What kind of signals does Mach3 output to the stepper driver? What inputs should I have if I want to design a stepper driver with a PIC?

Thanks

David.

the most common method is step/direction controllers. mach3, cncpro,turbocnc, kcam etc.

What kind of signals does Mach3 output to the stepper driver? What inputs should I have if I want to design a stepper driver with a PIC?

Thanks

David.

I did this with a PIC16F870 for my first CNC last year: (Simple half-step unipolar design)

http://www.trash.co.nz/3step

(That website may vanish, it was a work in progress last year, and I'm about to shift it to another site and finish it)

The thread on the machine, which mentions the controller a bit is here:

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33153

You'll find that you have problems with simultaneous pulses if you go down this path, I used caps on the inputs to stretch the input pulses then clear the cap ("Latch") with another pin after servicing the input.

Cheers, Chris H.

Just replying to myself for the benefit of anyone who reads this thread in the future, I've shifted the 3step design info to http://ohmark.co.nz/3step.html

I'll finish writing up the 'building' page with some more info on the powersupply / power resistors tonight.

Ok I looked at your site and noticed you were using RS232 with a max 232 I think none the less, I need a link to the standards used like with KCam, ect, not the rs232 protocol but the data that we will insert in , example xstep how do we send that ystep ydir xdir how do we send this is there a standard, or do we just send it in with the serial send command, once I have communication with the PIC I need help after that point, please do not refer me to serial protocols that is not what I am looking for, just the nuts and bolts of the control board, I need to know how it sees the xstep, and I will be running from there. please help me, as I have asked many and they all keep sending me back to the serial protocol that is not what I want.

Ok I looked at your site and noticed you were using RS232 with a max 232 I think none the less, I need a link to the standards used like with KCam, ect, not the rs232 protocol but the data

Hi-ho,

Sorry, I think you've been looking at the stuff on the site about the process controller project I'm working on which is serial based.

The 3Step stepper controller uses a standard parallel port interface. Take a look at the PDF circuit diagram at http://ohmark.co.nz/3stepfiles.html.

I might change the layout of the site menu a bit so it's more obvious which pages go with which project, as I'm intending to put quite a bit of stuff on there this year...

Cheers, Chris H.