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IndustryArena Forum > Other Machines > Other Machine Topics > Arduino Stepper controller
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Posts
    327

    Arduino Stepper controller

    I have a project that I think might be fairly easy using Arduino, but I'm not sure. It's pretty basic, I just need to move a platform on the x and y axes. It will be about 4" x 6" and total weight of the platform is less than 5lbs. Max movement will be about 16" in Y and 48" in X, no Z.

    Here is what I need to accomplish:
    1. Manually move the platform to where I want 0,0 to be located and set that in the program
    2. Hit "start" and the platform moves in the positive X direction.
    3. When a limit switch is hit, reverse direction in the X axis and move a set amount in the Y axis.
    4. When the limit switch is hit at zero X, reverse direction in X and move in Y.
    5. When the limit switch is hit in the Y axis, stop all movement.

    Basically, it is zig-zagging to cover a rectangular area defined by limit switches.

    I'm thinking Arduino because I don't want to run a computer with Mach just to control this fairly "dumb" machine.

    Any suggestions?

    THanks!!
    Gary

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    2141
    While it sounds like you should be able to do what you want with an Arduino, I'm not sure what your actual question is.

    There is a stepper motor control library available for the Arduino (for doing simple stepper control such as might be done for a small mobile robot) and there is a stepper motor control board that would work with small motors.

    The Arduino should be easily capable of reading limit switch activation and taking an action based on it.

    So the raw materials to do what you want are probably available "off the shelf", and it should take only a small amount of custom programming to glue them together.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    156
    It has already been done. Look at the Zen Toolworks Wiki.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    2141
    Quote Originally Posted by salzburg View Post
    It has already been done. Look at the Zen Toolworks Wiki.
    While the Arduino stepper controller article from the Zen Toolworks Wiki is an interesting one (thanks for bringing it to my attention), I'm not sure that it directly answers what the OP wants to do.

    That article instructs the user to download and run a Windows GCode sender application, which transfers GCode to the Arduino. The Arduino itself runs grbl code that translates the downloaded GCode into step and direction signals that are sent to the stepper drivers. So, if you had a GCode file with (for example) instructions for carving a sign, that would do the job for you.

    I may be missing something, but I don't see how that setup would permit the OP to repetitively step the X axis in one direction, detect limit switch activation, increment the Y stepper, then reverse the X direction (and so forth), until finally the Y axis limit switch is reached.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Posts
    0

    grbl

    Hello Gary

    I hooked up three stepper motors to my Arduino via the GRBL motor shield.
    Downloaded a GRBL controller and I have a 3 axis machine. I now want to hook up switches too and also ned help

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