X-controller compatibility

Servus,
is the x-controller fully compatble with the old grbl-shield?
I want to use my old F360 g-code-files and would like to use chillipeppr and universal gcode sender.
If I buy only the x-controller, what do I need additionally, if I want to connect both y-motors to their own line?

Yes.

The X-controller has four motor drivers. You can hook each Y motor to its own driver.

I’ve used the same F360-generated code for both the Arduino and the X-Controller, using cncjs as my sender. As far as I can tell, the X-Controller actually embeds an Arduino with grbl.

Are there any stop-switches needed? My stop-switches are not connected at the moment and one z-axis is damaged. But until now, I did not need them at all …

The X-controller has provisions for using the homing switches, but they are not required to run the machine.

I think, I have read, that they are needed, to „synchronize“ the two independant y-axis-motors.
So you think, that is wrong? … I would like, not to be forced to use that end-switches …

That sounds good :wink:
So the difference are the hardware-drivers and not the microcontroller and the firmware?

No. The two Y motor drivers are connected in parallel for the stepper control signals so they move at the same time in sync as best they can.

But it are two drivers? Two independnt pieces hardware? Sorry, if my questions are stupid …

Both the Arduino and X-controller are using the Atmega328P micro-processor. They both use the same firmware.

The main difference is that the X-controller uses an FTDI USB to serial chip for handling communications and the Arduino uses a different chip.

So (another maybe stupid question) am I right, if I think, that I can use the same z-probe-code, as with the grbl-shield connected to my self-built z-probe (only a piece of metall and some wires an clamps, that form a circuit, if the metal is touched by the bit)?

Stepper motors can be thought of as digital devices. They turn a specific amount for each step pulse. In theory if they both receive the same step pulses, they will move the same amount.

If you don’t miss any steps then both motors will drive the same distance given the same number of step pulses.

Yes.

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Thank you very much!

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