What i am doing wrong with mach3?? trying to config machine.

[cropwell]

The first thing I notice is that step and direction pins for the motor outputs on X are the same as Y

[scnc]

thanx ever so much guys will upload vid tommorow.

thanx again :-)

[scnc]

Hi all,

I'm not a great camera man but heres a video up on youtube:



if you want any more details please let me know and thanx again :-)

[JAZZCNC]

Ok first forget using USB adaptor they wont work. Also forget using laptop they need special motion control board to work properly.

You need to use a PC with parallel port and plug directly into it. . . . . Don't try doing anything else until you have changed it just won't work.

Other than showing wrong cable this the video is pretty much useless has it's blurry and your moving around too much. Concentrate on showing the control box internals and pan slowly and hold still then same with motors slowly pan around the wires.
Better would be good quality pictures from multiple angles.

Can't help without better information or clearer pictures/video.

[IanS1]

Yep agree with Jazz, proper parallel port needed. You can buy a card to plug into a spare PCI port on the desktop PC which will give you a parallel port. Get this sorted first cause you're not going to get anywhere without it. Parallel-USB adapters just do not work for this stuff.

Plenty to choose from on Ebay:

Single Port Printer Parallel LPT Card PCI 810154012848 on eBay!

[scnc]

Hi Guys,

Please find attached the images and let me know if you need anymore. I have tried to take as many pics as i can but just incase i've missed anything out i will retake images.

Thanx again guys.

[John S]

What a rats nest.
Plus the SD3 drives are only full or half step.

seeing as you got a free machine it would pay to dump all this crap and get a new breakout board, power supply and 3 drivers and you wll be set up for a long while,

[scnc]

what does it mean by the sd3 drivers being half step or full step??? I would like to redo the control box but i just want to get it working at the mo.

Would it need a rewire if so how can i learn to do this?? are there any control box for dummies thing i can read?? Im a complete beginner!

[m_c]

That is a bit of a rats nest!


Stepper motors are controlled in steps. For a common 2 phase stepper motor, each step is typically 1.8deg (200 steps per revolution). Each step is moved between by switching of one coil, and turning on the next (hence the four wires). (the actual stepping is a bit more involved, but I'm keeping it simple!)
If you drive a stepper motor at low speed using full steps, it basically jumps between steps, and provides rough movement aswell as limits speed due to resonance issues.
Half stepping means instead of the driver jumping between steps, it applies aproximately half power to the next coil, while still maintaining half power on the previous coil, so the motor is held approximately between steps. This improves low speed movement, but is not as good as modern microstepping drivers.

With a microstepping driver, the drive gradually transistions between full steps, by transferring power between coils in a series of microsteps. Modern drives typically use 8 microsteps per full step, as there is nothing to be gained from more steps for typical CNC applications. This leads to far smoother motion, and a bit more accuracy (due to the way microstepping works and the motor torque charachteristics the exact position may vary slightly). The smoother motion means an easier life on the machine, faster speeds, and a better finish (within the limits of the actual machine itself).


If you were handy with a multimeter, you should be able to figure out what's not working, but by the looks of it there's various bits in that control box that modern drives and break out boards don't need.
You really need to start by doing some wiring diagrams. Start at the power in, and trace the wires through the various components to the drives. Then do the same with the wires from the parallel port.

You may find buying 3 new drives, a breakout board, and starting from fresh is easier and quicker.

[m_c]

I've just a quick ebay search, and something like this kit would get you up and running, provided you can figure out the existing power supply, and get it working for the steppers - CNC Router DIY Kit 5 Axis Breakout Board +3x M542 Stepper Motor Driver 1.0A-4.5A | eBay

If you scroll down the page, it has some pretty simple but clear wiring diagrams, which should help clarify what's needed, and how they connect.