Tiggy WiFi CNC Motion Controller

Open-source ESP32 6-axis CNC motion controller firmware with LinuxCNC and GRBL support. Free and fully functional for all 6 axes with LinuxCNC, GRBL senders, or any G-code host. Mach3 support available separately.

Replaces parallel port drivers with a WiFi or Ethernet-connected motion controller supporting up to 6 axes, spindle encoder feedback, and expanded I/O. Works standalone (GRBL-compatible serial/telnet), with LinuxCNC, or with Mach3 (plugin sold separately). All 6 axes are free and open source -- the only limitation is in the Mach3 plugin, which requires a Pro Mach3 license for axes 4-6.

Downloads

Component	Download	Description
ESP32 Firmware	Flash from browser	One-click web flasher (Chrome/Edge)
LinuxCNC	Tiggy-LinuxCNC.tar.gz	HAL component + interactive installer
Mach3 Plugin	www.tiggyengineering.com	Windows plugin (free: 3-axis, Pro: 6-axis)
Protocol Tester	TiggyProtocolTester.exe	Windows GUI for testing and configuring

Firmware and LinuxCNC builds are created automatically via GitHub Actions.

Features

• Up to 6 axes (X, Y, Z, A, B, C) with independent step/direction control
• WiFi or Ethernet (W5500) connectivity -- auto-detected, no configuration needed
• GRBL-compatible serial/telnet interface for standalone use
• Real-time position feedback and DRO display
• Limit switches, home switches, E-stop, and probe inputs
• Spindle PWM (CW/CCW), coolant (flood/mist), charge pump outputs
• Spindle encoder feedback for threading (G33/G76) and CSS (G96)
• Misc outputs and inputs with function mapping (count varies by board)
• Optional I/O expansion module (pendant buttons, relay outputs)
• Board pin map profiles for different hardware configurations
• Auto-discovery and automatic reconnection

Supported Hardware

Board	MCU	Wired Axes	Notes
Tiggy Standard board	ESP32-S3-Zero (FH4R2)	3 (X/Y/Z)	Compact, Quad SPI PSRAM
Tiggy Pro board (Octal)	ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 (N16R8/N8R8)	6 (X/Y/Z/A/B/C)	Octal SPI PSRAM, limited I/O
Tiggy Pro board (Quad)	ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 (N8/N8R2)	6 (X/Y/Z/A/B/C)	Quad SPI PSRAM, more I/O
Classic board	ESP32-WROOM-32	6 (limited I/O)	Legacy support

All boards run the same 6-axis firmware. "Wired Axes" refers to the number of step/dir GPIO pairs physically routed on the board. The firmware supports 6 axes regardless of board -- unused axes simply have no GPIO assigned.

Quick Start

Flash Firmware

Easiest: Open the Web Flasher in Chrome or Edge, plug in your ESP32 via USB, select your board, and click Flash. No software install needed.

From source (requires PlatformIO):

cd firmware
pio run -e esp32s3-devkitc -t upload    # Tiggy Pro board (6 wired axes)
pio run -e esp32s3-zero -t upload       # Tiggy Standard board (3 wired axes)

LinuxCNC

tar xzf Tiggy-LinuxCNC.tar.gz
cd linuxcnc-package
chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh    # Interactive setup wizard

Or double-click install.desktop from your file manager.

Prerequisites: sudo apt install linuxcnc-uspace linuxcnc-uspace-dev

Mach3 (Windows)

Download the Mach3 plugin from www.tiggyengineering.com, then:

1. Extract Tiggy.dll and *.pinmap to C:\Mach3\PlugIns\
2. Extract M62-M65.m1s to C:\Mach3\macros\Mach3Mill\
3. Config > Select Motion Device > Tiggy Motion Controller
4. Restart Mach3

Free tier: 3 axes (X/Y/Z). Pro Mach3 license: 6 axes, I/O expansion module, spindle encoder threading. Note: this axis limit applies only to the Mach3 plugin. LinuxCNC, GRBL senders, and all other host software get full 6-axis support for free.

Architecture

Mach3 / LinuxCNC / Serial Terminal
              |
         [TCP:58429 + UDP:58427/58428]
              |
        ESP32-S3 Firmware (this repo)
              |
        Step/Dir/Enable/Spindle/IO GPIO

• TCP (port 58429): Handshake, configuration, commands
• UDP (port 58427/58428): Real-time motion packets and status reports
• Protocol: Defined in protocol/wifi_cnc_protocol.h

Documentation

• User Manual -- full plugin configuration guide (markdown)
• Engineering Reference -- protocol, wiring diagrams, and internals

License

MIT License -- see LICENSE

The ESP32 firmware, LinuxCNC HAL component, protocol definition, and tools are all open source and provide full 6-axis support at no cost. The Mach3 plugin is distributed separately -- its Free tier supports 3 axes; a Pro Mach3 license unlocks all 6 axes and additional features.