I need help selecting components and wiring a complete stepper motor control system. Currently I currently have a 4 x 8 ft. wood routing table that is factory built. The stepper driver board is ruined and I can't get the parts needed to fix it. So I plan to make a custom control box. I need someone who is knowledgeable about the available components and how to make a system that is inexpensive and reliable. I will pay a reasonable hourly consultant fee for email and/or phone tech support. Can pay by PayPal in advance of service.

Or is someone can point me to detailed instruction material and source that would be greatly appreciated.

So far I have read hundreds of web pages that just produce more questions in my mind than answers.

Thanks,

JerryRigger

randymears@earthlink.net

One option is to check with Larken Automation, they supply complete tables as well as component parts and software to retro-fit etc. Their machines run off a standard PC (printer port).
I have installed their machines for customers and all are satisfied, I believe you can still download a sample of their software that will convert Corel and .DXF drawings.
If you have the steppers and they are compatable with the Larken, it may be the cheapest way to go. The original owner, Larry Kenny designed and built the machines as well as wrote the software. (he also designed the electronics)
Al

Jerry what brand machine do you have? If it is a Digital Tool I may be able to help you.

Mike

remove the Ihatespam2 for correct email address Ihatespam2turnercustoms@earthlink.net

The machine is made by Practical CNC. It uses Pacific Scientific stepper motors models P22nrx ldf ns 00 and M22nrx. I think that they are 2.3 amp but not sure. Something on the motor reads "65 v" and I assume that cannot mean 65 volts. The damaged board has 3 Gecko units plugged into the board. Wow...the Geckos can be set from 24 to 80 volts so maybe the motors are 65 volts DC. The board has the name Practical CNC printed on it so I assume that it is propriotary. It uses a PCI card (7200 model) that connects to this driver board by means of a parallel cable. It came with a nice Windows based program that allows me to run g code and control the machine movement from Windows.

The driver board is dead due to a short circuit (my fault) and I do not want to depend on the manufactor for parts. The machne is only 3 months old.

I would prefer to use a parallel port connection so that I can use a notebook computer. It seems to me that generic components might be better than propriatory parts.

By the way...what are these Gecko units? Are they just relays for the main board? Other driver boards don't seem to use them?

Any comments appreciated.

JerryRigger

It sounds like you are in luck. The thing that you are calling a driver board is most likely a mother board for the Gecko units. The gecko units are what do the hard work. They drive the steppers acording to what the computer tells them. The motherboard? is only for conecting the computer to all the Geckos. It is possible to rewire the geckos straight to the printer port cable. It is possible that the software you are using is designed for the mother board. If this is the case you could buy a program called Mach2 that will then drive your geckos. About $150 bucks. Oh and youll need XP as well.
If you could post a picture or two, that would also help us determine exactly what you have got.

EDIT: Just in case I got your hope up, you must realise that you will have to configure Mach2 and re-learn a few different things. This may cause temporary grief, but not too much.

You may want to look at these two sites http://www.geckodrive.com/products.htbml
http://www.artofcnc.ca/

I want to thank everyone who offered advice and offered to help with my project. Using the information posted helped me to understand my options and what was happening inside my box. I decided to repair my existing box and to build another box using generic components as a back up.

Thanks again,

Randy