[LaserImage]

I need a simple way to drive a stepper. I have an MPG, power supply and a motor but need to know what else is necessary to be able to drive the motor. It's just going to raise and lower the Z axis on my fiber laser so I don't need anything more than the MPG to move it up and down. Ideally I would be able to control the speed, but that's not as important as just being able to control it period. Any help is appreciated!

[H500]

Cheapest driver is drv8825 ($2.00) if motor needs <1.5amp. Otherwise, use a tb6600 ($20)

[James Newton]

Sounds like you are talking more about a motion controller than a motor driver. The motion controller is the thing that generates the step and direction signals at the right speeds to cause smooth and controlled movement. The driver translates the step and direction signals into magnetic field strengths in the motor coils.

The type of motion controler you need depends on what the input to the motion controller will be. How are you going to tell your z axis where to move?

[LaserImage]

I don't exactly where it will move, I just want to move it - up or down and at the speed I want to move it.

[James Newton]

LOL... well it's going to be hard to advise you until you know what you want.

[LaserImage]

LOL... well it's going to be hard to advise you until you know what you want.

I know exactly what I want but obviously I'm not describing that very well... I don't need to move it to a specific position, I just need to move it up and down and be able to vary the speed. The exact coordinates are meaningless, I move to adjust the focus of the laser to accommodate the part I'm lasering.

[James Newton]

So do you want a up / down buttons? Do you want to point to the pace it should move? Do you want it to track your eye and move where you look? A simulation of the machine in the PC and you click where you want it to move? Voice command?

[LaserImage]

Do you have to work at being an a$$hole or does it just come naturally to you?

[James Newton]

Wow. Sorry if I offended. Wasn't my intention at all. I was just genuinely trying to understand how you wanted to tell the Z axis where to go. All of those interface methods ARE possible and have been used at one time or another. I'm currently working on voice command for some electronics test gear. I've used distance sensors to register a pointing motion and react to it. Eyetracking is becoming quite possible with RasPi's and head mounted cameras. 3D printer control software now allows you to move the virtual machine.

:walking away carefully, hands in the air: