1. What's in the Box: Conversion Kit Core

This article walks you through exactly what you should expect when opening your PwnCNC Conversion Kit – Core. If something looks unfinished, loose, or unfamiliar, that’s usually intentional. Let’s break it down.

First Things First

Your Conversion Kit Core is a made-to-order electronics package. It is not a retail-style “pretty box” with foam cutouts for every wire. It is a professional retrofit kit designed to adapt to many different CNC machines.

Some parts will arrive:

Prewired and assembled
Loose and ready to be installed
Longer than you need
With extra conductors or ferrules

This is normal.

Core Components You Should See

MASSO G3 Touch Controller (PwnCNC-Branded)

Core-level firmware preinstalled
Tested and powered on before shipment
No machine-specific tuning has been applied yet

This is the brain of your CNC.

Closed-Loop Stepper Motors (4 Total)

You will receive:

(3) identical motors for X and dual-Y axes
(1) Z-axis motor with an integrated electric brake

Important:
The Z motor will look slightly different and will have additional wiring for the brake. This is intentional.

PwnCNC Power Box

Includes a 36V power supply
Accepts either 110V or 220V AC input adjustable with switch on the side
Preassembled and tested

The enclosure design may differ from older photos. What you receive is correct for the current revision.

Shielded Stepper Motor Cables

Physically shielded cable construction
Terminated with ferrules for phoenix connectors

This often raises questions:

The shield is present but not tied to ground yet
Shield grounding is done during installation, not at the factory

This allows proper grounding based on your machine layout.

Proximity Homing Switches (x4)

Inductive proximity sensors
Prewired leads
Universal design

Mounting brackets are not preinstalled because every CNC frame is different.

Things That May Look “Incomplete” but Are Correct

Ferrules Instead of Pre-Terminated Plugs

The Core kit uses ferrules and phoenix connectors instead of aircraft connectors.

Why:

Lower overall cost
Easier field service
Flexible cable routing
Easier future modifications

Nothing is missing here.

Extra Wire Length

Cables are intentionally longer than needed.

Do not cut them immediately.
Final length should be set after routing and testing.

Loose Components

Motors, switches, and cables are not pre-mounted because:

We do not know your machine geometry
Pre-mounting would increase errors, not reduce them

Differences You’ll Notice vs the Advanced Kit

If you’ve seen photos or videos of the Advanced kit, here’s what you won’t see in the Core kit:

No prewired inlets panel
No dedicated ports for probe, spindle, rotary, or ATC
More direct wiring into the MASSO controller

Functionally, motion performance is the same. The difference is integration convenience.

Before You Start Installing

Do this first:

Inventory all major components
Identify the Z motor with brake
Locate the homing switches
Set cables aside loosely, do not coil tightly

If something appears missing or damaged, stop and contact support before proceeding.

Once you’ve confirmed everything is present, continue to:

Start Here: Conversion Kit Overview & Install Flow
or
Conversion Kit Core Wiring Overview

Need Help?

📩 [email protected]
📞 479-480-4337

If you’re unsure whether something is normal, ask before forcing it. That’s always the right call.