eBay TB6560 Stepper Motor Driver Boards

[cleansurf2]

I have included the TB6560 Mach3 configuration file that came with my 4 axis board.

Purely bench testing at the moment, board and motors only on the bench.
While in Mach3, when I tab to get the manual controls, 2 axis are at least 100 times slower than the other channels. All the Mach3 motor tuning is set the same.

My board came from a seller that does a video of your board (as waranty proof) before he sends it out. I got the steppers from him also. It showed all 4 of my stepper motors on my board operating at the same revs.
One of his other videos walks me through basic setup, which I have followed. But essentially the config file loads up and I should be good to go, at least for bench testing motor spin.

He did mention, often DB25 cable configuration is a problem. I measured it out, all good, pin 1 to pin 1 etc, is correct. He also mentioned computer bios, will try and get time tonight to have a look. But as I can get 2 channels to operate fine, even when I swap motors around, I don't believe it to be a PC bios problem.

Still a confused newbie, sorry to be a pain guys.

[irving2008]

are you sure the DIP switches on the board are set the same for all channels, no unexpected microstepping?

On the channels that run slow, are they running cleanly, no graunching noises, or fits n spurts? What pulse width do you have set on Mach3.. it should be 5 or more...

[Jonathan]

I've just loaded your attached profile.
All the velocity / steps / acceleration settings are the same so I can't really see what might be causing it.

Are the slow motors missing steps? Try sending a slow motor one turn forwards then one back and check it returns to the same point. It might be that the driver board is 'missing' lots of the pulses making the motors go slow.

Try going to config->motor tuning and putting the velocity setting up for the slow motors and see if it makes a difference.

[Swarfing]

Just a thought can you check the setup of the parallel port in the bios and try ecp/ epp etc in turn. This was an issue for me on the first incarnation of this board.

[Jonathan]

What pulse width do you have set on Mach3.. it should be 5 or more...

He's got them all set to 2.

[John S]

5 is a good figure to start at.
Not familiar with that board but can you jumper the charge pump off, if it has one. Some computerers can hickup on charge pumps depending if they buffer the charge pump signal.

[cleansurf2]

Awsome feedback, thanks Gents.

Where I'm at at the moment. Just set up my gear on a second PC to do a quick check.
Good results, all working at the same speed now, so proved a BIOS or hardware problem on my CNC PC.
Will check the BIOS config on this, my home internet PC, which has the TB6560 board pluged in, and compare it to my CNC PC.
Will post details of the BIOS settings to help others that may encounter this problem.


I do have some minor "graunching noises, or fits n spurts" on Z axis. Swapped over motors, motor OK, definately the channel.
I adjusted pulse width to 5 (which was maximum) in config/motor tunning/Step pulse (0-5us), nil effect, still some minor graunching.
IS THAT THE PULSE WIDTH ADJUST YOU SEGESTED?

thanks
Rick

[cleansurf2]

I checked both my PC BIOS's.
My internet PC (that all axis's worked on). BIOS parallel port setting was [ECP].

My CNC PC was set to [SPP]. I changed it to [ECP]. Good results, well, better.
Now had axis Y and 4 motors turn for a split second and stop (when using manual jog [tab key window]).
Played around for a while, changed dip switch setting on one problem axis for speed, no effect.
Set to 35Khz, my Mach3 original setting was 25khz. nil effect.

I changed the manual jog speed settings from 100% down to 60%, SUCCESS!
Still not real sure why, I am guessing I had exceeded some speed capability somewhere.
loaded a G code (road runner), looked to be working fine (bench test motors only).

Comfortable to start working on my hotwire CNC rig now.
But I can see that the software configuration is where it's going to cost me the time. Mach3 seems bigger than Ben Her at the moment.
Still have to tune it all in once I build my hardware.
Still have to work out how to interface it with Profili2 (RC foam wings / G-code).

Thanks heaps for your input guys.
I will try and add some newbie tips as I plod along discovering issues that may seem a little basic to you guys.
Appreciate any and all advice/comments.

cheers
Rick

[Jonathan]

Yes that's the right pulse width setting you changed.

Have you tried experimenting with the max velocity values in that same config? If the motors will only manage 60% then set the value to 60% of what it is now - but experiment you might get more!

[cleansurf2]

I will have to probably go that way, adjusting max velocity to what ever it can handle. There is a lot of tweaking I will probably have to do between now and an operating CNC machine. Steep learning curve! At the moment having trouble getting time to put into the project, so I expect to progress slowly at this stage.

I will post significant newbie issues I discover along the way (problems/fixes).
No dought I will be back to pick your brains at some stage with some lame question.

Thanks to all.
Rick