Selecting your

Centroid Professional Level CNC Components

Centroid Corp. has been refining the art of CNC motion control for over 30 years.
Machines in Motion has represented them for the last 12 years. During this time I have seen many new developments. Each new product has been designed, engineered, built, and packaged more efficiently than the last.

For 2009 Centroid has developed their latest generation of high quality, feature rich CNC control hardware. These new boards are as close to plug and play as humanly possible. Follow along as I explain what you will need to build your complete professional level Centroid CNC control.

Receive a custom quotation for the components you select.
Just click on the components that fit your needs.
1. PC computer with the Windows operating system.

You can supply your own PC computer with Windows operating system.
Customer supplied.
Machines in Motion can include a new High Speed computer with your system package.
Machines in Motion supplied

1a. Cat 5 cable communicates from your PC to The MPU11 control board.
(Customer supplied.)

2. MPU11 CNC Motion Processor.

The heart of your new CNC control is Centroid's MPU11 processing board. This board can be mounted most anywhere since we no longer require a computer expansion slot.

The simple layout and clearly marked connection points reduce time required for assembling your control system.

Centroid's use of fiber optic communications cable reduces wiring while increasing reliability & speed.

(Supplied by Machines in Motion.)

3. Choice of Servo Drives

The GPI.O.4D will supply you with servo output control for third party servo drivers AND includes an on board PLC with 16 inputs & 16 relay outputs plus 1 analog output. Add on I.O. modules available.
GPI.O.4D View common wiring layout

The OPTIC4 will supply you with servo output control for third party servo drivers. Choose this if you wish to use the PLCI.O.2 for your PLC hardware.
Optic4    View common wiring layout

DC3I.O.b is a combination 3 axis servo drive set and PLC. This provides up to 15 amps continuous power at 110VDC. I recommend purchasing this with it's matching servo power supply. This model is intended to drive the most common sized DC servo motors 40in/lbs. or smaller in size. DC3I.O.b View common wiring layout

Add a DC Single if you need to drive a 4th servo motor. DC Single

4. Choice of Servo Motors

Your existing DC servo motors can be powered with the Centroid DC3I.O.b drives package Up to 40"/lbs. in size.

AC brushless servo motors will require matching servo drives. AC Brushless servo drive systems will typically include an encoder output feature which will be used for your control feedback.

Encoder feedback from the motor (or AC driver) is required even when using Linear scale feedback for positioning.

  My own servo motors.
Machines in Motion offers several different sizes of DC servo motors. 10"/lbs, 17"/lbs, 29"/lbs, and 40 "/lbs. Each new motor includes a built-in encoder and cabling of whatever length you require. Find the physical dimensions for each size motor here.
Select the size and number of servo motors.

Select a second size motor if required.

5. Choice of PLC

The DC3I.O.b incorporates 3 DC Servo Drives and 16 X 16 PLC in a single unit.
Also included is 1 analog output normally used for spindle speed programming.
The GPI.O.4D provides servo drive signals (for third party servo drives) and 16 X 16 PLC. Plus 1 analog output normally used for spindle speed programming.

Both models accept PLC expansion modules to reach the required amount for your specific machine application.

If you have chosen the Optic4 to handle your servo drives then you will want a separate PLC module to handle your machine's limit switches, spindle control, autolube, etc. Our most popular unit is the PLCI.O.2 This unit provides 32 inputs, 32 outputs, plus an analog signal commonly used for VFD control of the spindle RPM. Inputs (in groups of 4) can be setup to accept 5, 12, or 24VDC Sinking, or Sourcing (mix or match). Real handy considering how different some machine sensors can be. Outputs are normally open dry contact with 2outputs that are "C" form. Most outputs are fused. For reliability, 3 amps is the recommended limit for these contacts. Larger current must be switched with magnetic contactors. Other expansion modules can be added in groups of 16 I.O. Include a PLCI.O.2

Download our list of Centroid CNC control options. The Pushbutton Jog Panel adds greatly to your control's ease of use. Software options will upgrade your control by providing additional high end functionality.

That's all there is to it. What formerly occupied one or more large floor standing electrical enclosures has been condensed to these few components. Wiring has been greatly reduced with the use of fiber optic cables. And time consuming tasks like tuning the drives is now a one button operation (with Centroid motors and driver hardware). However, I don't want to over simplify this project. It will take time and you will need to know or learn about servo based motion control. Mistakes like incorrectly sizing the motors or drivers will cost you in time, money, and machine performance.

I look forward to assisting you with your next CNC control upgrade project. Call me today for answers to your CNC control questions.
714 528-7061

We have just moved out web hosting to a faster server.
Please send us your cmponents request by email and someone will personally respond with a quotation to fit your requirements.
Thanks, Doug Laursen

Your Email Address:

Your Name:

Your Phone No. (optional):

Select the Type of CNC software:


Machines in Motion Inc. (714) 528-7061

For thoses who have purchased control components under the Ajax name, Machines in Motion Inc. offers a 12 month technical support contract for $495. You can call or email us with your questions but please understand that during the day our technicians time may be committed, on-site, to another customer. We will call or email back within 24 hours and usually less.

Other related services

Machines in Motion Inc. sells a fresh copy of Linux, with the latest version of CPU10 (previous generation hardware) control software, including standard PLC programming for $395. If your current flash card hard drive has been corrupted there is a good chance that we can recover your original machine specific files along with any CNC or Intercon files. Recovery service includes re-burning your corrupted flash card and costs $100. That's $495 for 1 new and 1 re-burned flash card hard drive. Our typical turn around to recover your files and ship your drive is 24 to 48 hours. Ground shipping within the USA is included. Add $22.50 for express mail handling. Call us about same day expedited turn around. We understand that for most of our customers their Centroid powered CNC is a critical part of their business cash flow. Machines in Motion is here to support you.

| Controls Home page | New Machinery page | Request a Quotation | Control Financing | Video |
| Upgrade your current Centroid control | On-site service | Send me literature or DVD presentation |
| CNC retrofit controls | M-400ATC | M-400 | M-39 | T-400 | T-39 | NEWS | Why Centroid |
| Centroid control Options | Intercon off-line | Digitizing | Probing | TT-1 Tool touch-off |
| Lathe tool Turret | Rotary tables | Gallery of completed installations |
| Engraving Software | CHNC Package | Downloads page | Do it yourself |
| Standard terms and conditions | Links | cnc retrofit control|

Contact us directly or Email us at Centroid.controls@gmail.com
(c) Copyright 2013 Machines in Motion