CNC xPRO Controller V3

The CNC xPRO V3 Controller is an all-in-one multi axis CNC controller. It is a specifically designed for CNC applications and pre-loaded with the latest stable version of GRBL. The CNC xPRO is equipped with 4 DRV8825 motor drivers; allowing for dual motor configurations on the X,Y, or Z axis. The CNC xPRO is printed on 2oz copper to handle heavy current and improve thermal management of the motor drivers.

Features:

Fully compatible with ESTLcam.
Improved FTDI serial USB interface.
Auxiliary PC fan header (12/24VDC Depending on supply voltage).
100% Input buffering to include limit switches (prevent false triggers).
Step/Dir breakout pads to add external drivers.
Z-Probe pin now accessible from screw terminal.
Extremely robust power management for overvoltage/reverse voltage protection.
Motor driver output LEDs for easier troubleshooting.
Enhanced silkscreen with more pictures and less labels.

Specs:

100% GRBL version 0.9j (& GRBL version 0.8c) compatible
Capable of powering from ATX PSU (these are dirt cheap and we have tons laying around from recycled desktops)
Capable of powering from a dedicated 12V/24V two wire power supply
Drive 4 motors with DRV8825 Stepper Drivers - 2.5A (peak) with 1.75A (RMS) with up to 1/32 microstepping
1 Driver capable of cloning X,Y, or Z or being run as an independent axis
Hardware support for both USB and Wireless Operation (XBee, WiFly, or blueBee)*
Emergency Stop to cut all motor power (with optional override)
12V and 5V** outputs for powering peripherals (fans, pumps, vacuums)
Quickly connect to Stepper Motors and limit switches with 3.5mm screw terminals and/or 4-pin 0.1" (2.54mm) headers
Expansion port for coming upgrades (handheld jog controller, integrated spindle speed control, etc.)

Use the CNC xPro to drive:

4 Axis CNC Mill
3 Axis CNC Mill With Dual Drive Motors
Laser Cutter With XY, Auto Focus, and Rotary Attachment
Plasma Cutter
Pick and Place for SMD components
Or wireless robotics (would love to see this used on a wireless quadruped)

Software:

The CNC xPRO is designed to run the opensource gcode interpreter GRBL, opensource programming environment Arduino, or anything you can write in AVR studio. The xPRO comes pre-flashed with GRBL so all you need to do is wire up your motors!

From the computer side we have found that Universal-G-Code-Sender works extremely well (open source / free download).

The software stack used at Spark is:

SketchUp, Inkscape, or Solidworks to design parts
Openbuilds SketchUCam or CamBam
Universal-G-Code-Sender or GRBL Controller 3.0 to send gcode to the xPro
Most of these are opensource!

Schematic Diagram

GPIO Pinout

QuickStart Guide