recommend you install an EMF filter at the A/C input of your controller just
before the Emergency Stop Button. The EMF filter will dramatically reduce the "dirty"
current in the electricity grid. Dirty electricity is present in the power cords outside your
Controller when they contain frequencies other than the standard 60Hz frequency. These
"bad" frequencies are generated by devices such as motors, welding machines, inverters
and even transformers made of fluorescent lamps.
In the figure below you will see a typical EMF filter installation and Emergency Stop
Button
8
3. Connection to 12V Power Supply
In order for the 4-Axis CNC Motherboard to operate, a stabilized 12V DC power
supply, of at least 2A, must be connected to the VCC IN input, which must be properly
grounded. See the drawing below.
Tip: Always check if the power supply is properly grounded to the Earth with a
multimeter before installation..
Tip: Always ensure good ventilation in the power supplies.
9
4. Connecting Motor Controllers (Stepper Driver or Servo Driver)
In the drawing below you will see the connection of a Stepper Driver that uses STEP
(PUL) and DIR ports with the X-axis output of the 4-Axis CNC Motherboard. The
connection for the other axes (Y, Z & A) is made in exactly the same way.
CAUTION: The motor controller (Stepper Driver) must have a common ground
(Common Ground) with the 4-Axis CNC Motherboard. This is achieved simply by
connecting the GND of the power supply to the GND of the 4-Axis CNC Motherboard. If
the motor controller operates on A/C power then you should refer to the motor controller
operating instructions to see how to connect.
Tip: To ensure maximum performance and isolation of electromagnetic noise, it is
advisable to use Twisted Pair Wire for STP and DIR connection.
10
5. Connecting Terminal Switches and Probe / Tool Setter
The 4-Axis CNC motherboard has 3 limit switches sockets and one socket for Probe
or Tool Setter. All four sockets supply 12VDC voltage and are isolated with
Optocouplers, which ensure isolation of the circuit from electromagnetic noise. In the
following drawing you will see the connection of a terminal switch to the LimX
output, i.e. the connection of a terminal switch for the X axis of the CNC machine tool.
The connection for the other axes (Y, Z & A) is made in exactly the same way.
CAUTION: The switches and the Probe / Tool Setter must be in NC (Normally Closed)
state, ie normally closed. In normally closed switches, the contacts that connect the
switch are closed, which means that when they are not compressed the circuit is closed.
Tip: To ensure maximum performance and isolation of external electromagnetic noise, it
is advisable to use Twisted Pair Wire or even better LIYCY signal cables to connect
the terminal switches and the Probe. This ensures maximum accuracy during the
Homing Cycle.
Tip: In case you use Coolant Fluids, water or other liquids, we recommend using
waterproof terminal switches with IP67 waterproofing index.
11
6. Simple Spindle Connection without Speed Control
In the following drawing you will see the connection of a high speed and precision
spindle, made by AMB Elektrik, without speed control, using a Solid State Relay.
CAUTION: The wiring is typical and may not fit all spindles. In any case you should see
the spindle manufacturer's instructions on how to make the correct connection.
CAUTION: Many low-quality spindles, such as the cheap wood-routers used by the
hobby community, produce large amounts of electromagnetic pulses that can damage
your health as well as shorten the life of your electronics. Always make sure to use
high quality CE certified spindles that comply with European Community
Electromagnetic Compatibility Directives.
12
7. Connection for Spindle with VFD (Variable Frequency Drive)
Speed Control
In the following drawing you see how to connect the 4-Axis CNC Motherboard to a VFD
(Variable Frequency Drive) which receives voltage signals 0V to 10V for speed
adjustment. To convert the PWM signal to 0V to 10V you have to use a PWM to
Voltage Converter Module 0% -100% to 0-10V. There are VFDs that do not need to
convert PWM to 0V to 10V. In this case the PWM output of the 4-Axis CNC Motherboard
is connected directly to the VFD. In either case you should see the VFD manufacturer's
instructions on how to make the correct connection.
CAUTION: The wiring is typical and may not match all VFDs (Variable Frequency
Drives). In either case you should see the VFD manufacturer's instructions on how to
make the correct connection.
13
8. Flood Coolant Pump Connection
In the following drawing you see a typical coolant pump connection using a Solid State
Relay. The connection for the Mist Coolant system to the Mist pin of the 4-Axis CNC
Motherboard is done in exactly the same way.
CAUTION: Always use coolant pumps that meet CE standards
14
Help & Support
There are some potential problems that you may encounter when using the 4-Axis CNC
Motherboard. If you are presented with any of these, you can easily deal with it with the
help you will find below.
● The PC does not "see" the 4-Axis CNC Motherboard
This problem often occurs in older versions of Microsoft Windows and is due to the
lack of Hardware Drivers for USB to UART Bridge used by the 4-Axis CNC
Motherboard. In this case you should contact us to direct you or install the Drivers
for you on your PC.
● USB connection drops during operation
The most common problem faced by CNC machine tool operators is the disconnection
of the controller from the PC during operation. This problem is usually caused by
external electromagnetic noises.
Solutions to the problem:
● Always use a USB cable with electromagnetic shielding, no longer than
1.8m and which has ferrite at both ends
● Install an EMF filter at the input of your controller
● Install an EMF filter at the input of the Spindle current (if any)
● Install an EMF filter at the VFD power input (if any)
● Install an EMF filter at the Plasma Cutter power input (if any)
● Install an EMF filter at the input of the power supply of the laser source (if
any)
● Install an EMF filter at the inlet of the coolant pump (if any)
Tip: If you use a laptop to operate your machine tool then you should know that
economical Laptops do not have good electromagnetic shielding. Laptop
manufacturers, in their attempt to make laptops light and user-friendly, use only
plastic to create the computer case. The plastic offers no electromagnetic
shielding. We recommend that you use a desktop computer to control your machine
tool. The electronics of desktop computers are housed in a metal box
(tower) that provides quite satisfactory electromagnetic shielding.
Tip: If you are using VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) to control motors such as the
spindle motor, then the spindle motor with the VFD should be connected with a cable
that has electromagnetic shielding and ferrites..
Tip: Keep devices such as Plasma Cutters and VFDs (Variable Frequency Drives) as
far away as possible from the 4-Axis CNC Motherboard and the other electronic
15
components of the controller. Cheap devices of this type do not have good
electromagnetic shielding as their housing is made of plastic, while in most
cases their manufacturers do not integrate an EMF filter. These devices emit large
amounts of electromagnetic noise that affects USB devices and can cause problems
even on PC hard drives.
In the photo below you will see a typical VFD installation (left) for the spindle speed
adjustment and a toroidal type transformer (right) for the power supply of stepper
motors. As you will see, there is a separate EMF filter for the VFD and the
transformer, while the cable that connects the VFD to the spindle is shielded and has
ferrites.
16
Security & Compliance
● Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)
The 4-Axis CNC motherboard can cause and receive electromagnetic interference, so
the user may need to take appropriate action. In very rare cases the 4-Axis CNC
Motherboard may lose its USB connection due to electrostatic discharge (ESD). The
USB connection can be fully restored after restarting the PC.
● Electrical safety
The 4-Axis CNC Motherboard operates on 12V DC. Therefore the 4-Axis CNC
Motherboard is in the scope of the low-voltage directive.
● General safety information
The 4-Axis CNC motherboard is not intended for use by persons (including children)
with reduced physical and / or mental abilities or lack of experience and knowledge,
unless under the supervision or guidance of a person responsible for their safety.
Children must be under constant supervision when using the machine tool.
The above information is believed to be correct, but is not intended to cover all cases
and will only be used as a guide.
The conditions or methods used for assembling, handling, storage, use or disposal of
the device are beyond our control and may be beyond our knowledge. For this and
other reasons, we do not assume responsibility and expressly disclaim liability for
loss, injuries, damage, or expense arising out of or in any way connected with the
assembly, handling, storage, use or disposal of the product.
17
Declaration of Conformity EC
