Help setting up Ethernet Smooth Steper

[Tenson]

Also, you you guys think it's okay to use one of these generic phone chargers to power the ESS? I don't know how clean the output is, but it does give 4.9V and power up the ESS.

[AndyFromWarp9TD]

Also, you you guys think it's okay to use one of these generic phone chargers to power the ESS? I don't know how clean the output is, but it does give 4.9V and power up the ESS.

Hi Tenson, I am Andy from Warp9TD.com, the guys that make the ESS SmoothStepper.

I will reply to this post first, since it is shorter and simpler. There have been more than a few people that have used phone chargers successfully. The biggest issues are:

1. Does it supply a stable voltage? (Easy to verify if you are within 4.5v to 5.5V, but preferably within 4.75V and 5.25V)
2. Can it source enough current? (Easy to verify if it can source 0.5 A at 5.0V)
3. Is it old and flaky? (Weird thinks happen like random drop outs...)

Here are the specs and FAQ that will help you and others answer those questions.

• ESS User Manual, the Power Supply section starts on page 7
• ESS 5V FAQ

I will write another response to your first post now.

Thank you!

Andy

[Tenson]

Thanks for your help Andy. I got it working!!

I first had to set an input pin for the estop in the 'ports and pins - inputs' menu in Mach3 as you said. I just set it to port 1 pin 1, which is otherwise unused. Then it let me get on with other setting up.

I put my same old settings into the Mach3 'output pins' menu for motors and hey presto I got motion :)

I then set up the things like slave axis, homing and motor tuning as usual.

Job done!

It may be my imagination but I think it actually does sound smoother in motion.

We'll see how it runs on a job tomorrow.

[AndyFromWarp9TD]

Glad to hear that!

Let us know if you need more help.

Take care,
Andy

[AndyFromWarp9TD]

It may be my imagination but I think it actually does sound smoother in motion.

I have heard that quite a few times!

Have fun!

[komatias]

Thanks for chiming in Andy.

Saved me typing it all out myself.

The SCU helps loads when configuring the ESS especially if you have a dedicated computer.

As for the E-stop, for safety's sake, please wire a big red mushroom button up.

George

[Tenson]

Oh, what about the step and direction pulse width in motor tuning? It seems both are set at 5us by default (says 1-5us range).

It strikes me that it could be longer when running at a 32KHz 'Maximum Step Frequency', because 5us is the same as 200KHz. Am I right in thinking a longer step and direction pulse could give more reliability?

[komatias]

Leave the pulse width as it is on the motors tuning page. Quoting from a conversation I had a while ago: "pulse width" settings in the Motor Tuning dialog do nothing". Neither does the option on ports and pins menu regarding the clock speed (25, 35, 45 khz)

Your Smoothstepper will by default run at 250kHz, This is set in the plugin control menu for the ESS.

[AndyFromWarp9TD]

In motor tuning, the step and direction pulse widths are totally ignored by the SmoothStepper. As a hardware vendor and plugin designer we just have no way to hide those fields in the main app.

Here is a page that answers this and other similar questions about Mach3.

Andy

[Tenson]

Thanks, yes it makes sense that the step frequency is setting the pulse width - it's just a different way to say the same thing.

Do you think the 1KHz Controller Frequency will be fine for my old Pentium 4 laptop?