I have a diy (mdf with steel reinforcement) router machine for wood routing. The cutting area is 20" x 40". I'm running Mach 3, with 425 oz/in nema 23 steppers, Keling 4030 drivers, C-10 bob, 1/2-10 Acme lead screws, and a 24v power supply.
My machine runs smoothly at 35 ipm. When I try to increase this in motor tuning the motors "whine" and stall and the gantry stops moving or "slips". There is not a lot of friction in the machine as it moves quite freely when I hook up my 14v cordless drill to the leadscrews.
Does anybody have any ideas as to some good starting settings for velocity and accel? I would like to get this to 80-100 ipm.
I was told that a Smoothstepper might accomplish this by changing the connection from parallel port to usb. Is this correct? I would love to hear some feedback on Smoothstepper, good and bad. Any other ideas? How do some of these machines with smaller steppers possibly run at 200-300 ipm and more?
Thanks, Jeff