How to Convert a Printer to a CNC for Milling

KCam

• 1

  Double-click on the KCam icon to open the program.

• 2

  Click the ̶0;Machine̶1; drop-down menu, and select the option for ̶0;New Machine Setup.̶1; Navigate to a location on the hard drive for the setup files.

• 3

  Enter a name for the folder into the ̶0;File Name̶1; text box. Click the ̶0;OK̶1; button to save the folder.

• 4

  View the ̶0;Ports Setup̶1; window.

• 5

  Go to the ̶0;Port I/O Controls̶1; tab.

• 6

  Select the port that is used with the connector cable. You have the option for ̶0;LPT̶1; or ̶0;Serial.̶1;

• 7

  Click the ̶0;Parallel Port I/O DLL̶1; that you want to use with the program. The option to choose depends on your operating system.

• 8

  Click the ̶0;Apply̶1; button to save your changes, and then go to the ̶0;LPT Setup̶1; tab.

• 9

  Click on the option for ̶0;Pin Setup. Select the ̶0;Pin Address̶1; that you want to use. You have the option for ̶0;H378̶1; or ̶0;LPT 1.̶1;

• 10

  Enter the ̶0;Output Pin̶1; configuration for the step function of your CNC mill motor controller. Enter the ̶0;Input Pin̶1; configuration for the limit switches of the CNC mill.

• 11

  Click the ̶0;OK̶1; button to save your changes.

Mach 3

• 12

  Download the Mach 3 software from ArtSoft website onto your desktop. Double-click the downloaded EXE file to display the Setup screen.

• 13

  Verify that a check is in the box for ̶0;Parallel Port Driver.̶1;

• 14

  Click the ̶0;Next̶1; button to continue. Follow the instructions on each screen to complete the software installation.

• 15

  Click the ̶0;Start̶1; button, and navigate to the ̶0;Mach3̶1; folder that is on the ̶0;C̶1; drive.

• 16

  Right-click the file named "drivertest.exe," and select ̶0;Run as Administrator̶1; from the context menu. Click the ̶0;Yes̶1; button to reboot your computer.

• 17

  Go back to the Mach3 folder on the ̶0;C̶1; drive. Copy the "drivertest.exe" file to the desktop. Double-click on this shortcut to test the operation of the parallel port driver.