Stepper Expert Needed

[ShedBoy]

I am building a tool post grinder, I want to have direction and speed control so I was thinking of using one of the stepper motors I have laying around. I want to run it independently from a computer and was wondering if these two boards would do the job? The stepper I am looking at using has six wires coming out of it and is covered by the amperage and voltage range of these two units. Are these two boards what I need to make it happen. Or could someone explain what all the abbreviations are? The boards come from China and will probably not have instructions?

 

[Bluechip]

I'm no stepper expert but I've played with a few ...

Fastest stepper I have will step at some 1mS per pulse, driven current limited bi-polar via a L298 chip. 4.5V / 1.4A / phase, from a 18V PSU.

200 steps / rev. = 200mS / rev.

5 revs / second or 300 rpm.

Not a good candidate for a grinder ??

You don't really mean a Brushless DC Motor rather than a stepper ??

Steppers are not renowned for being nippy.

BC

 

[ShedBoy]

Okay, that explains alot. Looks like I need to find a DC motor. I have these mid size stepper motors hanging around which I need to find a use for. Thanks for the advice BC.
Brock

 

[Bluechip]

Hi Brock

You're welcome .. no trouble.

If you want to read about steppers, this is just about the best source of info.

http://www.divms.uiowa.edu/~jones/step/

BTW, is your avatar Rollie Free ?? on a Vincent ?? Pic seems to be familiar,

BC

 

[ProdEng]

A sewing machine motor would probably be OK for a toolpost grinder, they are available very cheaply from China on eBay. I bought one to make a spotting drill for my lathe but have yet to make it.

Jan

 

[steamer]

Be careful of the sewing machine motors...they can have very wild speed ranges...not good for grinding wheels

An AC induction motor would be a better choice...very predictable.......

I'm not saying don't do it....just be careful.....overspeed grinding wheels can be bad for your "complexion" :

Check out the Surplus Supply

https://www.surpluscenter.com/

 

[cfellows]

A lot depends on what size grinding wheels you plan to use. Four inch and larger wheels typically are rated at only 4500 RPM or less. I have some smaller, two inch wheels that are rated up to 10,000 and some one inch wheels rated at 20,000 or more. Using a speed control on a small, sewing machine motor to run a 4" wheel isn't a good idea because it doesn't have enough power. I would probably opt for a permanent magnet DC motor. Generally they have more power and lower RPMS, in the 6 - 10 thousand RPM range.

Chuck

 

[cwelkie]

I'm certainly no stepper expert but the mention of using a brushless dc motor caught my attention.
I've been learning Alibre by working up a toolpost grinder / milling head using a BLDC motor. It looks like it will have possibilities.
The 180watt model of this motor series should do the job:

http://www.bldcmotor.org/products/item.php?sID=147&pt=i&tID=468&cID=184

Not to hi-jack this thread but only to share my attempt at modernizing the approach used by the "Quick-Step" ... still a ways to go but it should show the direction.

(Hopefully I've added the screen capture file attachment properly.)
Charlie

 

[Jeremy_BP]

You have mid-size steppers and no use for them? Sounds like someone needs a CNC project...

 

[HS93]

I am building a tool post grinder, I want to have direction and speed control so I was thinking of using one of the stepper motors I have laying around. I want to run it independently from a computer and was wondering if these two boards would do the job? The stepper I am looking at using has six wires coming out of it and is covered by the amperage and voltage range of these two units. Are these two boards what I need to make it happen. Or could someone explain what all the abbreviations are? The boards come from China and will probably not have instructions?

where did you get the stepper controller unit in the bottom picture


thanks

Peter

 

[ShedBoy]

BTW, is your avatar Rollie Free ?? on a Vincent ?? Pic seems to be familiar,

That is Rollie Free on his record breaking run.

Peter
Both of them come from this ebay store
http://myworld.ebay.com.au/esale*wholesale/

Is it a good thing? They are quite cheap.

Away from a tool grinder will these two boards control a stepper? I am still want to play around with these things, never know what I will come up with.


Brock

 

[Tin Falcon]

some of the cnc machines now use servo motors for a spindle. higher rpm .


The first board definitely looks like a basic step motor control board and the second one is a MPG (manual Pulse generator)
I would think with 3 or 4 of the controllers a breakout board a power supply computer and some software you should be able to convert a machine to cnc. probably a small one. even if it just moved a pen or a knife you could still learn a lot.
the MPGs could be used for jogging or manual movement either one per axis or a switch to select the active axis.

Or could someone explain what all the abbreviations are? The boards come from China and will probably not have instructions?

Board 1 motor side looks like it is set up for a 6 wire motor I am used to 4 the A+- and B+- are your motor connections steppers are two phase. the current adjusts tunes the board to max rated motor current. the subdivide dips set microsteps. the half current switch cuts current when there is no input( idle). The terminal on the right is input step and direction.
they look like fun boards to experiment with. I hope you get spec sheets .
There seems to be a fair number of boards out there and info. the M is the middle wire so looks like you need a 6 wire motor again common.
tin

 

[ShedBoy]

You have mid-size steppers and no use for them? Sounds like someone needs a CNC project...

I do have a mini lathe which I have not used yet and it is tempting but I would like to play around with steppers before I commit to modifying a machine. All my other machine are large and will require steppers to suit. I like doing things manually, I find it theraputic, DRO would be good though. I am thinking now about auto feed for the tail stock or compound travel. I have bought the boards they are under $20 each so it can't hurt. Hopefully they come with instructions, if not someone will be able to help hopefully. Back to my original question will these two boards run my stepper without a computer?
Brock

 

[Tin Falcon]

well considering the mpg board pot is marked frequency control my guess is these boards would be good with a stepper to make a automatic feed setup and you can control the speed and direction of that movement.
they do make mpg dials that can be set up to dial in a few thousands or tenths of a mm. I do not think the boards you have will do that.
Tin

 

[ShedBoy]

The boards have arrived but no instructions, I sent an email but they said the instructions are on ebay listing, handy. No other instructions available.
I have 2 motors
1. Sanyo Denki StepSyn DC 2.4A 1.8Deg Type 103H7124-1142 C229 5801 feels like tiny ratchet when spun
2. ASTROSYN Type 23KM-C112-03 1.8V 2.3A 1.8deg

12 volt transformer and a 24volt transformer

and these two boards. I have sorted the motor leads into their respective groups, two coils with a common for each and I have worked out where they go and the power is no biggy. Just need to figure out how the pulse generator connects to the signal side of the driver and what the subdivide switches do. I am no electronics guru so simple terms would be good. Thanks in advance for the help.

Brock

 

[Tin Falcon]

it should not be too difficult do not over complicate things. e-bay seller bellevue2046 has the same board and pretty good instructions.
in a nutshell set all dips on and you should be good set your pot to about 5 o clock position.

sounds like you got a/b sides sorted do not mix them up you have plus minus and middle if plus and minus are reveres it does not matter. the other side is pulse moves the motor specific amount. direction self explanatory enable does not have to be wired .

hope this helps tin

 

[ShedBoy]

Thanx Tin I will give it a go.
Brock

 

[ShedBoy]

I have 2 steppers here which look the same, have the same numbers for voltage, amps etc but when you spin them have a noticably different feel. One is smooth with tiny little step feel while the other is very notchy feeling. They are made by different manufacturers. Is one better than the other?
Brock

 

[Herbiev]

Shed boy It sounds like the degrees per step is a lot different

 

[Bluechip]

I have 2 steppers here which look the same, have the same numbers for voltage, amps etc but when you spin them have a noticably different feel. One is smooth with tiny little step feel while the other is very notchy feeling. They are made by different manufacturers. Is one better than the other?
Brock

Does this fit ?? EDIT First paragraph ...

http://homepage.cs.uiowa.edu/~jones/step/types.html

BC