I'm trying to figure out if I'm losing steps and if so how much
I am thinking that you are meaning distance.
One needs to define the terms of step measurement, steps in terms of pulses or distance. They relate to each other but the measurement of them would be different.
There are a few ways, namely electronic and mechanicaly or some combination of the two. No matter how it's done one needs to question
each step of the measureing process, know the degree of accuracy they can measure, know what they are measuring. Else the data won't be worth much.
example:
Mechanicaly you will move a known distance and then compare the movement to a known standard of that distance.
Electronicaly one will need to compare commanded pulses from the computer to steps recieved by the motor and then still compare that to
some sort of mechanical movement.
Confused....
Lets say you measure pulses, then one needs to ask....What part of the system are you really measuring? Are you comparing a pulse sent to a pulse recieved?
A pusle sent may not equal a pulse recieved since there may be a mechanical influence between the pulses. Or even elecronmechanical
such that the stepper dosen't react to a pulse ie; say gretaer than 10 micro steps.
Then the question is...WHY don't things add up?
There is a little more to all of this than a simple reply, but, i guess it depends on how anal one wants to be with it all.
RICH