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Mach3 What is Driver Test?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

What is the driver test?Running a Driver Test is only applicable when using Mach3 with the parall...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

What is a Coordinate System?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

What is a coordinate system?A CNC machine is controlled by commanding movements and tracking the ...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

What is CAD?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

What is CAD?Computer-aided design (CAD), computer-aided drafting (CAD), or computer-aided designa...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

How do I Cut my Drawings? Will I be able to load it directly into Mach?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

How do I cut my drawings? Can I load it directly into MachTransforming an idea into an actual par...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

What is a Breakout board (B.O.B)?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

A breakout board is a piece of hardware used to interface between the PC (or externalmotion devic...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

Will a USB to Parallel converter work?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

No, standard USB-to-parallel port adapters will not work. Controlling a machine withMach3/Mach4 u...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

What is a Plugin?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

A plugin (sometimes referred to as a driver) allows people to add customfunctionality to Mach3/Ma...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

I am thinking of purchasing a machine from overseas

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

Mach3 and Mach4 are sold by us as DIY (do it yourself) CNC control. Most of our OEM’s anddistribu...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

Do you sell Hardware?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

We do not sell any hardware or packages for Mach3 or Mach4.  Motion devices and other complex ha...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

What is an external Motion device or Motion Controller?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

Originally, Mach-series software only worked with the parallel port (via the parallel portdriver)...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

What is CAM?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) is a subsequent process after CAD. The CAD files areloaded int...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

What is G-Code?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

Used mainly in automation, G-code is the common name for the most widely usednumerical control (N...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

What else can the computer running the machine be used for?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

CNC controls require critical timing. When a computer has been chosen to be used as amachine cont...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

Mach3 What files should I backup?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

At a minimum, any license files and profile XMLs (as well as any custom macros, screensets, or br...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

What is a Screen Set?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

A screen set is the file (and associated graphics) that makes up the GUI (graphical userinterface...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

What is a Profile?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

A profile is a configuration file which is used to store the various settings for a machine. AMac...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

Mach4 What is an INI?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

It is a Mach4 configuration file. Every Mach4 profile stores its settings in a Machine.ini filelo...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

Mach3 What is an XML?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

It is a Mach3 configuration file. Every Mach3 profile stores its settings in an XML file locatedi...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

What is a Macro, M-Code?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

A macro or m-code is a small program that has been written as an easy way to perform afunction (o...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens

What is a good book to learn G-Code?

Documentation - Artsoft FAQs

“CNC Programming Handbook 3rd Edition” by Peter Smid. You can also refer to the G CodeProgrammin...

Updated 2 weeks ago by Paul Stephens