Centroid 4 axis Acorn DIY CNC motion controller kit (REV 4) with CNC software, replaces MachMotion,WinCNC,Mach3,EMC2,KCAM4,Smooth Stepper

Bought this originally to upgrade from a Mach 3 controller, but ended up using it to run an upgraded machine. It includes basic software for free, or upgraded software for a fee. Their support forum is very good, as is their documentation, which makes it viable as a DIY-type installation (although some companies like Avid use it in their retail CNC controllers too).

easy to use and set up.Follow the online instructions/videos.There is a ton of support out there for this board.

This is an absolutely fantastic controler! I have purchased it on Sept. 09, 2019 and in the time I've spent with it, the little board and software did not fail to impress me. It shows that the company that made it (Centroid), also makes industrial grade CNC controllers. A lot of this experience rubbed onto the Acorn.The software is also made by the same company, and because of that, there are extremely few glitches. If you do not know how valuable this is, try the Mach 3 or 4. Not trying to bash, but sometimes you just want something that darn works, and not sitting all day debugging or fiddling around with plugins. The software/hardware development around Acorn is very active, which is always something good and shows company's commitment to the DIY market.The setup was a breeze! Just connect the power to the Acorn controler, and then connect it to the CNC PC via Ethernet cable. The controller is going to be lit like a Christmas tree!!! Do not worry, this is GOOD! Start the software installation on the PC and when finished, you are greeted with a minimalist interface, which I love. From this point on, you can move the axes (virtually), or you can connect motors (via drives), spindle (via VFD), pumps, sensors, etc. All is a breeze! I am very impressed of the system's reliability!Disclaimer: I am not involved in any way with Centroid (the manufacturer of the Acorn controller and software). I just love the product(s) and think it deserves credit when credit is due.

The hardware is greatReally not to hard to get goingThe documentation on how exactly to connect and setup the control is not so goodIts mainly youtube videos that are sometimes over complex and to long.If they did a series of short videos that covered one aspect of the setup wizard at a time that would be helpfulAll in all a great product not pro level but premium diyI plan on buying it again for a lathe

This is an excellent control system. The software and hardware were designed specifically for each other so everything just works. There's no need for plugins or custom screen sets.The control UI may look simple, but it more closely mimics commercial CNCs than other DIY options. The functionality of the system is highly open to customization (if you need or want it) with many parameters, macros and full PLC programability. If you want simple, just leave most things alone and use it!Where Mach3 and, to a lesser extent, Mach4 seemed liked they were just thrown together, this system is highly polished and professional. While you'll almost certainly need to upgrade the included free software to "Pro" for anything but simple, short programs, the Pro upgrade is cheaper than Mach3 or Mach4, and the hardware is only slightly more expensive than what you'll also need with those systems.I'm very pleased I made the switch to Centroid!

Quite a fantastic piece of equipment, the integration between the hardware & software is just so slick. Hooking it up took me a single day thanks to the detailed and easy to read schematics + videos online. My old school K2 machine has never been happier!I took the multiple suggestions online and got the ASUS touchscreen, it is amazing with the interface. I can go on and on about how easy this thing is to set up. I just completed first cut, and it's only been a few days since I started this project! Fantastic. Fusion 360 worked very well with the software, selecting Mach3 as post processor.The one thing I did not know was that in order to run "paired" axes or master w/ slave axis I needed to purchase the CNC12 "pro" software. Luckily it was not very expensive at all, and the staff at Centroid was very responsive and cut me a license file the same day that I ordered.Well done, Centroid! I am really happy with this product :)

Pay close attention to the negative reviews..they are spot on.Have not needed to deal with support yet (based on support forum exchanges...yikes).If I had talked to a certain person in sales about this purchase, I would have kept my money...Rude and Unprofessional.The documentation is copious, but not well written, and poorly organized...it was a VERY frustrating build...and this was not my first rodeo. Had I not had experience building a CNC machine, it would have been harder. Probably more to come...its early still...

if you can afford them... I am using this in a workbee cnc and I love the smooth quiet operation of my 470oz motors. What i dont like is finding post processing for the Acorn. F360 has it easy but for things like Aspire you would have to get one made. I also use Alphacam and had to get a post made for that as well. So expect the learning curve to be steep, but also expect pro results once you get it.