Machsupport Forum

Third party software and hardware support forums. => SmoothStepper USB => Topic started by: jonny quest on February 28, 2013, 05:52:59 PM

Title: where to mount the Smoothstepper?
Post by: jonny quest on February 28, 2013, 05:52:59 PM
I just purchased the ESS. Where are you guys mounting your boards?

In the computer itself? CNC control cabinet? Or just laying out in the middle of both computer and CNC cabinet?
Title: Re: where to mount the Smoothstepper?
Post by: Peter Homann on February 28, 2013, 06:15:35 PM
Hi,

All of the above. :)


This is how I mounted an ESS in my latest conversion, 3rd image down


http://homanndesigns.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=66:selective-soldering-robot-conversion-to-mach3-and-smooth-stepper-part-3&catid=34:cnc-projects&Itemid=55



Full project writeup is here;
http://homanndesigns.com/index.php?view=category&id=34%3Acnc-projects&option=com_content&Itemid=55
Cheers,



Peter
Title: Re: where to mount the Smoothstepper?
Post by: jonny quest on February 28, 2013, 06:27:57 PM
If I mount it between the two... do I ground it somewhere?

Thanks for quick reply!
Title: Re: where to mount the Smoothstepper?
Post by: jonny quest on February 28, 2013, 07:09:02 PM
Looking at this again...

I see I have to provide a 5v power source.... don't have a clue in how to do that? Can I grab something from inside the computer?

I see you have 3 ribbon cables attached to smoothstepper. I see no documentation on where these go or how to hook them up?

I currently have 2 parallel port cables going from my computer to CNC cabinet. Am I still using these Parallel port cables?

I'm so confused. Sorry for being a dumba$$.
Title: Re: where to mount the Smoothstepper?
Post by: jonny quest on February 28, 2013, 07:09:54 PM
I have none of those ribbon cables. Do I need to purchase 3 of those?
Title: Re: where to mount the Smoothstepper?
Post by: Chaoticone on February 28, 2013, 07:14:52 PM
Yup, you can pull the 5 volts from one of your connectors in the PC, just make sure it is 5 volts.  You can google your power supply and find a pin out probably. I wont say the color of wire as I might be wrong.  The 2 parallell ports will still go to your controller.  I'd mount it in the bottom of the pc and use two of these in place of the PCs parallel ports.

http://www.pmdx.com/DB25Ribbon

You can get them with the plates too, not sure if those in the link do or not.  They will fit in the pack of your PC where you would srew the plate of an add on card.

Brett
Title: Re: where to mount the Smoothstepper?
Post by: jonny quest on February 28, 2013, 07:59:18 PM
ok, I think I have everything covered except the third ribbon cable... as seen in Homann's pic... directly to the left of the ethernet cable. (#2, #3 ribbon cables are for the parallel ports)

(http://homanndesigns.com/images/stories/SolderRobot/layout.png)

Title: Re: where to mount the Smoothstepper?
Post by: jonny quest on February 28, 2013, 08:15:08 PM
Here's a better picture. Ribbon #1... don't know what that's for?

(http://homanndesigns.com/images/stories/SolderRobot/assembled.png)
Title: Re: where to mount the Smoothstepper?
Post by: Chaoticone on February 28, 2013, 08:18:21 PM
Just think of it this way, the SS is simply a replacement for your parallel ports.  It has some added benefits too though.  You have as much IO as 3 parallel ports would give you (Mach only supports 2) and you will be lowering the work load on your PC.  How you hook it up is entirely up to you.  It just needs 5V and a ethernet or usb connection.

Brett