Standalone stepper control


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    Default Standalone stepper control

    Hi all.
    I have been searching for an answer to something and hopefully someone here can point me in the right direction. I am looking to make and fit a power raise/lower to my warco gh universal mill. I have an old dc servo and amp which I could use with a bit of modification but I would need to use a switch for the raise/lower control. I have a couple of mpg`s lying around and was trying to find a way of using one of them to control a stepper driver to raise and lower the head, so the question is how to use the mpg to control the direction and travel of the stepper without using a pc or any software? Can it be done or has anyone managed it before?


    Ian

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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    I believe you will find a very inexpensive answer in Arduino and a stepper based environment. Just search for stepper motor /Arduino topics. A $4 Arduino Nano, some code grabbed from one of a dozen web sites, a motor driver large enough as well as a stepper motor, and you will be moving via any dry contact switch or joystick.

    I do also think you can use the Arduino to move a large servo with the right motor driver because Arduino can also DC motor direction and speed control, but you'll likely find more topics related to stepper control when it comes to the power you may need to move your axis.

    When done, it can be a fully stand alone environment, similar to the topics about Arduino based DIY Indexers.

    Chris L


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    Community Moderator Jim Dawson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    Yes, you could use a MPG as a manual stepper controller. The output from the dial is pulse and you have a switch(s) to set the direction. Very easy to implement.. The DC servo would be a bit more difficult to control, but possible.



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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    I think you could do something with a MPG, but I also think you need something between it and the motor driver in order to manage pulse width detail. Perhaps research PoKeys...... I recall something about it being able to send pulses to a driver, and also allow the connection of a MPG.

    Chris L


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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    Quote Originally Posted by datac View Post
    I think you could do something with a MPG, but I also think you need something between it and the motor driver in order to manage pulse width detail. Perhaps research PoKeys...... I recall something about it being able to send pulses to a driver, and also allow the connection of a MPG.
    Shouldn't be needed. Now you're gonna make me wire one up just to see. The pulse output from the MPG encoder is a square wave, so no signal conditioning should be required.



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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    arduino would be fine, but you need to program scripts for it to function it`s either reverse or forward



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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    Quote Originally Posted by KH0UJ View Post
    arduino would be fine, but you need to program scripts for it to function it`s either reverse or forward
    You don't need to fire off scripts to it from anything for this particular use.. there would just be a stored script. They do dribble scripts to Arduino when they use it for CNC control like that of GRBL, but here, you can just use it as a stand alone motor control, either plain old gear motor or stepper, operated with a simple inexpensive joystick or dry contact switch.

    In this case, the stored script can include max speed and accel/decel perimeters if one wants to use simple dry contact buttons, or speed can be controlled by joystick position (even use wireless game controllers if one is so inclined.

    One would be required to feed the Arduino with a 5v source. The Arduino, the motor driver and power supply could be in a single box with a remote button or joystick pendant. Just turn it on and "Jog". One would need to look at a few youtube videos for motor control.

    I did re-look at the PoKeys device and yes, I believe that too can be set up to do this.

    Chris L


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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    Well if the OP wants a simplest and cheapest way to control it then better find a cheap deal on this >>> https://www.amazon.com/GAEA-version-...e+gimbal+motor, it`s a standalone gymbal mechanism, it uses 12VDC, the gyro chip uses 4 input sensor for balancing (N-S-E-W) use two push switches (N.O.) one for forward and the other for reverse, tap the switches on the NS side of the gyro chip to rotate it manually, it`s a 2 motor mechanism so the other one may come in handy if he wants to add another motor.

    http://www.cnczone.com/forums/attach...d=355916&stc=1

    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Standalone stepper control-61poyerrakl-_sl1000_-jpg  


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    Community Moderator Jim Dawson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    Quote Originally Posted by Web Goblin View Post
    ... I have a couple of mpg`s lying around and was trying to find a way of using one of them to control a stepper driver to raise and lower the head, so the question is how to use the mpg to control the direction and travel of the stepper without using a pc or any software? Can it be done or has anyone managed it before?
    Ian
    You guys are way over complicating this.

    Above is Web Goblin's original question. The answer is YES, it can be done with minimal hardware. A MPG and a 5V power supply, a stepper motor, drive and a power supply for that is all that is needed.



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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    Guys thanks for all the replies.
    I would like to see if this can be done with hardware alone.
    Jim did you manage to get the mpg to control the stepper driver?



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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    Quote Originally Posted by Web Goblin View Post
    Guys thanks for all the replies.
    I would like to see if this can be done with hardware alone.
    Jim did you manage to get the mpg to control the stepper driver?
    I haven't actually tried it yet. I have a MPG encoder sitting on my desk and some drives and steppers out in the shop. I'll give it a try tomorrow and post the result.



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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    That's great Jim thanks.



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    Community Moderator Jim Dawson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    OK, I wired it up. Works perfectly!

    I wired A to Pulse + (PUL+) and /B to Direction + (DIR+) and no switches required for FOR/REV The motor follows the direction of the handwheel. I set the drive at 400 pulse per rev (1/2 step)

    I used a 5V wall wart for 5V encoder power.



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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Dawson View Post
    OK, I wired it up. Works perfectly!
    Neat ! Thanks for actually trying it. I was wondering about the Dir change, but sounds like that worked too.

    So, no issue with dropped steps because of pulse width ? Or, is it possible one can drop steps based on turning speed, but it wouldn't really matter if it did because of the particular use ?

    Maybe I have just seen too many really fussy drivers in need of defined perams... (Polarity, pulse width, time between steps, direction-step setup delay time and direction lag, etc.)

    The reason I am curious is simply what stops one from paralleling into any driver input along side of a control software signal ? Sure, the software would not have a clue and fail if you tried using it in the middle of a job, but there are times where I would just love to jog a machine somewhere without care of what the control thinks location is... times when I don't need.the control per say... sort of use three to create "digital hand wheels" ? (probably put diodes in the MPG lines so a control can not send pulses to the MPG, or relay the control wires to only work if the control is not enabled)

    Sounds like I have another project to try out........

    Chris L


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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    You are correct, in this application dropped steps would not matter. Besides, I don't think you could turn the handwheel fast enough to lose steps. The encoder outputs a nice clean 50/50 square wave, just what the driver wants to see.

    What you propose with putting the MPG in parallel with the controller may not work well. I think it would depend on the last state of the square wave from either the controller or the MPG. If the state was high, there would be no way to pull it low with the opposing device. The drive wants to see a state change to define a pulse. I think you would have to install a DPDT switch the PUL and DIR lines to choose between the devices.



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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    Quote Originally Posted by datac View Post
    Neat ! Thanks for actually trying it. I was wondering about the Dir change, but sounds like that worked too.

    So, no issue with dropped steps because of pulse width ? Or, is it possible one can drop steps based on turning speed, but it wouldn't really matter if it did because of the particular use ?

    Maybe I have just seen too many really fussy drivers in need of defined perams... (Polarity, pulse width, time between steps, direction-step setup delay time and direction lag, etc.)

    The reason I am curious is simply what stops one from paralleling into any driver input along side of a control software signal ? Sure, the software would not have a clue and fail if you tried using it in the middle of a job, but there are times where I would just love to jog a machine somewhere without care of what the control thinks location is... times when I don't need.the control per say... sort of use three to create "digital hand wheels" ? (probably put diodes in the MPG lines so a control can not send pulses to the MPG, or relay the control wires to only work if the control is not enabled)

    Sounds like I have another project to try out........
    If you just want to control the spindle remotely away from your PC keyboard, might as well use a USB joystick, or the wireless one on XBOX units, use a keyboard to gamepad software to set the cursors, on my unit I used it all the time, used a 2 flute bit on plaining wooden materials to make it really flat before machining any work or design.

    http://www.cnczone.com/forums/attach...d=355992&stc=1

    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Standalone stepper control-2-jpg  


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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    [QUOTE=KH0UJ;2021764]If you just want to control the spindle remotely away from your PC keyboard, might as well use a USB joystick......./QUOTE]

    Yes, indeed, this works well. I do use a wireless game controller on my plasma table because of the freedom of it. I use JoytoKey to map my buttons, and am able to jog, set program zero, start and feed hold from it as well as a few other options.

    On rare occasion.. usually, if I have not used the machine for a while, I seem to wrestle with keeping either JoytoKey or the oe software recognizing that the game controller is in existence, but really, when it is connected, it is pretty much fault free and really inexpensive considering any other wireless options or even wired options.

    I had been thinking I wanted to try some other options where a device can perform keyboard emulation like that of Pokeys or Arduino on a lathe I have where having a wireless device to pick up each time makes no sense. But now that you bring this up, I may as well just rigid mount a game controller or re-purpose ones guts instead. It does work reliably, and again, really, really cheap.

    Sorry for the thread hijack, but I was curious about the straight up mpg option as a possible parallel.

    Chris L


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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    Jim,
    thanks very much for testing this out. I will give it a go at the weekend.



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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    Quote Originally Posted by Web Goblin View Post
    Jim,
    thanks very much for testing this out. I will give it a go at the weekend.
    My pleasure. Happy to help out



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    Default Re: Standalone stepper control

    Jim,
    tested this out tonight on my bench power supply and it works perfectly.
    Many thanks for your help.

    Ian



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