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IndustryArena Forum > Laser Engraving and Cutting Machines > Laser Engraving / Cutting Machine General Topics > Need Help With AWC708C Lite Controller & Stepper Motors Lock Up With High Pitch Hum
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Posts
    10

    Question Need Help With AWC708C Lite Controller & Stepper Motors Lock Up With High Pitch Hum

    Hi Folks,

    Whenever I try to set my microsteps above 2, my motors twitch just a little when they start to move, then they lock up and just sit there making a high pitch humming noise until I hit the stop button on the controller. What's happening? Mine should by running at 8 microsteps, but will only make a humming noise. If I set my microsteps at 2, then everything runs, but it never returns to the same position. I'm assuming this is because my microsteps need to be set at 8 in order for everything to work out properly.

    Also, there is no place to set any type of distance traveled/motor settings in the controller menu. There are some speed settings, but they don't seem to do much of anything.

    Any help would be appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Patrick

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Posts
    1740

    Re: Need Help With AWC708C Lite Controller & Stepper Motors Lock Up With High Pitch H

    And where did you set the stepper driver steps at?




    https://youtu.be/WvBYrvtsU5Y
    Retired Master Electrician, HVAC/R Commercial. FLA Saturn 2 4x4 CNC Router Mach4 Kimber 1911 45ACP

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Posts
    10

    Re: Need Help With AWC708C Lite Controller & Stepper Motors Lock Up With High Pitch H

    OK, I've got a few things figured out, but I'm still stumped on a thing or two.

    First, my steppers are 200 steps per 360 degrees or 1.8 degree steppers. With my pulley system, I'm getting
    2.375" or 60.325mm per 360 degrees of rotation. I have my stepper drivers set to 8 micro steps. What I need
    to figure out, is how much distance I'm getting per pulse? I have no idea what a pulse is? In the controllers menu,
    I need to set how many millimeters of travel I'm getting per pulse.

    Do I divide 60.325mm by 200 for the motors 200 steps or do I divide 60.325mm by 8 for the 8 micro steps?
    I'm lost, any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Patrick

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Posts
    1740

    Re: Need Help With AWC708C Lite Controller & Stepper Motors Lock Up With High Pitch H

    Quote Originally Posted by PatrickMM View Post
    OK, I've got a few things figured out, but I'm still stumped on a thing or two.

    First, my steppers are 200 steps per 360 degrees or 1.8 degree steppers. With my pulley system, I'm getting
    2.375" or 60.325mm per 360 degrees of rotation. I have my stepper drivers set to 8 micro steps. What I need
    to figure out, is how much distance I'm getting per pulse? I have no idea what a pulse is? In the controllers menu,
    I need to set how many millimeters of travel I'm getting per pulse.

    Do I divide 60.325mm by 200 for the motors 200 steps or do I divide 60.325mm by 8 for the 8 micro steps?
    I'm lost, any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Patrick
    Your stepper drives set the steps, and it needs to match in your software. The motor may say its 200 steps per rotation but your drives will be set up for Micro stepping. My fiber laser rotary is set at 12,800 but that is way extreme. Gecko website has all the details you will need and do your research. Curious why your tinkering with CNC if you do not know the basics?
    Stepper Motor Controls, Digital Stepper & Servo Drives, Servo Motor Controls | GeckoDrive
    Retired Master Electrician, HVAC/R Commercial. FLA Saturn 2 4x4 CNC Router Mach4 Kimber 1911 45ACP

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Posts
    10

    Re: Need Help With AWC708C Lite Controller & Stepper Motors Lock Up With High Pitch H

    Seriously? Didn't you start somewhere?

    As I stated in my other post, my drives are set to 8 microsteps.

    I've built other CNC machines, all were connected to American software/hardware, and was very easy to understand.
    Now trying to setup a laser using Chinese hardware/software, and there is not one damned piece of information that
    explains anything at all!! Doing the best I can with SAE and converting to Metric, and trying to read the nonsensical
    Chinese Menus in the controller system, but nothing at all is translating for s***.

    Guess I will trash the Chinese crap, and just go with my old CNC equipment and Mach 3.

    Patrick

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Posts
    1740

    Re: Need Help With AWC708C Lite Controller & Stepper Motors Lock Up With High Pitch H

    Quote Originally Posted by PatrickMM View Post
    Seriously? Didn't you start somewhere?

    As I stated in my other post, my drives are set to 8 microsteps.

    I've built other CNC machines, all were connected to American software/hardware, and was very easy to understand.
    Now trying to setup a laser using Chinese hardware/software, and there is not one damned piece of information that
    explains anything at all!! Doing the best I can with SAE and converting to Metric, and trying to read the nonsensical
    Chinese Menus in the controller system, but nothing at all is translating for s***.

    Guess I will trash the Chinese crap, and just go with my old CNC equipment and Mach 3.

    Patrick
    Steps are steps per rotation has nothing to do with Metric? All your care about is when you input 10 mm the motion system moves 10 mm, same as inches. If you have done it before in inches its the same thing.
    Retired Master Electrician, HVAC/R Commercial. FLA Saturn 2 4x4 CNC Router Mach4 Kimber 1911 45ACP

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Posts
    10

    Re: Need Help With AWC708C Lite Controller & Stepper Motors Lock Up With High Pitch H

    The problem is, I have no idea what "Distance Per Pulse (Um)" is in the Chinese controller. That's what I'm trying to find out.
    The original setting is something like 07.540625, but when I change it to my setting (or what should be my setting), it doesn't
    match up! So I'm trying to figure out WTH is meant by "Distance Per Pulse (Um)"?

    Calculations:

    200 steps * 8 microsteps
    --------------------------------------
    2mm * 30 tooth pulley

    should equal:

    1600
    -------
    60

    = 26.666667mm

    Is that not correct? OK fine, what is "Distance Per Pulse (Um)"? Per step, per microstep, per 360 degree rotation, what? So
    far, everything I put in is not matching up with my calculations.

    I just thought there might be someone who has dealt with this Chinese system (AWC708) that might give me some insight on
    WTH is going on and how to get it set right, not tell me I shouldn't be messing around with CNC.

    Patrick

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
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    1740

    Re: Need Help With AWC708C Lite Controller & Stepper Motors Lock Up With High Pitch H

    Tell you what I will do, I will get a couple of Screen Shots from my working setup tomorrow and post. Sorry you misunderstood what I was saying but there are so many people that come on here without a Clue or the first idea about CNC and expect someone to give them all the answers without doing any research on their own. I learned what I learned by searching, making mistakes and just getting it done. I am a long ways from being an expert, but when I get done it works.
    Retired Master Electrician, HVAC/R Commercial. FLA Saturn 2 4x4 CNC Router Mach4 Kimber 1911 45ACP

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
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    1740

    Re: Need Help With AWC708C Lite Controller & Stepper Motors Lock Up With High Pitch H

    Ok here are screen shots this is a 40 Watt and table / work area 12x20 inches or 300 x 500 mm I think the uM should be really Microns and this is a conversion. Link > Microns to Inches | Kyle's Converter
    Retired Master Electrician, HVAC/R Commercial. FLA Saturn 2 4x4 CNC Router Mach4 Kimber 1911 45ACP

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    71

    Re: Need Help With AWC708C Lite Controller & Stepper Motors Lock Up With High Pitch H

    Hi Patrick,
    A Month late.. Dunno where youre at. I have a 708Cplus that is causing me some grief. I'd like to suggest that you go into your manufacturer menu....

    Hold down the "stop" button and then press 6 - 0 - 8 in sequence while still holding down the stop button. This should get you into a sub menu for xyz uvw drive parameters. IF its anything like the 708c plus, you should have a meny that notes steps per pulse or some such chinglish BS.....

    On the plus version - put down a sacrifical sheet of cardboard. at least half the length and width of your platten. Touch off your beam and then make the head travel in a direction either X or Y or both in sequential order. stop the movement and touch off your beam again. Now measure the distance between the laser burn hole dots in your cardboard.... and record that value.

    goto that sub menu. It will ask you for the distance expected and the distance actually travelled. insert your figures and then note that the result will be reflected in the pulses section.... This may have to be done a couple of times on each axis. on my POS controller, one seems to affect the next.

    I dunno.. try it.. maybe they two units are similar enough that you can find your values this way? oh.. and the farther you can make the distance btween the dots.. the more accurate your results will be and the more accurate the machine will cut.

    Good luck. PM me if you need more info.. or signwavegraphics at gmail dot calm.< better here than there... anyway.. good luck. Im off to rant about my latest BS experience from Sinjoe tech. (sinjoke)

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Posts
    8

    Re: Need Help With AWC708C Lite Controller & Stepper Motors Lock Up With High Pitch H

    I have my gantry set up and running well now but I`m looking for the wiring outputs from the k40 psu to the 708 if anyone could help

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    125

    Re: Need Help With AWC708C Lite Controller & Stepper Motors Lock Up With High Pitch H

    Quote Originally Posted by Badonkadonk View Post
    I have my gantry set up and running well now but I`m looking for the wiring outputs from the k40 psu to the 708 if anyone could help
    As there’s no such thing as a ‘k40 psu’, you would get better mileage by using part number/make and photos if you don’t have part numbers.

    Every ‘k40’ has different components.

    Is your machine a 200x300mm unit, or a 300x500mm unit? Does it have a 40w or 50w laser? Does it have a lifting bed? Pass-through? An ammeter? What options does your PSU offer? PWM control? TTL?

    Does your psu have a test button?

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Posts
    1

    Re: Need Help With AWC708C Lite Controller & Stepper Motors Lock Up With High Pitch H

    If someone has not been able, it is done as follows: (um) refers to micrometers. A micrometer is one thousandth of a millimeter. If you have a 1.8 degree motor, you would have 200 steps per rev and if you also put the controller in 16 steps, you would have a total of 3200 steps per revolution. If your pulley turns 40mm, you divide it into the micro steps, that is 40/3200 = 0.0125. That result is multiplied by 1000 to obtain the micrometers. In the software you would put 12.500000.

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