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General Mach Discussion / New system set-up help
« on: December 22, 2009, 06:33:34 AM »
Hello,
I am putting together a new mach3 system for a cnc router. I am confused as to how the stepper driver gets the stepping signals.
First a little background. The three stepper motors I have are Nema 42 which came off of a piece of packaging machinery. That machinery was run by an industrial computer. I have the schematics for the original packing machine. In the original schematics it shows a +5vdc signal on the step input of the driver, and a -5vdc signal on the direction input of the driver. This changes throughout the schematic. I am assuming this is for clockwise and counterclockwise movement.
I am trying to run these drives through my parallel port on my computer, but I don't understand the positive and negative situation. I was under the impression that if you wanted to step forward, only the step input got the signal, and if you wanted to step back, the direction and step got a signal.
My question is, can I run directly from my parallel port to these inputs, or do I need to go through some other sort of board like the one attached below. I was under the impression that the board in the attached picture would replace my three drives, not be before them in the circuit.
Any help would be appreciated.
I am putting together a new mach3 system for a cnc router. I am confused as to how the stepper driver gets the stepping signals.
First a little background. The three stepper motors I have are Nema 42 which came off of a piece of packaging machinery. That machinery was run by an industrial computer. I have the schematics for the original packing machine. In the original schematics it shows a +5vdc signal on the step input of the driver, and a -5vdc signal on the direction input of the driver. This changes throughout the schematic. I am assuming this is for clockwise and counterclockwise movement.
I am trying to run these drives through my parallel port on my computer, but I don't understand the positive and negative situation. I was under the impression that if you wanted to step forward, only the step input got the signal, and if you wanted to step back, the direction and step got a signal.
My question is, can I run directly from my parallel port to these inputs, or do I need to go through some other sort of board like the one attached below. I was under the impression that the board in the attached picture would replace my three drives, not be before them in the circuit.
Any help would be appreciated.