Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

I've been doing some digging but I have not seen anything that directly answers a couple of quiestions. I have been told that hickory is the only control centroid with PWM spindle control. Then I noticed that acorn and acorn6 both show on the web site under the list of reatures that they support PWM spindle/laser control. I have searched and seen plenty of people connection acorn to a laser but have not been able to fine any solid examples of spindle control. One would assume PWM is PWM regardless of it being laser or motor, but I am not an expert.

So my two questions for the moment are.
1. Does acorn/acorn6 in fact support PWM spindle motor control?

2. Looking at the diagram it appears that PWM control uses pin 14 from the db25 connector which also happens to be output#2. Does this mean that using PWM control for laser/spindle uses up one of the axis control signal outputs from acorn leaving acorn with only 3 for XY and Z motion? Logicly this makes sense, just want to make sure.

Thanks.
Mike

1. Yes it does. See https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... term=15057

2. When using PWM on the Acorn out2 is not available.

Awsome. Thank you for the quick response. Now I just need to figure out what exactly needs to be connected to make the spindle on my mill function with the acorn I have.

Mike.

Just to clarify, with PWM, you lose one of the general outputs, OUT2. You do not loose an axis. You still have 4 controllable axis even while using PWM.

That's correct.
No effect on the axis outputs, but output relay 2 can't be used when using the PWM on the Acorn board.
This doesn't apply to the AcornSix board

tblough wrote: ↑Tue Aug 26, 2025 1:40 pm Just to clarify, with PWM, you lose one of the general outputs, OUT2. You do not loose an axis. You still have 4 controllable axis even while using PWM.

Centroid_Tech2 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 27, 2025 7:08 am That's correct.
No effect on the axis outputs, but output relay 2 can't be used when using the PWM on the Acorn board.
This doesn't apply to the AcornSix board

Thank you for the clarification. I had it in my head that the "outputs" on the DB25 were tied to their corresponding axis circuit like the enable output is on the h2 and h3 connectors.

Appreciate the help.
Mike.