Why can’t the CNC controller start & stop a router just like it does for a spindle? It would seem that would be a fairly simple task.
Hey Bob,
The sienci controllers are equiped with programmable output lines. You can assign one to switch a power relais. So, it is not impossible to start stop a router, but you have to put in some effort to make that happen.
So yeah, you are right, it’s a fairly simple task. 
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Or you can look at Sienci’s Autospin router. Its speed and on/off can be controlled by the SLB.
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The difference is that most routers don’t have a way to to control the speed or start and stop except for the speed dial and the power button. It’s a router issue and not a controller issue.
I have a relay from Digital Loggers that is very similar to the one @Spamming_Eddie linked. At least with that you only have to change the speed. You can leave the router’s power switch on and then you don’t have to worry about starting a job with the router off because you can set up gSender to start/stop the router on job start, pause, resume and end. I started a bunch of times with the router off until I got the relay.
I believe this ‘problem’ with routers is what lead lead Sienci to develop the Autospin.
@Elbob As has been pointed out, this is not a limitation of the controller. It is a limitation of the router. The spindle, via its vfd, is designed to be controlled by signals from a controller. The router is not. If the router is variable speed, its speed is controlled by the speed control on it. If it is not variable, the switch is simply on and off.
As @Spamming_Eddie as pointed out, you can get a relay to go between the router and the controller. The controller can open and close the relay, which in turn will turn the router on and off. Unlike a spindle, though, this will not control the speed of the router. Again, that is a limitation of the router, not the controller.