Simple way to control nema stepper motor

[GoCreateParticipant @gocreate]

Hi Ray

This might be of interest

I've not used it so can't provide any feed back.

Nigel

[blowlampParticipant @blowlamp]

I saw this whilst surfing the web.

Martin.

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

You can do better than that. You can buy a single channel MPG for under £20. Something like this.

Or a 4-channel pendant with variable scale factor for £50.

Most of the MPG pendants are USB which would complicate matters somewhat.

Murray

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

The Arduino Pro Micro – 5V/16MHz is about £7 off $bay.

More than enough I/O to control several steppers.

http://www.sparkfun.com/products/12640

Neil

[ray jones 1Participant @rayjones1]

UPDATE ON PROGRESS

Following all of your kind advice, I purchased

 a stepper controller , pulse generator , as photo and connected them up to a 6 AMP supply and my NEMA 34.

After playing with various Amperage and dip settings, the motor runs "reasonably smooth" – at most speeds – ( but not perfect) .

Using the control box, the motor can be started, stopped , forward and reverses – with ease.,

The slowest speed is approx 5 RPM the fastest approx 200 RPM only. is this normal?

The frequency indicator goes from 0 – 900, The motor runs happy from 0-600,,but once you turn it  past 610 the motor grinds to a halt

Should it run faster or smoother? 

Any advice is appreciated.. thank you ray

Edited By ray jones 1 on 27/03/2015 19:19:41

Edited By ray jones 1 on 27/03/2015 19:20:12

Edited By ray jones 1 on 27/03/2015 19:21:25

Edited By ray jones 1 on 27/03/2015 19:22:23

[Les Jones 1Participant @lesjones1]

Hi Ray,
The problem may be that the voltage of the power supply is not high enough for the current to build up in the motor winding as the pulses get shorter at higher speeds. This is because of the effect of the inductance of the motor windings. For more details read this web page.

Les.

[ray jones 1Participant @rayjones1]

i have the motor connected to the mill, although be it on a very temporary fit..

using the speed control on the box, the the feed hand wheel will turn from

approx 2 RPM ( for very slow feed) up to 150RPM (for rapid return).

which seems just perfect.

I assume the digital readout on the box refers to Htz.

it reads from ZERO to 900.htz

The motor responds normally from ZERO up to 620htz? then grinds and stops

But restarts when below 620htz

Steamgeek ,did you have this problem?

will keep you advised of progress

Thanks RAY

[SteamgeekParticipant @steamgeek]

Hi Ray

I have never gone above 500, I am using mine for a power feed on an ML7 cross feed so slow is the name of the game for me.

I have just been down the workshop to try it and I do have the same fault.

I am using a 24v 5A transformer to power the unit, and briefly switched it over to a 12v 63a leisure battery and the fault was the same

Regards

David

[Keith LongParticipant @keithlong89920]

Ray I suspect that at the higher stepping rate the motor simply cannot follow the steps due to various factors such as inertia and the available torque falling off. Jim Cox's book "Electric Motors second edition" has some graphs of "%age torque" vs "steps/second" the fall off rate is quite remarkable.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

The technical term is egg bound.

You need gearing to get within the boundary's you need, within reason that is.

[Mike the BikeParticipant @mikethebike]

Hi. SteamGeek, I sent you a pm

Mike

[Tony JefferyParticipant @tonyjeffery58427]

Hi Steve F,

Have sent you a PM.

Tony.

[Author]

Posts