Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Setting Steps Per Unit in Mach3

« on: July 21, 2011, 04:20:57 AM »

Following your suggestion it was the next thing on my list to try, before I had a chance the guy I got the controller off sent me a photo of what the dip switches should look like and I thought....hmmmm ok...haha Great when the problem can be found though!

The next minor issue I have to solve is the random cutting out of the estop and limits. I have put my debounce up to 5000 and they still have a habbit of tripping out. Can I put a capacitor across my switches and estop to solve this?

Mike

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: Setting Steps Per Unit in Mach3

« on: July 20, 2011, 05:39:40 PM »

All sorted now!

I was having a senior moment and read the 0 as off instead of on when setting the switches on my drivers. So after setting all of them correctly all is working well.

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: Setting Steps Per Unit in Mach3

« on: July 19, 2011, 03:26:48 PM »

Today I tried it all on a different PC but its still the same.

I have checked the driver and the micro steps are set to 8 based on the table they print on the case. I tried lowering the speed and the acceleration and they did as expected but I`m still capped at this slow max travel of about 60mm/min.

I have attached a short video I took with my phone so you can hear the Y axis stepper motor in action.

The only thing I can find wrong in the control unit is that pin 25 on my breakout board is not used and in the diagram supplied with the unit pin 25 should be logic ground. Does anyone know if this would make a difference?

Thanks

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: Setting Steps Per Unit in Mach3

« on: July 18, 2011, 07:08:59 PM »

Does it matter which way around the cables are connected? I noticed on my unit that the guy has not been consistant with the A and B wiring.

i.e A+ going to either A or A with the bar over?

5

General Mach Discussion / Re: Setting Steps Per Unit in Mach3

« on: July 18, 2011, 06:59:54 PM »

The only part I have touched on the drivers is the switches for micro stepping and current. I bought the control unit as a complete ready to go unit along with the steppers. Attached is a photo of the inside of the controller unit. I cant same I`m overly impressed with the quality so far but thats another story and I just want to get the thing working now.
I have asked the guy the same questions but he is a little slow to respond and he has been sorting other problems I had like incorrect cables. Maybe I should check all the wiring to the driver.....

I noticed on the drawing for the wiring of the stepper motor the wires are labelled A and A (with a bar over the top) and on the controller they are A- and A+ is it important which one is which?

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: Setting Steps Per Unit in Mach3

« on: July 18, 2011, 06:35:49 PM »

The Sound it fairly constant. I would say that a grumbling sound was not far off to be honest.

I have tried different velocity and acceleration settings. The acceleration I have set from quite slow were I could hear the motor speeding up and slowing down then to the max acceleration I try to keep is max speed in 0.1s. Changing the velocity doesnt seem to do anything as I seem to be capped at a relatively low speed. I can make it go slower in  the MDI but not faster.

The Drivers are QJ5045 2-Phase Microstepping Motor Drivers. I have attached the data sheet that I was sent.

The switches are currently set to 8 microsteps, Full Current, and the current choice being 4.2A

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: Setting Steps Per Unit in Mach3

« on: July 18, 2011, 06:16:41 PM »

best if I attach the file...ha

8

General Mach Discussion / Re: Setting Steps Per Unit in Mach3

« on: July 18, 2011, 06:16:02 PM »

ok, I think this is the correct file.

It doesnt sound smooth to be honest. When my steppers move on the novamill is sounds more like a 'stepping' noise if that makes sense, same noise in both directions. I`m not sure what these are suppost to sound like so its hard to describe.

I have a step four cnc router and the motors on that have got a more high pitch constant noise when moving.

Thanks

9

General Mach Discussion / Re: Setting Steps Per Unit in Mach3

« on: July 18, 2011, 05:55:19 PM »

Just checked and MM is green.

I have attached the xml file from the backup folder, is this the right one? Thanks for your help on this..

Mike

10

General Mach Discussion / Re: Setting Steps Per Unit in Mach3

« on: July 18, 2011, 05:24:08 PM »

Hi,

I have just checked the 'select native units' in the config drop down box and they are set to MM. Is this the only place I need to set the units?

Thanks