Gecko540/Mach3/initial setup check

[zeeway]

Motor tuning is still a bit of a mystery to me, so I would appreciate some help.

First, I downloaded the Gecko540 xml file, and loaded it into Mach 3, but some of the values look strange or are a mystery to me. Part of it may come from the fact that native units are set in mm.

For example, the "Steps per" are set at 20000....? I don't understand how this could be steps per mm...?


So I reset the native units to inches...

Gecko 540 does 10 microsteps per rev
Feed screw for x and y is 1/2-10 acme - 5 start, so 2 revs per inch
Motors will be the cncrouterparts (when they arrive - still waiting) 380 oz in with 200 steps per rev

So, for "Steps per" I calculate (200*10*2=) 4000, right?

I have set velocity at 120 and accel at 4.

The step pulse was set at 2 and the dir pulse is 2 from the Gecko 540 xml file, but I have no clue what that is for, and the Mach 3 manual doesn't explain it either that I can see. This is set the same for all three axes. Anybody know what this is for?

Thanks for your help,
Angie

[ger21]

For example, the "Steps per" are set at 20000....? I don't understand how this could be steps per mm...?

Sounds like it's set up for 1/2-10 single start with inches as the native unit.

4000 steps/unit is correct.

You'll want the accel higher, but leave it at 4 until you figure out your max velocity. Once you set the maximum velocity, then start increasing the accel until you find a safe number. Could be anywhere from 10-30, maybe more.

Step and dir pulse should be left at 2 per Gecko's recommendation. It's the length of the step pulse, in microseconds I think.

I'm not a big fan of using a "standard" .xml file, unless it's for a specific machine. When it can be used on virtually any machine, the only settings that you know will work will be the pin assignments for the motors. (and the pulse width, I guess) Just about everything else can be different.

[zeeway]

Thanks, Gerry. That makes sense.

The Gecko xml file also had enabled two limits and one home switch on every axis - I disabled all of them for now. There are two more mystery settings on the output config...outputs #1 and #2 are enabled...maybe that relates to the home and limit switches also...so I am getting rid of those also.

I may be getting dangerous.

Angie