Strike CNC (My first CNC router)

[m_c]

Common microstepping practice is 8.

Steps per unit, you need to calculate using whatever units you're using (normally MM or Inch), pitch of ballscrew, number of steps per motor revolution, and drive ratio between screw and motor.

For 5mm screw, using MM, a standard 200 step stepper motor, and direct drive, to move 1mm, you need to rotate the motor 1/5th of turn to move 1mm.
So 1/5th of 200 is 40 motor steps.
Now to move 40 motor steps using 8 microstepping, is 40x8=320 steps per unit.
For 10mm pitch screw, you can simply half the above to give 160 steps per unit.