[kievari]

Hi,
(my English is not native, sorry if mistakes)

After a year and a half CNC machining with 3 axis, I aimed to upgrade to the A axis. I ordered a 4th axis motor and mechanism from ebay and got it (on NEMA 23).

Next I ordered an axis controller based on TB6560AHQ and the same as controllers that are running my X, Y and Z till now. The driver came and I jumped to assemble it. After hardware and software setup on inside the control box and Mach3, I went for a test and I found that the motor is rotating only on one direction. The other one does not physically work, although Mach3 is changing the coordinate.

Next I went for some trouble shooting. I first excluded the new controller, and the old stepper running on x and connected the new stepper to x. Test passed. Next, I tried to run my old stepper motor which is working properly, with the new controller: the same result: one direction works, the other not.

I did some other tests by including and excluding components and my overall conclusion is that the controller board has problems.

I will reorder one from ebay but on a new design I've seen there, but I thought to ask in this forum:

1. May be experts could help me make sure about the problem of the controller and even fix it?
2. Is there any reliable/proven schematics based on TB6560AHQ to DIY a driver board? I've milled successful PCBs and I think someone already proved a schematic for TB6560AHQ to work accurately with Mach3, but until now googling did not give a good result to me. Excep this one:
CNCRouterBuild: StepTB6560 Step Motor Driver

But I think there must be better options to implement TB6560AHQ, with additional circuitry usually found on professional stepper drivers.

Thanks in advance for advices.

[crob09]

Hi,
(my English is not native, sorry if mistakes)

After a year and a half CNC machining with 3 axis, I aimed to upgrade to the A axis. I ordered a 4th axis motor and mechanism from ebay and got it (on NEMA 23).

Next I ordered an axis controller based on TB6560AHQ and the same as controllers that are running my X, Y and Z till now. The driver came and I jumped to assemble it. After hardware and software setup on inside the control box and Mach3, I went for a test and I found that the motor is rotating only on one direction. The other one does not physically work, although Mach3 is changing the coordinate.

Next I went for some trouble shooting. I first excluded the new controller, and the old stepper running on x and connected the new stepper to x. Test passed. Next, I tried to run my old stepper motor which is working properly, with the new controller: the same result: one direction works, the other not.

I did some other tests by including and excluding components and my overall conclusion is that the controller board has problems.

I will reorder one from ebay but on a new design I've seen there, but I thought to ask in this forum:

1. May be experts could help me make sure about the problem of the controller and even fix it?
2. Is there any reliable/proven schematics based on TB6560AHQ to DIY a driver board? I've milled successful PCBs and I think someone already proved a schematic for TB6560AHQ to work accurately with Mach3, but until now googling did not give a good result to me. Excep this one:
CNCRouterBuild: StepTB6560 Step Motor Driver

But I think there must be better options to implement TB6560AHQ, with additional circuitry usually found on professional stepper drivers.

Thanks in advance for advices.

Your problem is with the Ports and Pins in Mach3, I say that because you note that the old and new motor do the same thing when you attach them and that your using a different control board, just because the TB6560 IC is the same, the pins maybe different.
If you have a link to the board you purchased I will be happy to see if I can generate a config file for you.

[kievari]

Thank you, this is the link of ebay page of the driver board I purchased:
CNC Single One 1 Axis 3.5A TB6560 Stepper Motor Driver Controller Board | eBay

[doorknob]

Can you use a multimeter to check the voltage on the DIR pin of the driver? It should be a logic 'high' for one direction and a logic 'low' for the other direction. If it does not change voltage, then the likely cause is outside of the driver board (for example, bad cable, incorrect setup of breakout board, bad Mach3 ports and pins setup).

What are you using for your breakout board?

[crob09]

Thank you, this is the link of ebay page of the driver board I purchased:
CNC Single One 1 Axis 3.5A TB6560 Stepper Motor Driver Controller Board | eBay

Sorry, I need to see the breakout board you are using. The driver board is probably just fine.
The fourth interface on your breakout board for the driver board needs to be enabled and the proper I/O's specified in Mach3 under "Ports and Pins".
If you send me information on the Breakout board I will forward you the .XML file you need.

Cheers,

Rob

[crob09]

Can you use a multimeter to check the voltage on the DIR pin of the driver? It should be a logic 'high' for one direction and a logic 'low' for the other direction. If it does not change voltage, then the likely cause is outside of the driver board (for example, bad cable, incorrect setup of breakout board, bad Mach3 ports and pins setup).

What are you using for your breakout board?

A person can check with an Mutlimeter yes, however "kievari" has already done some manual trouble shooting by using other functional drivers in place of the driver he is questioning.
He also had the Mill working before, hence why the DB25 cable is probably fine, although checking continuity would only take a second and he has probably already done that.
And how can you setup the breakout board incorrectly? Odds are all the I/O's are configured the same way, and even if it was just a DIP switch the motor would still rotate in both directions.
It's just a software issue.

regards,

Rob
http://www.whatisacnc.com

[doorknob]

A person can check with an Mutlimeter yes, however "kievari" has already done some manual trouble shooting by using other functional drivers in place of the driver he is questioning.
He also had the Mill working before, hence why the DB25 cable is probably fine, although checking continuity would only take a second and he has probably already done that.
And how can you setup the breakout board incorrectly? Odds are all the I/O's are configured the same way, and even if it was just a DIP switch the motor would still rotate in both directions.
It's just a software issue.

regards,

Rob
what is a cnc

Based on my interpretation of the tests that "kievari" has described, you can not rule out the possibility of a hardware-related problem.

For example, a DB-25 cable may work fine with X, Y and Z axes, and yet it could still be missing an internal connection for a pin needed by the new axis, so it would be a mistake to rule out the cable without testing it.

Without knowing the details of the breakout board and how it is set up and connected, you also can not rule out the breakout board as the culprit.

So, my advice would still be to use a multimeter on the DIR pin of the driver, check for the expected change in the signal with the change in direction, and if that test fails, work backwards through the breakout board output, the breakout board input, and the cable and port, and then if necessary back to the software configuration.

[crob09]

Based on my interpretation of the tests that "kievari" has described, you can not rule out the possibility of a hardware-related problem.

For example, a DB-25 cable may work fine with X, Y and Z axes, and yet it could still be missing an internal connection for a pin needed by the new axis, so it would be a mistake to rule out the cable without testing it.

Without knowing the details of the breakout board and how it is set up and connected, you also can not rule out the breakout board as the culprit.

So, my advice would still be to use a multimeter on the DIR pin of the driver, check for the expected change in the signal with the change in direction, and if that test fails, work backwards through the breakout board output, the breakout board input, and the cable and port, and then if necessary back to the software configuration.

As I said the DB25 cable is something he has probably already checked, it's simple, I didn't say not to check it just that it has "Probably" already been checked.
That said kievari, if you haven't checked for continuity you do so by checking resistance, so check using the Ohm metere on your Multimetere.

I do wonder doorknob what you think would be configured incorrectly on the breakout board? Most are bare-bones, there really isn't much that can go wrong, look at the MK4c from SOC.

Again once I see the driver board I will beable to get a configuration file for Mach3. Keep it simple, lets troubleshoot this using the information we have.

[doorknob]

I do wonder doorknob what you think would be configured incorrectly on the breakout board? Most are bare-bones, there really isn't much that can go wrong, look at the MK4c from SOC.

Since I have "been there, done that", I know that there are lots of things that can go wrong. (flame2)

For example, something as simple as inadvertently connecting the direction wire to the wrong terminal (which could be a 'common' terminal instead of an output terminal), or missing a loose wire, or accidentally tightening a terminal screw down on the insulation instead of on the conductor.

That's why I am suggesting using a "signal tracing" approach to isolating the source of the problem.

[crob09]

Since I have "been there, done that", I know that there are lots of things that can go wrong. (flame2)

For example, something as simple as inadvertently connecting the direction wire to the wrong terminal (which could be a 'common' terminal instead of an output terminal), or missing a loose wire, or accidentally tightening a terminal screw down on the insulation instead of on the conductor.

That's why I am suggesting using a "signal tracing" approach to isolating the source of the problem.

I have "Been there, done that" just like you and many other people, and in my experience it's best to tackle the simple steps before the more complicated steps when trying to solve a problem, for example you don't replace a fuel pump in your car without checking to see if the gas tank is empty first.
We know based on the information provided that the most likley and the simplest way to trouble shoot this is by looking at the software first. I can configure Mach3 for him and send him the meta file he needs to check that the "Ports and Pins" have been configured properly.

If you continue to push I will retract my offer and leave this for you to solve.

Regards,

Rob
what is a cnc

[kievari]

Hi,
Thank you really for your support, this is my board:
http://i45.tinypic.com/2z4ehs3.jpg

I soldered a connector to A's port which is not on this picture. I connected:
driver <--> board:
CP+ <--> PU+
CP- <--> PU-
DIR+ <--> DIR+
DIR- <--> DIR-

Next I setup STEP/DIR pins as shown on the controller, in Mach3.

Still I have the wrong situation: motor moves to one direction only, when connected to the new driver board, but if I connect it to old drivers, then it moves the right way (both directions).

I also traced the connections with sounding multimeter many times and found no problem.

Confused still, need your support on,

Thanks again

[crob09]

Hi,
Thank you really for your support, this is my board:
http://i45.tinypic.com/2z4ehs3.jpg

I soldered a connector to A's port which is not on this picture. I connected:
driver <--> board:
CP+ <--> PU+
CP- <--> PU-
DIR+ <--> DIR+
DIR- <--> DIR-

Next I setup STEP/DIR pins as shown on the controller, in Mach3.

Still I have the wrong situation: motor moves to one direction only, when connected to the new driver board, but if I connect it to old drivers, then it moves the right way (both directions).

I also traced the connections with sounding multimeter many times and found no problem.

Confused still, need your support on,

Thanks again

Just a contradiction I noticed from your original post, you noted and I quote
"Next I went for some trouble shooting. I first excluded the new controller, and the old stepper running on x and connected the new stepper to x. Test passed. Next, I tried to run my old stepper motor which is working properly, with the new controller: the same result: one direction works, the other not."
and you just stated "Still I have the wrong situation: motor moves to one direction only, when connected to the new driver board, but if I connect it to old drivers, then it moves the right way (both directions)."

So what exactly is the problem?
Does the new driver board work properly when you use it in place of an axis that is already working? If this is the case it's the Port and Pin configuration just as I noted before and I will get you that .XML file this evening.
or
Does the new driver board when connected to your breakout boards fourth axis work properly with some motors and not others? If this is the problem I don't have a solution for you at this point but I can look into it and let you know what my findings are.

Thanks for clarifying,

Rob

[kievari]

1.
>Does the new driver board when connected to your breakout boards fourth axis work properly with some motors and not others?
***
this is not the case

2.
>Does the new driver board work properly when you use it in place of an axis that is already working
also not the case

3. I just after reading your last post, repeated such an experiment: a
a. Excluded the new driver and extracted its connecter from A port of main board
b. disconnected the x connector of main board and so connected the old x driver board to A's port.
c. connected the rotational motor (A axis) to the x driver board and run the system.

Result: works correct! motor goes in both directions as predicted and hence it seems that the port/pin config I set in Match3 could be correct. In fact, I checked them many times with the hope that not to have the pain of waiting for a new driver board.

Now if you say in this case no soft solution can help, then time to accept that pain!

[crob09]

1.
>Does the new driver board when connected to your breakout boards fourth axis work properly with some motors and not others?
***
this is not the case

2.
>Does the new driver board work properly when you use it in place of an axis that is already working
also not the case

3. I just after reading your last post, repeated such an experiment: a
a. Excluded the new driver and extracted its connecter from A port of main board
b. disconnected the x connector of main board and so connected the old x driver board to A's port.
c. connected the rotational motor (A axis) to the x driver board and run the system.

Result: works correct! motor goes in both directions as predicted and hence it seems that the port/pin config I set in Match3 could be correct. In fact, I checked them many times with the hope that not to have the pain of waiting for a new driver board.

Now if you say in this case no soft solution can help, then time to accept that pain!

Your not making much sense here, just to simplify things.
Did you remove a driver from a working location of the Breakout board and swap it with the driver you just purchased?
If you did what was the result?

[kievari]

Your not making much sense here, just to simplify things.
Did you remove a driver from a working location of the Breakout board and swap it with the driver you just purchased?
If you did what was the result?

exactly did that, the result was that the rotational axis started to work correct.

I don't know how to find the fault on the new driver I purchased. If the setting were wrong in Mach3, they should not work with old drivers (from A port) right? If so, sure it is the new board.

[crob09]

exactly did that, the result was that the rotational axis started to work correct.

I don't know how to find the fault on the new driver I purchased. If the setting were wrong in Mach3, they should not work with old drivers (from A port) right? If so, sure it is the new board.

If it worked properly in the X axis location on the breakout board then the driver is fine.
If your having problems only on the A axis location on the breakout board then you are experiencing software problems.
The breakout board does exactly that, it breaks out from the DB25 pins to the Driver IC. There really isn't much to a breakout board, and if all the drivers work properly then the only other logical explanation would be the software.
So if you have exchanged the driver as you noted with a working axis and had the new driver work properly, start looking some place else.
I will look into Mach for you, do you have a screenshot of the configuartion you are using?

[kievari]

If it worked properly in the X axis location on the breakout board then the driver is fine.
If your having problems only on the A axis location on the breakout board then you are experiencing software problems.
The breakout board does exactly that, it breaks out from the DB25 pins to the Driver IC. There really isn't much to a breakout board, and if all the drivers work properly then the only other logical explanation would be the software.
So if you have exchanged the driver as you noted with a working axis and had the new driver work properly, start looking some place else.
I will look into Mach for you, do you have a screenshot of the configuartion you are using?

sorry, I'm not explaining clear, as I told my English is not native. It is

>If your having problems only on the A axis location
No, I have no problem on A axis location of the breakout board! I did not express clear, I meant that I connected the old driver boards, to A, on the breakout board, and it worked fine!

Only the new purchased driver board won't work correctly when connected to A port of the breakout board. Also, if I connect the new driver board to X (where old driver was working fine) motor stop to work correctly.

This to me means that unfortunately the new purchased driver is defected

[kievari]

Hi,
This is an update, posted with the hope that somebody finally help me out of problem...

I made sure that the Mach3 setting are right, how? this way:
1. I detached my working X-axis-driver-board from X port of the breakout board and connected to the A port
2. Connected the rotational stepper to the X driver board
3. Test drive passed! This proves that setting of Mach3 are right, because A port via a driver board can correctly run the motor.

Back to new drivers...
I ordered a new driver board from a different seller of ebay and it came, so I now have "2 new single axis driver boards based on TB6560" and the design is different on each. I call older one P, and new one Q.
The pic of P is at the beginning of post and this is Q:
http://i45.tinypic.com/zohnhk.jpg
http://i47.tinypic.com/scu8ac.jpg


Problem case:
1. I returned X-driver-board to its position and connected the rotational motor to the new board I just received, that is Q.
2. Attached B's control pins of CP+, -, EN+, -, to the breakout board the common way.
3. Test Driver didn't pass! Same problem as with my P driver board! Well, I imagine it nearly impossible to buy 2 different driver board and they both have same problem! They only rotate the motor in 1 direction.

So as their behavior is very close - rotating, working, but only in one direction - that probably means something else is making the problem, but what?

Could you please suggest a test maybe by measuring voltages, so I could figure out something to solve this problem finally?

Edit:
May be this also helps:
When I press + and - keys related to A axis on the keyboard, one of them rotates the motor, the other not, but for both of them:
1. the numeric values of Match3 change correctly, and
2. INDICATOR on the driver board responds correctly, going on/off when I press/release the keys on keyboard. So probably the signal is not coming as should be, or something else yet?

Unfortunately, I don't have oscilloscope.

[kievari]

SOLVED!

Big apologize people! I had simple mistaken wiring!

I have to be perhaps shy for that taking your time! Just reversing cable and all got working.

Well thank you all I learned from you explaining here in posts and again sorry for my mistake!