Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: pelletman on August 26, 2009, 10:17:56 PM

Title: Useing 2 moters for X move
Post by: pelletman on August 26, 2009, 10:17:56 PM
Hi Every one,

I have a hobby cnc controller with 4 axis, 305oz stepper motors. i would like to make a router table where i can use (2) motors to drive the X axis. now do i use the (A) Axis or do i tie all wires to one motor.

Thanks Tom
Title: Re: Useing 2 moters for X move
Post by: ger21 on August 26, 2009, 10:58:49 PM
Use the A axis. Set up both the X and A the same, and slave the A to X.
Title: Re: Useing 2 moters for X move
Post by: pelletman on August 27, 2009, 01:44:51 AM
Gary,

first thanks for your replay. when you say slave A TO X this is done in mach?

thanks tom
Title: Re: Useing 2 moters for X move
Post by: ostie01 on August 27, 2009, 01:51:28 AM
Yes, in Mach3, go to General Config and check A axis to be slaved to X axis
Title: Re: Useing 2 moters for X move
Post by: Hood on August 27, 2009, 03:37:23 AM
Gary,

first thanks for your replay. when you say slave A TO X this is done in mach?

thanks tom

Its accessed from Config menu then Slave Axis. There are also settings on the General Config page (also accessed from Config menu) as oastie mentioned, which relate to the way you home the slaved axis.

Hood
Title: Re: Useing 2 moters for X move
Post by: Dzackman on August 27, 2009, 02:58:49 PM
If you are running 1 motor on each side of a gantry you will have to set one to rotate  in the oposit direction. In the ports & pins menu Motor Outputs  the box for Dir Low Active needs to be checked for A axes
Title: Re: Useing 2 moters for X move
Post by: ger21 on August 27, 2009, 05:38:08 PM
If you are running 1 motor on each side of a gantry you will have to set one to rotate  in the oposit direction. In the ports & pins menu Motor Outputs  the box for Dir Low Active needs to be checked for A axes

If you're using screws, they should be the same rotation.
Title: Re: Useing 2 moters for X move
Post by: BluePinnacle on August 28, 2009, 05:53:13 PM
if they're pointing the same way, yes, but if the motors are facing each other (ie nose-to-nose) they will need to rotate in opposition (ie one clockwise relative to itself, one anticlockwise relative to itself). I think this is what Dzackman meant. So you could keep the software direction the same, and just swap over a couple of wires on the motor itself.

Also make sure that when both motors are powered up their preferred positions do not "fight" with each other - that is to say, their stepped positions are co-ordinated with each other, and one isn't half a step out or anything like that.