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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Posts
    31

    Recommended 'steps' setting

    Hello All-

    I have built the Joes 2006 cnc machine and I hooked up the Y-Axis last night and got it moving. Yippie!

    However, I'm not getting any higher speeds than I had got with my JRGO version. I figured with the tighter tolerances/accuracy/etc I would get higher travel speeds.

    Anyways, when I was moving the axis at high speeds, the carriage seemed to "jerk" quite a bit. Almost like a reverberation. I hope this makes sense. I got to thinking, is this caused by the number of 'steps' I have the stepper driver set at (like 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, etc)

    What I would like is to have the stepper turn as "strong" as it can, with as much torque as possible. This is because incase the threaded rod tends to bind a bit, I would like the stepper to be able to "push" through it without skipping steps.

    Also, what is the recommended lube for the threaded rods? I used to use grease, but it gummed up with dust. Now, I a using silicon spray, but it seems to wear off quickly.

    Thanks for your help.

    Brad

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    3655
    Hi bradtal. Welcome to the Zone!

    Full step is the fastest. Some drives will make the motors faster with less steps. You won't really know until you try it and measure both ways. It also depends on your computer--Is it fast enough to OUTPUT enough pulses per second for high microstep rates?

    CR.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    35494
    What drives, motors, and screws are you using?
    Gerry

    UCCNC 2017 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2017.html

    Mach3 2010 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

    JointCAM - CNC Dovetails & Box Joints
    http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Posts
    31
    Gerry-

    Sorry. Good point...

    I am using the standard 1/2 inch x 13 acme threaded rod. 305oz steppers with a hobbycnc board, 24V 10A power supply. Mach3 to drive the steppers. I have a dedicated computer with just Mach3 on it, so the computer should be fast enough for all steps.

    I plan on upgrading to the 5 start threaded shafts from McMaster-Carr eventually.

    Brad

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    35494
    3.5amps is too low, which could be part of your problem. And 36Volts would be better. But you won't gain a lot of speed until you switch the screws. But you really should use a 36V 10a power supply.
    Gerry

    UCCNC 2017 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2017.html

    Mach3 2010 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

    JointCAM - CNC Dovetails & Box Joints
    http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Posts
    6
    I believe that 1/2" x 13 would be standard threaded rod - not acme.
    Doesn't 1/2" Acme only come in 8 or 10 threads-inch (of course with
    various number of starts)?

    If you are using standard threaded rod, the accuracy and efficiency
    of the rod will be much less than with acme threads.

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