[tweeter00]

Hey if anyone has any info on the stepgenie ic I would appreciate it. Right now I can only get some information off the main website and ebay. The problem is everytime I wire up the thing I get 5v comeing out the Enab*,Step, Dir, Mode A & B, and sometimes the outs for the motors. I am at wits end because I have a headache thats 2 weeks long...

[Bruce Telebry]

The signals you are measuring are INPUTS not outputs. There is no reason to measure voltage at the inputs.

The spec sheet for the device can be downloaded from the www.stepgenie.com website...

http://www.stepgenie.com/StepGenieSpec.pdf

Try the Demo Board if you're having trouble. It's ready to go.

[pingiscoolest]

Bruce is right there is no reason to measure the voltage at the inputs of the chip. Also in the datasheet of the stepgenie it says that the inputs will float high if not connected to anything. This would explain the values you are reading.

[blackman]

Hello everyone. Is there a PCB of stepgenie demo board? I bought the PIC, but not the demo board. I'd like to create my own.

[kendhill57]

note on stepgenie:
a) stepgenie is a pic chip but has a very fast free clocling speed:



b) ive tested operation on a standard lpt breakout with opto isulation:



c) the info from is all the basics of the control and status pins:


d) i used a board made for 7 segment displays about 10(displays)


e) i try to buy stuff in bulk got drivers for motors good for 200amps
cheap(bag of 20 for about 6 bucks on ebay)

f) the steppers i have are 2.5v i used a at style pc power supply and burdon
resistors (5 v is good for 25 amps ) for now i pluged a harddrive in to enable supply will use a dummy load resistor when i find the right value


g) used mach3 and emc2 to test im using emc2 now it have a better interface
but takes a bit to setup but it runs great

h) i plan to post some pics and info if anyone is intrested in something
jest post in this thread

have a blessed day
ken

[blackman]

I am interested for PCB demo board. Please send it.

All the best.

[kendhill57]

like i said eariler i made one from a seven segment desplay board i have to get the sorce and you can make it like i did;

i will post a source for board when i find one i made mine from on i had for a long time i think i got it frome radio shack but its been a while
thanks ken

[aashijanani]

Hello,

I want to build my stepper driver with the stepgenie IC. Can anyone send me at [email protected] the driver circuit ?

The demo board shown at stepgenie.com has 2 capacitors whereas the circuit shows only one and there is resistor. Can anyone figure how and where to connect these? What about the NC (in the IC)-Where to connect this?

Thanks

[c_nut]

The nc stand for no connection so it is not connected to anything which is sometimes important. DO NOT ground it.

The small capicator is the one in the pdf at the website which filters the 5 volts to the chip. The other one filters the voltage to the motors. I need to check the demo board at the house as I do not remember the circuit. I got this board when I was having trouble with the 7078 I was using but by the time I recieved it I had figured out the trouble with the 7078. I am just getting ready to try this demo board as I now find the 7078 will not easily mount in the case I am using. Can't stand it up and it does not lay down without an extra pcb to accomidate it. I also had built a dynamic current driver as I cannot have the power losses of the resistor and the heat associated with it.


John

[trunner]

Very interested in finding diagrams and layouts for these boards, but odly I have yet to find anything involving the StepGenie. All I can find are you tube videos shot with a cellphone camera and WAY to much coffee to hold the camera still. If you know of any good sites showing different projects I would love to see them.

Kendhill57, Did you manage to get the pics and "info" together? I have some of these chips and would love to do some testing.

C_nut, do you have any values for the Hexfets and the power supply filter CAP?

[c_nut]

I have put all of the step genie stuff on hold as my circuit was working better and I did not want to waste any time setting up a new circuit board. I was having problems with the SLA7078 and my low height case. Could not fit it in standing up but I cured the problem and got a heat sink out of the deal.

But to answer your question I would use a 470Uf as close to the drivers as possiable with a wide circuit trace from it to the drivers. It is to supply the power to keep the voltage up when current is being used. Bigger will not hurt but smaller may allow for lost steps.

[c_nut]

I missed the hexfets question. Sorry but I am using the SLA7078 so I do not have any tested HEXFET numbers as I do not need them with this chip.

[Nikto1]

Hi,

Would like to know if anyone has used the Stepgenie with the old 3axis controller circuit published quite a while back but re-posted elsewhere {http://biobug.org/cnc/control/simple/ , (I couldn`t find the original site)}.

Any clues how to increase the power for larger steppers using the same PCB, or required mods?

Thanks

[trunner]

Hello,

First off, incase you don’t have all the data on that board: http://www.akesons.com/cw-tech/

Second, I am working on an adapter board that will allow the StepGenie to be used with this design. I will update this forum once I have the design, it is a simple change and I am more or less done drawing it up, but I need to run it past a friend who is more familiar with electronics and circuit design to ensure it will do what I want it to.

Just a note, I have found the cost of building this board after all the parts you need to order, are about 10$ less than just buying a kit from HobbyCNC. I have built a HobbyCNC board (tonight) works fantastic and easy to build. (I am using mine with some 6 wire uni/bi polar motors I ripped out of a photo copier).

That being said, I hate giving up, so I will finish and I will post board design, PCB layout and silk screen once it is all done.

-Jim

Hi,

Would like to know if anyone has used the Stepgenie with the old 3axis controller circuit published quite a while back but re-posted elsewhere {http://biobug.org/cnc/control/simple/ , (I couldn`t find the original site)}.

Any clues how to increase the power for larger steppers using the same PCB, or required mods?

Thanks

[Nikto1]

Cheers Jim,

That`s great looking forward to seeing what you came up with. Price wise not so sure though, depends where you shop and what you`ve got laying around, I guess depending on exactly what one wants, from the info I`ve seen, the original, 35v @ 1.25amps max. using UCN5804B @ around $6 a piece ($18) do your own board etc.. The boards mentioned from the around 3amps. not sure what chips they use, but the old board modded with the StepGenie chips seems to give you a heck of a lot more room to play with, from the literature.. 5amps without the heatsink (although you`ld throw it in anyway) up to 200amps, great if one wants to try washing machine motors, (not the craziest idea), otherwise, its 70bucks now... another 120 or whatever further down the track and you could keep going from there.

And like one is building it, it would probably defeat any purpose in buying it ready made...perhaps?... like one of them burger commercials....you know....my burger...my way.
Or you`ve got the "system burger", you take what we`ve got on offer, you can take things off, but you can`t add anything.

All the best
Nikto1

[Nikto1]

Second, I am working on an adapter board that will allow the StepGenie to be used with this design. I will update this forum once I have the design, it is a simple change and I am more or less done drawing it up, but I need to run it past a friend who is more familiar with electronics and circuit design to ensure it will do what I want it to.

I tried a simple adapter sometime ago for a different project, ended up piggy backing IC sockets, breaking off legs, soldering wires to other pins, a resistor here or there and hot glue. Not real flash looking but did the job.

A preliminary(unfinished) 3 axis controller design in .pdf using Stepgenie for interest sake.
http://tinyurl.com/stepgenie3axis

All the best

[Nikto1]

Hi there Jim/trunner,

How`s your version coming along?

I`ve given it another look, and I think it`s nearly there, or getting close.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...epgenieArt.jpg

[Nikto1]

Hi there Jim/trunner,

How`s your version coming along?

I`ve given it another look, and I think it`s nearly there, or getting close.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...epgenieArt.jpg

Progressed to 3D model for presentation/illustration purposes had a few problems with a couple of component images though,(caps where connectors and semiconductors are supposed to be, not a real problem as one can see from silk what`s supposed to be there, I`ll probably sort it out a bit later), parts and values will vary depending on motor type & power requirement.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...tepGenie3d.jpg

A few extra pins/vias/points for testing or customization like adding extra boards etc.

Text on board next to eStop reads, "If using MACH3 configure eStop to pin 10 in software".

All the best

[Nikto1]

Progressed to 3D model for presentation/illustration purposes had a few problems with a couple of component images though,(caps where connectors and semiconductors are supposed to be, not a real problem as one can see from silk what`s supposed to be there, I`ll probably sort it out a bit later), parts and values will vary depending on motor type & power requirement.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...tepGenie3d.jpg

A few extra pins/vias/points for testing or customization like adding extra boards etc.

Text on board next to eStop reads, "If using MACH3 configure eStop to pin 10 in software".

All the best

Well, I moved on to the 4th dimension, (4th axis that is + an aux input), just before I drop it. Here`s an image link 3D again, not sure how long I`ll leave it there, if anyone get`s there and it`s gone...sorry.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...areBoard3D.jpg

All the best with all your endeavors

[Nikto1]

Well, I moved on to the 4th dimension, (4th axis that is + an aux input), just before I drop it. Here`s an image link 3D again, not sure how long I`ll leave it there, if anyone get`s there and it`s gone...sorry.
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t...areBoard3D.jpg

All the best with all your endeavors

Dropped it, and picked it up again, then finished it in one form.

Happy New Year,

Got it done, put it up for sale a one vendor, but their manufacture price was a bit too steep, like around $67 and the 4th axis even more pricey. Was hoping to make the pcb`s available for around $25 a pop.

Here is a pic of the populated board, minus the 3 control IC`s, for the final product I haven`t settled on whether I`ll use the StepGenie IC, or one of the PIC microchips like 16F505/676, just a matter of preference, be lazy and get the SG chip or get the PIC programmer out and burn a PIC.

[img=http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/812/3axis.th.jpg]

I`ll post a couple of pics when it`s all done.