Ok, I tend to err of the side of caution sometimes... I would ensure that all the sensitive lines are sheilded. Those would be the inputs to the Gecko drives. You can use normal wire to the stepper motors and probably get away with it without interfering with other equipment. Speaker wire would work. Good advice on the power supply wires... seperate lines to each Gecko. If you absolutely had to run the power leads and step/direction leads a long distance to the Geckos (>30") you would want capacitors near the Geckos across the power, and sheilded (coax, not twisted pair) for the step and direction.
When a direct current runs through a wire it creates a constant magnetic field surrounding the wire. With and alternating or changing current, the magnetic field alternates or changes right along with the current. A magnetic feild passing across a wire will induce an electric current in the wire. The larger the current, the stronger the magnetic feild and vice versa. This is why transformers work. Take two wires running parallel to one another, change the current in one of the wires and a current will be induced in the other.
The current to the motors is relatively large, and it changes. That curent is coming from the power supply through the Gecko.....
CJL5585 is right on with his reccomendations.
Make your life simple, place your Geckos close to power and control, and run regular wire to the motors.
You may radiate some RFI but your machine will run fine (The router will generate RFI as well). Take an AM radio tuned between stations and put it anywhere near the running stepper motor leads for an interesting sound...
Steve  |