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Author Topic: What causes lost steps?  (Read 4324 times)

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What causes lost steps?
« on: August 10, 2006, 07:30:31 PM »
I am not sure if I am losing steps. But this is what happens. I try to cut a 1 inch sqaure at about .01 deep.
Y axis is fine, but z axis going one way suddenly is about .25 of an inch and then the other way it seems fine.
I hope this makes sense. If this is what happens when you lose steps, what could be the cause? I just bought mach3 today.

Forgot to say that when this happens, If I give the z axis a little pressure  with my hand while it is stuttering, it will move fine and then when I stop the pressure it seems to grind almost. I try moving it by hand and it moves fine. I switched the x and y plugs at the controller and to see if it was maybe the table but it then made the y axis stutter. Any suggestions?
« Last Edit: August 10, 2006, 07:49:55 PM by stitchlips »
Re: What causes lost steps?
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2006, 10:21:55 PM »
This is lost steps :( Slow down the axis a bit and slow down the accel's. this is the first step.. what do you have for a stepper driver?
Fixing problems one post at a time ;)

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Re: What causes lost steps?
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2006, 10:47:59 PM »
This is lost steps :( Slow down the axis a bit and slow down the accel's. this is the first step.. what do you have for a stepper driver?

I figured it out although I am not sure what I did! I have an older camtronics board driving my motors. I looked at the board and at each axis there appears to be the same setup as far as chips, resistors and things.
ONe of the things is a small whitesh gray rectangle with a very small flat head screw in it. I have no idea what they are or do but turning that screw stopped the problem. Turn it one way and the motor stops turn it the other and it goes.
As you can tell I am new to this. LOL.
It was driving me crazy because it worked fine, I buy mach3 and vcavre today, fire them up and the machine does this!
That srcew must have worked its way loose I guess.

Anyone want to enlighten me as to what I did? I can post a picture if need be.
Thanks for the help.

Offline Chip

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Re: What causes lost steps?
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2006, 10:59:22 PM »
Hi, stitchlips

In your last par. you stated that switching X and Y it changed to the other axis, check your wiring back to the stepper box, a Unipolar control with 2 wires swapped will move 3 step's gitter then move 3 more step's gitter in both directions.

Also for lose / bad connection's.

Depending on your stepper box reaction time you may need to increase the Step Pulse and Dir Pulse from 0 to 4 or 5 under Config/Motor Tuning and Step, this can cause the same sort of action but usely will effect all axis's if the same type.

Glad to see you got it fixed the above give's some other thing's that cause problems.

Hope this helps, Chip
« Last Edit: August 10, 2006, 11:02:47 PM by afn09556 »
Re: What causes lost steps?
« Reply #4 on: August 11, 2006, 12:53:23 AM »
What you describe sounds like a variable resistor (known as a 'pot') for adjusting something on the axis. Each axis has a pot to tune the steps to the particular motor in use - it may be that the previous motor on that axis was different to the ones you are using now.

It could be a reference setting for the current the motor gets. That would probably cause the problems you describe. If it is a current reference be careful you don't set it too high as you could damage components on the board  :'( - check out the Xylotex.com web site for info on that about their boards.

Cheers,
Dave.

This is lost steps :( Slow down the axis a bit and slow down the accel's. this is the first step.. what do you have for a stepper driver?

I figured it out although I am not sure what I did! I have an older camtronics board driving my motors. I looked at the board and at each axis there appears to be the same setup as far as chips, resistors and things.
ONe of the things is a small whitesh gray rectangle with a very small flat head screw in it. I have no idea what they are or do but turning that screw stopped the problem. Turn it one way and the motor stops turn it the other and it goes.
As you can tell I am new to this. LOL.
It was driving me crazy because it worked fine, I buy mach3 and vcavre today, fire them up and the machine does this!
That srcew must have worked its way loose I guess.

Anyone want to enlighten me as to what I did? I can post a picture if need be.
Thanks for the help.