Circuit to step motor without PC

[mnbylcr2]

Hi Guys

I`m new to CNC and know that there is a circuit board available that allows you to simply jog your motors without the need for a pc:

http://www.diycnc.co.uk/html/onestep.html

This link above apparently will do what I am looking for but it is a bit expensive in my opinion for what it is. I just want a simple cheaper version! Does anyone know where I could buy one of these cheaper ideally in the UK.

I`d do a google search only I don`t know what it is called - the link calls it a ONESTEP but that is the company name for it and not a generic name for this circuit. Any help appreciated. I just simply want to be able to press a button and it jog one way and press another button and it jog the other. I have a DRO installed so no need for the readout or anything which I think is bumping up the price of the board in the link above.

PS. I`m not very good with electronics and building one is out of the question.

PS - forgot to say that I currently have Mach3 running my stepper motor but only use the arrow keys to jog as I only have the x-axis hooked up! That why it is unecessary to keep booting the computer when a circuit could do the same thing. Hope someone could help me out or tell me the name of what I need to search for.

[Al_The_Man]

Enable the drive you have and use a push button into the step input and a switch into the dir input.
1 P.B. + 1 Toggle SW.
Al.

[Al_The_Man]

OR depending on the input requirements of the drive step input, use a 100 turn encoder as a handwheel direct connection to step input.
A or B pulse preferably open collector single ended type.
Al.

[mnbylcr2]

Thanks for your post, like I say, unfortunately electronics isn`t my strong point. I was jumping from the roof when I got it working!!

The drive I am using is this:
http://www.routoutcnc.com/2-5ampdriver-1.pdf

Would you mind just going into a little bit more detail. What do you mean by enable the drive you have? I think I understand where you were going in your first post.

Your second post went right over my head.

I know posts take time but if you could send me something detailed as possible I`d really appreciate it.

Cheers
Chris

[Al_The_Man]

It looks like J6 enables the drive, most drives have an enable input to disable the motor in the case of E-stop etc.
With say a 100 pulse/rev quadrature encoder, as is used in handwheels or servo's for feedback etc, if you obtain one with open collector output, this is a transistor output that should be able to be hooked up to the step input.
Most need 5v to power them up.
A single ended encoder has two outputs, channel A and channel B, you would only need to use one of these to input to the step command input of the drive.
A toggle switch to connect to the Direction input of the drive.
Rotating the handwheel/encoder would produce pulses at a rate of 100/turn.
Koyo are one source of shaft type encoders, fairly cheap.
If you cannot acquire 5v from the internal supply, you would need to power the encoder from another supply, in this case the encoder 5v power common would connect to the drive 0v or common and the A channel of the encoder would be connected to the drive step input.
Unfortunately like many drives or BOB's aimed at the hobbiest, they give very little details as to the nature of the various inputs.
Al.