[david90]

What kind of signals does Mach3 output to the stepper driver? What inputs should I have if I want to design a stepper driver with a PIC?

Thanks

David.

[pminmo]

the most common method is step/direction controllers. mach3, cncpro,turbocnc, kcam etc.

[kiwichris]

What kind of signals does Mach3 output to the stepper driver? What inputs should I have if I want to design a stepper driver with a PIC?

Thanks

David.

I did this with a PIC16F870 for my first CNC last year: (Simple half-step unipolar design)

http://www.trash.co.nz/3step

(That website may vanish, it was a work in progress last year, and I'm about to shift it to another site and finish it)

The thread on the machine, which mentions the controller a bit is here:

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33153

You'll find that you have problems with simultaneous pulses if you go down this path, I used caps on the inputs to stretch the input pulses then clear the cap ("Latch") with another pin after servicing the input.

Cheers, Chris H.

[kiwichris]

Just replying to myself for the benefit of anyone who reads this thread in the future, I've shifted the 3step design info to http://ohmark.co.nz/3step.html

I'll finish writing up the 'building' page with some more info on the powersupply / power resistors tonight.

[frog]

Ok I looked at your site and noticed you were using RS232 with a max 232 I think none the less, I need a link to the standards used like with KCam, ect, not the rs232 protocol but the data that we will insert in , example xstep how do we send that ystep ydir xdir how do we send this is there a standard, or do we just send it in with the serial send command, once I have communication with the PIC I need help after that point, please do not refer me to serial protocols that is not what I am looking for, just the nuts and bolts of the control board, I need to know how it sees the xstep, and I will be running from there. please help me, as I have asked many and they all keep sending me back to the serial protocol that is not what I want.

[kiwichris]

Ok I looked at your site and noticed you were using RS232 with a max 232 I think none the less, I need a link to the standards used like with KCam, ect, not the rs232 protocol but the data

Hi-ho,

Sorry, I think you've been looking at the stuff on the site about the process controller project I'm working on which is serial based.

The 3Step stepper controller uses a standard parallel port interface. Take a look at the PDF circuit diagram at http://ohmark.co.nz/3stepfiles.html.

I might change the layout of the site menu a bit so it's more obvious which pages go with which project, as I'm intending to put quite a bit of stuff on there this year...

Cheers, Chris H.