There’s a lot of Holy War diatribe about whether or not there is Closed Loop all the way back to the Control when discussing such things as Mach3 versus LinuxCNC. Rigid Tapping via Closed Loop to the Control Canned cycles like G71 on the lathe make it fairly easy to hand program even complex profiles quickly and without the need for CAM software.ģ. This is another one that makes a big difference, particularly when programming lathes. Branching is the ability for the g-code to change what it will do based on outside inputs. You can only do so much with #variables and subprograms without branching. What’s specifically missing so far are branching structures–IF, GOTO, and WHILE loops. The ability to program the g-code in Pro machines is quite a ways ahead of the Hobby Controllers such as Mach 3 or LinuxCNC. Better Macros and Subprograms: Fanuc Macro B vs Mach3 vs LinuxCNC Despite their newfound power, there are a number of features that Pro CNC Controls have that most Hobby CNC Controllers do not. Amazing stuff, and it’s only going to keep getting better over time.

I recently saw an article on a single chip CNC controller–no need for a PC, just add a few outboard parts and it drives the stepper motors, provides an LCD screen UI, and quite a lot more. If you do encounter important issues relating to posts, then you should reach out to us using our contact us form or by emailing We want to make sure everybody benefits from our combined experience when possible.Hobby CNC Controllers have gotten to where they’re quite powerful. It is your sole responsibility to make sure you use components that are compatible with your CNC. When you use a new post make sure to test it carefully as the post might not match your particular CNC configuration and requirements. The posts provided here are only compatible with Autodesk products HSMWorks, HSMXpress, Inventor CAM, Inventor CAM Express, and Fusion 360, and while we try to make the posts work on most CNCs out of the box, there are many factors that can cause a post to not be compatible with your particular setup. This page gives you access to posts for a wide variety of CNCs and controls. If you are new to machining, check out Autodesk’s online CNC Handbook. Before using a CNC make sure to follow the applicable safety instructions and guidelines.

Safety comes first so please be careful! This is machining and if something goes wrong you can lose your fingers, an eye, or break your CNC.

Hsmworks centroid post processor