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Hi Everyone,
I'm wondering how the smooth stepper would function on a larger table design as I've heard about them being installed a lot in mills, and if I get a smooth stepper, will I still need a PMDX? Will it slow down the imp on the machine, or does it speed it up?
Sorry it's a newbie question, but I've emailed the company, and not heard back yet.
Thanks,
Chris
If you have questions about the SmoothStepper I recommend that you contact Jeff Birt at Soigeneris. He's very responsive and knowledgeable regarding the products he sells. I have a USB SS and have been very happy with it and have not had any problems with it. If I were to get another one I would get the Ethernet version simply because on principle it's better technology.
Chris
Hi Chris,
I've installed ethernet smooth stepper with C32 board on my machine. I can without problems jog machine at 30m/min with X and Y axis. I'm using rack and pinion with servo motors and 10:1 reduction gear. So far looks very good and ESS is very stable.
Regards,
Peter
The PMDX -126 has provisions for mounting the SS right on the board.
Depending on the breakout board you choose, the ESS may require up to three breakout boards.
The SmoothStepper won't do anything to affect the speed, but it gives you the ability to output steps at a much faster rate. So you'll have the ability to go faster, if the rest of your components can take advantage of it.
Not an attempt to hijack your thread but I am also thinking about using the smooth stepper on my next machine.......
Will it work on a windows 7 machine?
Will it work on 64 bit?
Thanks
Yes, and yes.Quote:
Originally Posted by ssutton
ger21,
What do you mean?Quote:
Depending on the breakout board you choose, the ESS may require up to three breakout boards.
The ESS has 3 parallel ports of inputs/outputs.
Hi Chris,
I have a Shopbot PRT 48" X 96" Router that I completely replaced all the electronics and software with the exception of the stepper motors.
I currently run it in Windows 7 32 bit on my HP Compaq 8710W laptop. I also used the PMDX 126 Break Out Board and plugged in a SmoothStepper right into the board. I also use Gerry's 2010 Screen Set. Everything works like a dream. Extremely satisfied.
If you would like to take a look at the video I did on this retrofit you can see it here.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WQ8KcTSKyQ]Shopbot PRT Electronic and Software Retrofit - YouTube[/ame]
John
John,
How you wire SSR to pump from PMDX 126?
here is a little project I put together on the smoothstepper. The goal was to place it between my laptop and G540 controller. I was able to get all functionality working but one.
Jogging, Axis Moving: Working
Homing Switches: Working
Estop: Working
Probe: Working
Router Relay Control: Working
SuperPID Control: Partial, Unable to control speed with Mach3
My laptop has Win7 64-bit and it does work very well with SmoothSteeper. I just have to put the SuperPID into manual mode when using the Smootstepper. It still turns the router on and off, I just cant get it to control the speed.
See the project here:
SmoothStepper Hookup
You might want to read through the long Super-PID thread. THere are plenty of people controlling their rpm with Smoothsteppers and a Super-PID.Quote:
I just have to put the SuperPID into manual mode when using the Smootstepper. It still turns the router on and off, I just cant get it to control the speed.
Its not that the smoothstepper cant control the speed of the router under certain combinations of hardware. Its the G540, SuperPID, and SmoothStepper that seems to be the issue.Quote:
Originally Posted by ger21
I did read it all and tried every thing on the thread.
I have been able to successfully control the speed of the router with a G540 and SuperPID using a parallel port.
IF anyone has been able to control the speed of the router with the G540, SuperPID, and SmoothStepper I would be real interested in how you got it to work.
I have also contacted both SuperPID and SmoothStepper and am still waiting for a response. Currently my stance (to my CNC builders) is that the SmoothStepper works in every reguard but the one mentioned above.
If this does get resolved I would be happy to test it and update my current projects.
This is awesome! Thanks for sharing this. Very inspiring!Quote:
Originally Posted by HelicopterJohn
Chris
Very nice. Thanks for the info. What is the length of travel and who many IPM do you get with it? Is it better to go with ethernet over USB?Quote:
Originally Posted by pero81
Thanks for the info!
Chris
Thanks for the helpful information. By the way, you're CNC router design is very solid looking. And it looks cool too, quite modern and sleek. Didn't know you used the smooth stepper in it. Does the smooth stepper increase the torque at all or is it something that just allows one to hook up via USB, and speeds up motors?
Also, how long does it take to get from the smooth stepper waiting list to the actual order?
Thanks,
Chris
I have noticed any change in torque when using the smoothstepper. About the only difference I noticed was there is a bit of LAG when using a Jog controller. Some delay in scripting as well.
There are only two reasons to use the SmothStepper.
1. You want to use a 64bit Windos OS as your controller
2. You dont have paralell port and cant install one.
I started testing the smoothstepper, because some of my readers requested it.
Im using a 2.4ghz 13" HP Envy for my tests. Its both a 64bit OS and does not have a parallel port. It works very well.
I would add a third: your PP based control isn't cutting the mustard.Quote:
Originally Posted by msimpson99
I submit to you this: Engineering Documents - Tormach Machine Controller | Tormach LLC | We provide personal small CNC machines, CNC tooling, and many more CNC items
I have personally had events where during certain 3D moves when in CV mode where I got motor stalling and massive missed steps at speeds that where 100% reliable in different programs.
I contacted smooth stepper on this point and they responded that the SS might help but they weren't sure.
Those two factors will become increasingly critical in the very near future, given that 4GB of memory is getting to be standard even on sub-$500 computers and parallel ports are about as common as floppy drives.Quote:
Originally Posted by msimpson99
While I realize that MacGuyver-fu is very strong in the DIY CNC community, IMHO there are far better ways to spend time and mental energy than maintaining legacy hardware and OSs.
While these reasons are certainly valid, the fact still remains that until controller software also moves to 64-bit, you probably won't see nuch if any machine performance benefit running an external pulse generator on XP versus Win7-64. Even a measly configured XP computer with minimal onboard and video RAM can push a machine far greater than most DIY specs can achieve.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee DeRaud
Also, XP SP3 is pretty darn stable and as ubiquitous as a ball-point pen, and a complete system can be had for next to nothing, or recycled. There are very, very few machines out there that can take full advantage of the power of today's computers and operating systems. While XP may be considered "legacy" it can still be shipped with a new system, and the fact that it has done so for almost 10 years is a testament to its capabilities (granted, there wasn't too much of a choice!)
Hi Chris, my working area is 2,5m in X axis and 1,5m in Y axis. I have set max speed at 30m/min ( 1180 IPM). I can go up to 40m/min (1575 IPM) but I don't need that much speed. About USB SS I have never used it so I don't have any info.Quote:
Originally Posted by Litemover
Regards,
Peter
I have built many machines, and have three machines in operation in my shop/lab. Each controller PC I built myself. They all are running Windows 7 32bit at about 1.8Ghz.
The machines I build are very simple, and yes you can still purchase motherboards with parallel ports. I probably spent around $300 for the parts on each machine.
I prefer building may own PC for the CNC machines because, I can do it my way. No optical drives, proper filtered fans for cooling. One of the CNC machines cuts MDF every single day and has been doing so for well over a year.
Now that said, I use my laptop for testing and special projects. It has a USB SmoothStepper. I simply unplug the parallel cable from the original controller PC and plug it into my laptops SmoothStepper. Bam! I'm up and running.
I have also taken this laptop over to others shops and hooked it up to their CNC machines with success.
The SmoothStepper serves a purpose. But will this $175 device, Add anything special to a already working CNC controller. NO!
Hah, no doubt about that. Guess I need one of these because I only have win 64 on my mac. Will it run through win Parallels on the Mac or do I need a dedicated machine?Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee DeRaud
Chris
I just hooked my CNC up to my Mac using a SmoothStepper. I am using VMFusion and windows7 32 bit. Im sure it would work with the 64 bit version as well.
Its a little laggy but it works.
Jog Control with Xbox Controller: Works
Jog Control with keyboard: Works
Probe: Works
Homing Switches: Works
Router Relay Control: Works
Router SuperPID control On and Off: Works
Router SuperPID speed cpntrol: Does not work
My Mac is a 2Ghz Mac mini with Lion Server.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/attach...1&d=1342141175
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/853612-post304.htmlQuote:
Originally Posted by msimpson99
I tried the settings in the post, and pretty much get the same results. The speed does change but its so far out off that its useless. I am not using all the resistors to change the voltage as I am using a +5v as the ref voltage. This works fine without the smoothstepper so it should work with it.
Tommorow I will try a spindle calibration, but this has never worked in the past.
Ok. After much playing around I was able to get the speed control to work or at least within 500RPM.
Apparantly the Spindle Calibration wizard is not compatible with the SmoothStepper. If you do try the calibration, be sure to remove the linearity.dat file as it will really mess things up.
Since you cant calibrate you have to adjust the min and max in the "Pulley Selection" form.
For the router I am using, I had to use a Min Speed of 1500 and Max Speed of 32000.
With these settings I get within a 200 RPM at the bottom and 500 or so near the middle and 1000 or so near the top. This is acceptable.
I will make the changes to my SmoothStepper setup project and let my folks know what I did.
This does bring up a point. If you can get your machine up and running without a SmoothStepper you will be better off on the long run. There are compatibility issues that may or not be overcome without some research. On the other hand if you don’t have a parallel port and can’t add one or are using a 64bit OS then your only choice is to use the SmoothStepper.
Personally, my preference is still a dedicated PC running a 32bit OS and parallel port. If you are doing any kind of production, this is the only way to go.
Cut some gears today using my 30x27 KRMx02 machine.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov5j-y0qcM0]GearTest - YouTube[/ame]
The Video the left is cut with a DIY PC (Dual 3Ghz) with parallel port. The video on the right is my HP Envy (Dual 1.8Ghz) with SmoothStepper.
Both are running the same Gcode connected to the same G540, SuperPID and CNC. Part is cut at 100IPM with 1000IPM Rapids using a 3/16" Spiral bit.
Both were perfect and exactly the same.
Excellent video, Thanks for sharing.
You can thank Gerry for this one. It was his link to the post that got me much closer to getting my machines setup for full control of the router, probe, Xbox controller, and all the other accessories.
Here is a link to the SmoothStepper project I provide for my book readers. I added the advanced settings project for those wanting full control of there router. Keep in mind other project on the site show the SuperPID wiring and configuration.
SmoothStepper Hookup
Is your SuperPID firmware set up for manual control or Mach3 control?Quote:
Ok. After much playing around I was able to get the speed control to work or at least within 500RPM.
Mach 3. Im pretty good at setting up the SuperPID. I have three of them, including the old one as well.
The current configuration on my two KRMx02 machines is that I have a run bypass and a pot/Mach3 switch so I can choose to go manual or Mach3. In POT mode its a little sensitive at the low end due to the Mach3 firmware loaded.
Im happy with the use of the SmoothStepper/G540/SuperPID. There are a lot of settings to get it correct. I was kind of supprised that I could not get my answers from the smoothstepper or SuperPID folks.
The cool thing is with my current setup you dont need any resistors. The G540 allows you to supply the ref voltage. If you want a 5v PWM signal then you provide 5v as the ref. I get mine from the SuperPID, which gets it from a regulated source.
I did some more tweaking and at 10000 RPM Im only off a couple hundred RPM. I can now move my laptop from machine to machine bypassing the production PC and run tests or tuneup confiurations.
The SmoothStepper is working well enough that I may do a chapter on it in my next book.
Why don't you use the second port on the SS to get your PWM signal? It sounds to me like the G540 isn't providing a linear analog voltage.
I got it pretty close now. The goal here was not to add any hardware changes and to plug the SS between the G540 and the laptop.
To be honest, I have a couple routers that were a nightmare to get calibrated properly. However the use of the calibration wizard helped in those cases.