2 steppers on one axis

[studysession]

Hi -
I am building a 6 axis routing table. And I use Mach3.

I want to use 2 stepper motors on my X-Axis. Question is how do I set this up in Mach3 to also still alow me to use all 6 axis? Or does it limit me to 5 since 2 motors have to be controlled for my X-axis?

I want an X, Y & Z along with a A, B & C axis.

Thanks

[ajl6549]

Originally Posted by studysession Hi - I am building a 6 axis routing table. And I use Mach3. I want to use 2 stepper motors on my X-Axis. Question is how do I set this up in Mach3 to also still alow me to use all 6 axis? Or does it limit me to 5 since 2 motors have to be controlled for my X-axis? I want an X, Y & Z along with a A, B & C axis. Thanks

Just curious, but why not 5 axis?

[studysession]

Not many people build 5 much less 6. So I want to do it for the learning experience. Hopefully it will actually be useful as well.

I see where 5 axis is very useful but not really sure if I need 6 or not. I just want to do it for the know how.

[ajl6549]

In your rendering of the knee type mill which would be the c axis? On the gantry type machine what would A axis be.

P.S. IMHO the 5 axis gantry type machine would be awsome!

[ger21]

You only get 6 motors in Mach3, + a spindle.

One thing you could do is split one set of step and direction pins to two drives, so both drives would run off the X axis pins.

[studysession]

Originally Posted by ger21 You only get 6 motors in Mach3, + a spindle. One thing you could do is split one set of step and direction pins to two drives, so both drives would run off the X axis pins.

Is that ok to do? Run two motors off same set of pins like that?

[steve323]

Each parallel port output drivers should easily be capable of driving two or more loads. It probably has a simple CMOS driver in the computer. The receiver is probably a CMOS input buffer with no current, except for a weak pullup resistor. Two loads should be no problem.

[JerryFlyGuy]

Your limited to 6 motors as Ger21 said, you could connect two motor's to the same step/dir pin's however it is discouraged for several reason's. Mariss can explain it better than me [if you do a search on the GeckoDrive list on Yahoo you'll find it as this question was asked about a week ago].

You'll not have accurate homing w/ two motor's on one set of pins and lost step's won't be detected w/ a home/verify.
The real question at the end of the day is what the heck are you going to do with 6 axis, and what CAM are you going to use? BTW, the pictures you've posted only are 5 axis machines.. Where are you going to put the 6th axis?

Curious..

Jerry

[ajl6549]

Originally Posted by JerryFlyGuy The real question at the end of the day is what the heck are you going to do with 6 axis, and what CAM are you going to use? BTW, the pictures you've posted only are 5 axis machines.. Where are you going to put the 6th axis? Curious.. Jerry

My ques. exactly.

[studysession]

Yes - I realise they are pic's of 5 axis machines. Take the picture of the gantry router and add the A-axis from the other and then you have 6 axis.

Do I really have to have that many. Nope - but I figure why not build it anyway.

[ger21]

Originally Posted by studysession Do I really have to have that many. Nope - but I figure why not build it anyway.

Bacause you won't be able to program it??

[ajl6549]

Originally Posted by studysession Yes - I realise they are pic's of 5 axis machines. Take the picture of the gantry router and add the A-axis from the other and then you have 6 axis. Do I really have to have that many. Nope - but I figure why not build it anyway.

Not to mention the more variables you enter into the equation the better the chance of a malf.