I plan to build the MPCNC with my dad. I already own an ender 3 to print the parts. From upgrading the printer (I installed an mks gen l board) I still have the stock ender 3 board. As a CNC does the same control work as a 3d printer and both run Marlin, would it be possible to use this board to control the MPCNC? The board supports 4 stepper motors and 3 endstops, anything else I am missing?
It is shipped with Marlin but I flashed it to use TH3D version before I switched boards. Thus no problem flashing and tweaking marlin settings. What I read is that the X and Y axis use two stepper motors so it totals to 5. Do I need to have a board supporting 5 stepper motors or are the ones on the axis running in parallel?
Would you recommend adding the dual endstops? If it’s worth I have no problem buying another board, but when it’s not that much of an improvement I am happy to give the board another meaning.
Dual endstops aren’t needed for almost every usage case. I’d go with the board you have, tweak the software to work with it as needed and wire the pairs of steppers in series instead of parallel. If you find you have a need for dual endstops in the future it’s a relatively simple process to swap out the electronics.
In theory, any 3-axis board can be used with an MPCNC. You get more/better support here in the forums the closer you get to Marlin on a Rambo. So if your board can run Marlin, that’s a step in the right direction (although getting a non-standard board to run Marlin is a different vat of lutefisk…).
There is one caveat. If you have less than five (5) drivers, you’ll have to wire at least one pair of motors in series. This is different than how many 3D printers wire dual motors to a single driver, but it’s very important for our application.
As mentioned, you need 5 drivers to also use dual endstops, which are only used for squaring the machine during homing operations. If you’re coming from a 3D printing background, surrender your preconceptions about endstops. Embrace the uncertainty of running without them, and trusting your gcode and the firmware to keep you from mangling your workpiece.
This is great question and it parrots mine as well. Did you find a path to make it work? I think it will work, but “tweak” is too vague for my dumb self.