Stepper motor controller for CNC machine application

Thread Starter

AustinCann

Joined Jan 30, 2011
12
I am very comfortable designing circuitry on sensors end: signal filtration, amplification etc. Now I am thinking of a controller which gives smooth, accurate operations to control the motion of stepper motor. And I honestly have no clue where to start.
I have application where I am using a microcontroller to control outputs. On input lets say (move 3.8 cm to right) I want it to move smoothly without pushes/jitters and stop very nicely.I am happy to study and do detailed research if I have the right words to look for.
Many thanks
 

shortbus

Joined Sep 30, 2009
10,045
The problem with home made is that it has to be compatible with your CNC software.
The soft ware such a Mach3 usually only puts out a step frequency(square wave), a direction (digital 1 or 0) for each axis.

Guys come up with there own design of drivers, but don't put in any of the other circuits that the commercial drivers do, such as current control.

Not to discourage you but, if you want to get up and running quickly buy a ready made driver unit. If you want to still make your own investigate the stand alone driver IC's, instead of doing it from individual components. In the long run once you figure in the cost of individual components, a PCB, and the trouble shooting to make it work, some of the ready made drivers are a real good buy. Don't be afraid of using single axis drivers instead of all axis boards like Gecko's. Check out whats available on Ebay.

The words you want to search for is Stepper motor drivers. You also need to under stand that the voltage on the motor name plate is not the voltage that the motor needs in a CNC.

links; http://www.cs.uiowa.edu/~jones/step/

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/index.php
 
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