Help please. Dip switches and mach 3 settings

[Radu_Andrei]

Hi. Sorry, my mistake. I meant 100 mm per minute, not seconds. And up to 3000 mm/min which I think it is 100+ ipm. It works ok with this speed. Anything higher shakes the gantry when it stops.
Only the z axis has a belt 2:1 ratio system, X and Y are direct drive.
I still have the 800 pulse/rev setting. I.ve only tried 1600 and 2000, and they worked fine, when they worked.
In motor turning I had (as the pc does not work anymore), the STEPS PER set by the the test done in Settings Alt6 tab.
ˇˇIn settings tab, I typed I want to move it 50, and it did move 150, and mach 3 set it to 160 steps for X and Y axis. The driver setting is at 800ˇˇ
VELOCITY 3000 and ACCELERATION 200.

[cropwell]

VELOCITY 3000

That velocity seems way too high for Nema34's at 60v. Don't expect speed from those motors. Try V600 A100.

[Radu_Andrei]

It may very well be too high, but it works. This 2500-3000 velocity can be seen in this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiXksh0ZlZ4. Here it works just fine.
When the things go bad, like in this video after minute 1.05 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWlVfyy1hFU&t=1s, it is irrelevant what velocity is set. I.ve tried from V100 to 3000 and it just as bad.
It.s irrelevant what driver setting I have, 800, 1600 or 2000. Or if the workshop lights are flashing. It does not matter. When it goes smooth it does it with any settings and speeds, and when is not, it is not, with any settings and speeds.

The pc is out. Keeps restarting so I can.t try any new things just yet. I.ll sort it out somehow in the next days.

The first rule of ˇˇpulsing to slowˇˇ is never talk about ˇˇpulsing to slowˇˇ. :)) :P

[Radu_Andrei]

I would not have any doubts about this problems you.ve menitioned if there would be a constant. Like, ok 60V is not enough. It should not work. But it varies. Sometimes works just fine.
Changing the microsteps was just an experiment to see if the steppers would sound different. I did adjust the STEPS PER each time I.ve played with the microsteps.

You are right about Nema23, but who knew. I bought this kit more than 3 years ago. And the rails a couple of years ago, and finaly the steel a few months ago. I did some research back then, and I think I did like any guy who did not have experience with cncs. Bigger is better. And it was a whole kit for sale.

I have the hardware available to go with dual ballscrew for the y axis, and then I.ll build some belt system to drive these with one stepper, and here include some gearing to make it faster, and I would do it, if this design did fail. I don.t have any problem with improving or modifing the project, IF there is a clear, specific and permanent error.
All this voltage, microsteps, heavy gantry, direct coupling, mach3 settings would create permanent errors.. It will just not work, or work bad constantly. Is this not true? There is a variable which gives me a hard time. What is it? Who knows.

[cropwell]

I think it is about time we had a proper review of the situation.

When you have your PC up and running with Mach3 loaded and you can get each axis moving, then we should tackle problems one by one.

Starting from basics :-
Leadscrew pitch
Belt ratio if not direct coupling
Microstep settings
Steps per
Velocity
Acceleration
Driver current

If anyone thinks something else is needed please add to the list and I will revise this post.

BTW Andrei 5.7A is less than 2% above 5.6A and the stepper should handle this.

[Radu_Andrei]

Ok. I.ll get back when it.s ready for review.
Thank you.

[Clive S]

Ok. I.ll get back when it.s ready for review.
Thank you.

OK remember that nema 34 do not spin as fast a nema 23-24

Your win 7 pc should be fine (as long as it is 32 bit). Also If I remember keep the kernel in Mach3 to 25k/cs I have a feeling you tried it at 35k

I would not have any doubts about this problems you.ve menitioned if there would be a constant. Like, ok 60V is not enough. It should not work. But it varies. Sometimes works just fine.

This will work but not as fast. Ie the motor won't spin faster unless you up the volts to the drive

[dazp1976]

Got my £32 bargain Dell 780 the other day. Installed windows xp but weirdly it will connect via wlan to my other pc's but won't connect to internet? Probably a blessing in disguise tbf (no chance of viruses). Might try Windows7 at some point.

Looks like I'll be waiting until October for an AMAT25LV from Amadeal which is frustrating.
Gives me time to get Mach3 installed, the electronics box wired up & all tested before hand I guess.
In terms of steppers I might need something bigger than the Nema23 425oz/in I have for the x,y.
Using 5mm pitch ball screws I'm planning on setting it up with:
The drivers set at 1000 per revolution
The steps per unit set at 200
So If I'm right 5mm/1000 gives me 0.005mm resolution and 200 steps is 1mm (1 unit).
Should give me a reasonable rapid velocity.

I'm running my dying Sieg X2 on 2000/400 on 5mm pitch atm which Mach3 shows I could have a maximum velocity of around 2800mm/min ish.
I have to have the Gib so tight on that tiny table though, the motors start missing steps at 1400mm/min. Those settings give me 0.0025mm per step.

If I can get closer to 2000mm/min using the 1000/200 settings on the AMAT25 with a 0.005mm accuracy I'll be plenty happy enough :)

[Clive S]

And up to 3000 mm/min which I think it is 100+ ipm. It works ok with this speed. Anything higher shakes the gantry when it stops.

If you need faster than this you might want to think about putting belts on the x and y and gearing them up.

It would improve the speed if you could up the voltage to the drives. Nema 23's might have been a better choice!!

If you change the micro steps then you have to change the "steps per" to get the same distance travelled.