Trouble with SOC Machines MC433 controller

[Quicker]

I bought this controller:
http://www.soc-machines.com/product/...ecs/MC433.html
and I'm using Slo-Syn Type MO62-FD03 and MO63-FD09 motors. They are 150oz and 100oz 6 wire unipolor. I still need my Z axis motor. I tracked down the wiring specs on the motors here:
http://xray1.physics.sunysb.edu/~mic...ne/node56.html

Using that, it was easy to get the wiring right and using the PDF manual for the controller, I hooked up the motor, 9volts for the board power and 24 volts for the motor power. I've tried turboCNC and Mach3, but I get nothing. I can't get the motors to do anything. The board has an LED that comes on as soon as I power it up, but that's pretty much all I get.

I bought this controller from the company on ebay for $90 ( they are selling a lot on ebay ) and I hoped it would have been easier than putting together a kit. Now I wish I would have just bought the Hobby CNC controller.

Maybe it's setup issues in Mach 3, but I watched the videos. Anybody else use this controller? The features looked so good on it.

If I don't get this working soon I'm going to sell it on ebay and get the Hobby CNC kit.

Q

[tomtodd]

Hello: I'm curious if you ever got the mc433 to work? If so, what was the problem. Thanks. Tom

[Quicker]

Nope, but I got a PM from ddee that he got one also and has some of the same brand motors. He's looking at it and is going to get back to me.

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[tomtodd]

I got one also and I'm having trouble making it work. The motors just "chatter". I've got the motors wired correctly (pretty sure, anyway) and just in case I didn't, I tried switching the polarity around, etc., (The motor windings, NOT the supply!) but to no avail. Do you have a ver. 1.0 board or ver. 1.1? I'm getting ready to drag out the oscilloscope and make sure the outputs seem to be in the correct stepping order. Let me know if you have any success or come up with any good words of wisdom and I'll do the same. Thanks again. Tom

[Quicker]

1.1 I just got it last week.

At least you get chattering. I get nothing.

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[pgconcepts]

I've been emailing Steve Swift at SOC-machines and he said they were working on a manual for the MC433G-code version, which is what I have. I can't get it to do much either. I have; however, gotten a little chatter from my steppers, but it doesn't seem to want to do anything now. I'm running 9V to the board logic and 12V for the motor input.

This G-Code version has 2 LEDs, one that blinks and one that's constant. When I'm sending G-code via the serial port, the blinky light turns constant on or off, depending on what it feels like at the time, I guess. Then, when all the information is transferred, the blinky light begins turning on and off when a new G-code instruction is executed, (at least that's what I think it's doing, since it changes from on to off in the same number of G-code instructions I send it).

After trying various things to get it to move the steppers in a useful manner, it no longer makes any motion at all. The blinky light is still doing its annoying dance, but it's no longer doing anything whatsoever with that motor. They really should have made that manual available before distributing these boards... maybe that's why the price on eBay is dropping for them. Too many ppl selling them and not enuff suckers taking the bait.

Anyhow, they still may be great boards if only they had some technical support for them, either in documentation, software, or SOMETHING other than absolutely NOTHING. It's mighty frustrating to try and figure something out when you don't seem to get a consistent positive response. These boards are way too complicated to blindly tinker with. I'm going to have to ask for my money back, if they don't hurry up with that manual that's supposed to be out real soon.

[Quicker]

I sent them an email. Unless they can help me get these motors working in the next week I want my money back. I'll just get the Hobby CNC controller.

Frustrating. It looks like it has so much promise and potential.

Q

[Quicker]

Here's the reply I got today. I'm going to try the suggestions tonight. I also attached the program he sent me.

Q

Try setting the pots as follows: Top pot (closest to the DC Logic power connector) - totally counterclockwise. Middle pot - half way between clockwise and counterclockwise. Bottom pot - completely counter clockwise. This sets a 50% duty cycle, no ontime delay and no chop rate slew. The programming jumper should not be installed - this is the jumper closest to the DC Logic Power input. The jumper should only be on one pin. If the jumper is installed then programming commands are being sent to the controller. Are you seeing any activity at all from the motors - chattering, pulsing, etc? If there is no activity at all either the drive signal is not reaching the control processors - polarity wrong - pulse duraction to slow or incorrect pin assignment Is the board at 5V - you should be able to read 5V at the Limit pins - one side is gnd the other side is pulled high to about 5V volts. If the limit pins are low then the motor controllers will not drive the steppers. The limit pins are connected to the parallel port. Estop halts all motor controllers - this pin is also routed to the parallel port connector. Is your software setup to drive the controller - stepx is pin 3 (active high going pulse for minimum of 4usec), dirx is pin 2, etc? The step state jumpers should all be removed initially. Attached is a simple test drive program - MC433test.exe. Place io.dll in the Windows system directory or in the same directory you start MC433test.exe. The program outputs a constant step pulse stream of about 200pps to all four motors. I can call you if needed to walk you through these procedures. Steve

[Quicker]

OK, following the advice in that email, and using the test program he sent I now get my motors to turn. I still don't get anything in MACH3, so I guess I need to rewatch all the videos on that. I'm going to email him back with my results and ask for suggested configs in Mach 3 or TurboCNC. I'm going to download TurboCNC and make a DOS boot disk to try that.

I feel better actually seeing my motors turning!

Q

[Quicker]

Success!!!!

I switched to TurboCNC and it works. After a bit of configuration tweaking I am getting a test file from the fuse sheeting of one of my planes to work and drive the X and Y motors. I had to turn all 3 pots 100% counterclockwise. The instructions said to start with the top and bottom pots 100% counter and the middle at 50%. I just started playing and after doing this they started working. I also had to increase the pulsewidth from the stock 10 to 20. I don't know if 20 is the correct value yet, I just plugged it in. Once the table is setup I will try a few different values.

Now that this is working I can finish the setup of my table and get started on the calibration of it and fine tune the TurboCNC setup.

Oh, I am a happy camper!

Q

[arrio]

So has anybody gotten this board (mc433G) to work reliably with Mach3?
I bought this board on eBay too. Haveing issues with it. Its not comunicating/moving the servos. Getting ready to return it and buy something else.

Alfred

[Quicker]

Not a happy camper. When I actually started putting it to use, only 1 motor at a time worked properly. I never got all 3 working. I got the best results from TurboCNC, but not even that worked right.

I sold it on ebay and will be buying a HobbyCNC setup.

Q