Newbie- Someone who knows an exact answer PLEASE`

[Musick7]

I would like to know If I can take a Schematic of a stepper motor DRIVER and get all the exact parts and have a board made, and solder all the parts in and after I do all that... Will I be able to plug my stepper motor into it and then plug my driver I just made into a pc though a Parallel port or USB and HERE IS THE REAL QUESTION! Will it work?
Or do I need to program those chips I bought from say Texas Instrument or some place like that?
If thats correct then How do I program those to do what I want? Can I not just build my own driver and it just work? I have found some DIY projects online but from the looks of them the ones I found just dont look good at all! I mean if you open up a Gecko driver they look Beefy! Or even some of the ones from china "not all of them" So why cant I just get the parts list from something like a Bosh driver or a Mitsubishi driver and go to soldering a few days later I have a 5 AXIS driver working?
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!!!!

[jalessi]

Check this out,

http://pminmo.com/

[Musick7]

Originally Posted by jalessi Check this out, http://pminmo.com/

Ok so does that mean I can buy the parts and build the stepper driver and no programing involved?
Whats to stop me from getting the schematics of a really nice driver and putting it together? like a gecko?

[jalessi]

There are many public domain stepper driver plans available.

You could copy existing protected designs however you may be breaking some laws if patents are involved.

Gecko has been knocked off several times, its not a good idea.

Gecko is selling a pre programmed microprocessor for a do it yourself stepper driver for $5.00.

You might want to ask Mariss about it.

[LaserImage]

I'm sure it can be done, reverse engineering is a very common practice. But, and this is the biggie, how much time do you want to spend researching the parts and pieces, then assembling and testing, and possibly ending up with junk, versus just spending the money for a quality product?

I am sure there are some good engineers that could copy the G540, but for $299 is it worth it?

[skiddaw]

I downloaded schematic, assembly, parts list and copper from the pminmo website and made three driver cards and one interface. I used a laser printer at the library to print the copper positive mirror image and transferred it to copper in the oven. The board was drilled and then loaded with the components most of which were ordered online from DigiKey. Pminmo also has test circuits but I just made up a single channel of the interface schematic (Xstep, Xdir with a dip switch to simulate the switch inputs) For testing I used Ubunto Linux + EMC on an old PC which gave me manual step and direction. I wired some small steppers for testing and used an 18vDC converter as a supply for the driver keeping the current below 1/2A. Even my main motors ran with this small current.

Of the three driver cards only one gave me any trouble and I ended up replacing the 3977 driver chip. It was probably just a short underneath. These chips do not require any programming they are configured using links and pots on the board.

I also purchased David Steele's book on CNC Router Plans which became the basis for my table. I haven't as yet cut anything but I have created a G-code file and managed to share it with my Ubuntu-EMC PC. There are still unfinished jobs like the Z-axis limit switches, home switches and a dust extractor but we are "moving along the bus" as Hatty used to say.

Best of luck in your chosen route.

[Musick7]

Originally Posted by skiddaw I downloaded schematic, assembly, parts list and copper from the pminmo website and made three driver cards and one interface. I used a laser printer at the library to print the copper positive mirror image and transferred it to copper in the oven. The board was drilled and then loaded with the components most of which were ordered online from DigiKey. Pminmo also has test circuits but I just made up a single channel of the interface schematic (Xstep, Xdir with a dip switch to simulate the switch inputs) For testing I used Ubunto Linux + EMC on an old PC which gave me manual step and direction. I wired some small steppers for testing and used an 18vDC converter as a supply for the driver keeping the current below 1/2A. Even my main motors ran with this small current. Of the three driver cards only one gave me any trouble and I ended up replacing the 3977 driver chip. It was probably just a short underneath. These chips do not require any programming they are configured using links and pots on the board. I also purchased David Steele's book on CNC Router Plans which became the basis for my table. I haven't as yet cut anything but I have created a G-code file and managed to share it with my Ubuntu-EMC PC. There are still unfinished jobs like the Z-axis limit switches, home switches and a dust extractor but we are "moving along the bus" as Hatty used to say. Best of luck in your chosen route.

Hey thanks for the reply! If you have a picture or pictures of the process of doing that please upload them!!!!
If you can check out my other post about the X and Y axis No one has replied as of yet.... I would like to know if I can make the X and Y the same size? I want to build it 3' ft by 3'ft and the Z axis able to travel 14 to 18" of up and down travel.
I also listed the motors I am looking at buying. The specs do not list the Holding Torque for the one's I want... But the cheaper steppers they do Have the Holding torque and the Detent Torque. The Holding T. for the cheaper ones are 3200 (g.cm) & Detent T. 250 (g.cm) and the ROTOR INETIA (g.cm2) 40. Those specs are the cheaper ones. The more expensive ones don't list Holding T. or D.T. they just list the Rotor Inetia which is 440(g.cm2) and the Weight and the length is quite a bit bigger its all in MM and kg. Which I am starting to like much more! Not so many numbers after the Decimal! But let me know what you think you should be able to find my post though my log in name.. Let me know if you need help getting it. Thanks so much for answering! I need much help here I am with the X and Y axis and motor choice.

[skiddaw]

You can make X,Y,Z anything you like. David's book has several plans 17x20, 25x37 and 27x64. I fell sure you could happily stretch them but you might lose rigidity. Search the web and you'll find some big enough to throw a 4x8 sheet on. Some use building supply lumber and hardware others use welded frames and fancy machined aluminium. I have neither the skill or facilities for the latter. (www.oneoceankayaks.com is well worth a visit).

The typical Z travel for David's is 6.5". Your tripling that so you might want to look at other assemblies for your Z carriage. The JOE table thread is still active in this zone along with many others. 18" will be the distance from your cutting tool to anything solid. The forces applied to the router are applied to your Z-carriage, Y-carriage and X-carriage as torque. The 18" could make that hefty and might require extra rigidity in each of your axes.

I really can't help with the motors but if your table uses a threaded rod to drive the axes, is the holding torque a big problem, as it would be if you were driving the carriages directly with a geared down belt?

[Musick7]

Originally Posted by skiddaw You can make X,Y,Z anything you like. David's book has several plans 17x20, 25x37 and 27x64. I fell sure you could happily stretch them but you might lose rigidity. Search the web and you'll find some big enough to throw a 4x8 sheet on. Some use building supply lumber and hardware others use welded frames and fancy machined aluminium. I have neither the skill or facilities for the latter. (www.oneoceankayaks.com is well worth a visit). The typical Z travel for David's is 6.5". Your tripling that so you might want to look at other assemblies for your Z carriage. The JOE table thread is still active in this zone along with many others. 18" will be the distance from your cutting tool to anything solid. The forces applied to the router are applied to your Z-carriage, Y-carriage and X-carriage as torque. The 18" could make that hefty and might require extra rigidity in each of your axes. I really can't help with the motors but if your table uses a threaded rod to drive the axes, is the holding torque a big problem, as it would be if you were driving the carriages directly with a geared down belt?

Today I spent about 5 hours just drawing plans on paper and using a pin! I came up with; X axis will be 35"L X 8"W X 1/2"T 6061 Aluminum With Harden Induction Shafts and Acme Screw.
Y Axis will be one of theses options Help needed? 36" X 6" X 1/2" OR 36" X 6" X 3/8" OR 30" X 6" X 1/2" OR 30" X 6" X 3/8"/1/2"thick
Z Axis will be either, 30" X 6" X 3/8" OR 24" X 6" X 3/8"/or1/2" thick Not sure about what I want here Any input on the Z axis and others would be great.
I am also planing to use Gears But I don't know what style as of yet? I am looking at Spur Gears and Also WORMS and WORM GEARS and RACK? I do like the WORM gear it has Higher RPM and Torque but I dont know if I understand this right?? If I use gears like worm gear am I better off by using theses to get more power to the tables? Does this mean I will get more torque to the table buy using gears? What is the purpose of using Gears? I am also trying to figure out how to Figure what gears I need? I am lost on this. How do I know which ones to get? Do I need info from my steppers M? How to I figure this?