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Thread: Controllers, drivers and steppers

  1. #1
    Registered GeirAkselsen's Avatar
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    Default Controllers, drivers and steppers

    I am in a situation where i must chose my BoB/Controller for my VMC Conversion.

    What would you choose, CSMIO/IP-S 6 axis Ethernet Motion Controller (STEP/DIR) or C11 – 6 axis, ?
    Can the C11 with parallel port even manage 5 axis simultaniously ?
    Any good reason why i shouldn`t by steppers and drivers from longsmotor on eBay(longsmtor666) instead of Automation Technologies Inc. (or wantaimotor201508 www.wantamotor.com) for that matter.
    (I am very happy with Automation Technologies Inc som far. Good service and top quality , but i`m on a tight bugdet right now, and longsmotor is in fat cheaper).

    I want t utilize the original ATC as well in time, which requires a PLC in addition if i choose the C11.
    Any suggestions for other STEP/DIR controllers ?

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    Last edited by GeirAkselsen; 10-02-2016 at 12:54 PM.


  2. #2
    Registered James Newton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Controllers, drivers and steppers

    As to using a parallel port based unit...

    Each board (and stepper) really requires only two signals, Direction and Step. The other signals are for configuration of the operating mode can be supplied by manual jumpers. Each printer port has 8 data outputs (D0 to D7) plus some control signals. See this page for technical details on the standard PC parallel port.

    techref.massmind.org/techref/io/parallel/signals.htm

    The standard way of connecting stepper controllers to parallel ports is like this:

    Code:
    Port
    Pin   Axis Signal
    ----- ---- ---------
    02 D0  1   Step
    03 D1  1   Direction
    04 D2  2   Step
    05 D3  2   Direction
    06 D4  3   Step
    07 D5  3   Direction
    08 D6  4   Step
    09 D7  4   Direction
    This allows for 4 axis control, and is the option supplied with our 4 Axis / +5 Power / Pulse/test / Relay board which really makes the entire thing very easy.

    Some of those extra control signals are outputs, but they are "open collector" and can not typically change state from low to high very quickly. Because direction usually changes much less often and doesn't need to change as fast, It's possible to use pins 1, 14,16,17 as extra direction lines combined with some of the data pins as step (step needs to change state faster, usually) but I'd be worried about reliability at speed. For example:

    Code:
    Port
    Pin   Axis Signal
    ----- ---- ---------
    02 D0  1   Step
    14  *  1   Direction ( * nAutoFeed )
    03 D1  2   Step
    16  *  2   Direction ( * nInit )
    04 D2  3   Step
    17  *  3   Direction ( * nSelectIn )
    05 D3  4   Step
    01  *  4   Direction ( * nStrobe )
    06 D4  5   Step
    07 D5  5   Direction
    08 D6  6   Step
    09 D7  6   Direction
    But then you have no signal for spindle relay, etc... Actually, most of the software available for PC's will specify which Port Pin is to be used for what, or will allow you to specify in the software how you have connected the signals. You just have to find a break out board that matches the wiring you want, or "roll your own".

    If you need more there are two options:

    1. Install a second parallel port (for 8 axis) This is actually very doable on most desktop computers. The expansion cards are still very much available. I've seen systems with 3 parallel ports.

    2. combine direction signals.

    IF your software supports it (I've never seen one that does), you could /technically/ wire all the direction inputs to one parallel port pin so that the remaining pins are available to step other axis. The software needs to set the direction for the first axis, then pulse the ONE step signal for that axis and continue repeating this process for each axis. Obviously this takes longer, but for some applications, maybe that doesn't matter. Another (serious) issue is that you probably can't drive 7 direction inputs from one parallel port data pin, but a simple buffer amplifier circuit could resolve that issue.
    Code:
    Port
    Pin   Axis Signal
    ----- ---- ---------
    02 D0  1    Direction
    03 D1  1    Step
    04 D2  2    Step
    05 D3  3    Step
    06 D4  4    Step
    07 D5  5    Step
    08 D6  6    Step
    09 D7  7    Step
    So this would allow 7 Axis control from one parallel port. But again, only at lower speeds, watch out for the load on the direction pin.


    Again, see our page on the parallel port pins for the actual pin numbers and pictures of the connectors.

    techref.massmind.org/techref/io/parallel/signals.htm

    James hosts the single best wiki page about motors for CNC hobbyists on the net:
    http://techref.massmind.org/techref/io/motors.htm Disagree? Tell him what's missing! ,o)


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Controllers, drivers and steppers

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