Hey all, would just like to introduce you to a project I've been working on. In the next few weeks I will be releasing "Mach Pendant" which is an iOS (iPad, and later iPhone) pendant for Mach3 run machines. Basically, the iPad connects to the Mach3 computer through wifi and is able to control most major functions of Mach. The way it works, is a small server applet is installed on the mach pc and acts as a middle man for the communication. So far in testing it doesn't seem to take up much in terms of system resources. The Mach Pendant app also includes a webcam viewer that you can hook into a webcam stream to visually monitor your machine. Lastly, you can also load a gcode file straight to your mach machine from your iOS device (i.e. opening a gcode file in dropbox you can "send to" Mach Pendant which will ask if you want to load it into your mach machine).

My main motivation for building this application is so that I can sit upstairs and watch TV, while watching my mill at the same time. That being said, this app will be useful for many people - like guys with router/plasma tables, you could walk around your machine and jog the axis' without having a wired pendant. Or shop managers can monitor a mill from across the shop, etc.

Features include:
- Spindle speed DRO
- Increase & decrease spindle speed
- Spindle select CW or CCW
- Feed rate DRO
- Increase & decrease feed rate
- Tool number DRO
- Auto tool zero button
- Flood & mist buttons
- Step mode selection (continuous or step)
- Jog controls including "hold to jog" (X,Y,Z,A)
- Jog increment for step mode
- MDI input
- X,Y,Z,A DRO's with zero buttons
- Stop, cycle start, feed hold, reset buttons
- Send gcode file (dropbox, email, etc.) straight to mach and auto load it
- Watch machine through webcam stream

Anyway, im just finishing up on some bug checking, etc. I have intentions of releasing it sometime in the next couple weeks, stay tuned here for info. Also, although its under construction, here is the website im working on for it. http://www.machpendant.com