Acorn CNC (Mill) Stepper issues

[RoySalisbury]

just got my new PM25 mill. I had the CNC conversion done by ProCut CNC. Unfortunately no information came with it to setup the system with the Acorn board. It was supposed to come with ClearPath servos, but they sent it with the standard low end stepper motors.

NEMA23 - KL23H2100-50-4BC
NEMA34 - KL34H280-55-4A
STEPPER DRIVER - 5056

I've setup Acorn using the Leadshine setup (but have tried the Gecko ones as well).

Now here is the issue. When I go to move the steppers (X, Y or Z) they seem to "pulse" move ... Meaning that they move a bit, then pause, move a bit then pause, ect. Like they are getting slow commands. When I first startup the control board and software I can "once in a while" get a smooth move on one axis in one direction, but as soon as I stop it, then it goes back to the "pulse" moves.

What I am missing? I have the revolutions one each axis set to 2000 (motor is 200 w/driver set to 10 microsteps). But I have even set it to 200. Same thing, just goes slower.

Any help would be appreciated. I have attached an image of the wiring.

Thanks!

[TheKitMill]

Please post a report and picture of the Wizard settings It will help figure out what they did during the set up

Chuck

[mick41zxr]

You have a system built with the C86 board from CNC4PC.
You may need to head over there & download the manual & schematics & cross reference everything first.
Attached is a schematic for quick reference.

WS_142.pdf

(440.48 KiB) Downloaded 131 times

Regards,
Michael

[RoySalisbury]

You have a system built with the C86 board from CNC4PC.
You may need to head over there & download the manual & schematics & cross reference everything first.
Attached is a schematic for quick reference.
WS_142.pdf
Regards,
Michael

Thanks for that info. What I have been able to see is that the LED light on the C86 board (power led?) starts flashing at the same rate as the pulses. So its like the drives are getting power turned on and off. That power comes directly off the ACORN board. So 2 things I am going to try.

1. Check the voltage of the acorn power supply and make sure it's not getting pulled too low.
2. Wire the drivers direct instead of using the C86 board.

If I only connect one axis, then it seems to work fine. But putting 2 or more axis on it seems to cause issues.

Roy

[RoySalisbury]

Ok.. figured out the issue.. now to find a solution...

That board has a 12/24 voltage regulator on it that is seriously overheating. All I need to do is blow on it to cool it down and it stops blinking. Then the steppers work fine. I checked the voltage coming out of the acorn power supply, and its anywhere between 23.7 and 24.2 depending on whats going on. I tried adjusting the voltage down on the acorn power supply, and that helps the overheating on the C86 board, but I'm afraid going down will cause the acorn board to stop working.

Not sure what the voltage is used for on the C86 board, and if I can power it via a separate 12V supply. I've posted an inquiry into the CNC4PC forum as well.

Roy

[martyscncgarage]

I have tested CNC4PC's C86 system as you have it. There is some problems with it, they are redesigning the Acorn C86.
You should strip all that off, use the DB25 and a DB25 male breakout board, connect your drives to it.
Just search for DB25 male breakout board. You will find them on Amazon for about $12

Marty

[martyscncgarage]

Ok.. figured out the issue.. now to find a solution...

That board has a 12/24 voltage regulator on it that is seriously overheating. All I need to do is blow on it to cool it down and it stops blinking. Then the steppers work fine. I checked the voltage coming out of the acorn power supply, and its anywhere between 23.7 and 24.2 depending on whats going on. I tried adjusting the voltage down on the acorn power supply, and that helps the overheating on the C86 board, but I'm afraid going down will cause the acorn board to stop working.

Not sure what the voltage is used for on the C86 board, and if I can power it via a separate 12V supply. I've posted an inquiry into the CNC4PC forum as well.

Roy

C86 will use 12/24VDc power supply.
But I suggest you remove it all, send it back & use the DB25 solution.

Marty

[tblough]

If you use a seperate 12V supply for the C86 board you will reduce the heat generated in the voltage regulator.

[RoySalisbury]

C86 will use 12/24VDc power supply.
But I suggest you remove it all, send it back & use the DB25 solution.

I tried the 12V, but that caused me to disconnect the E-Stop that runs through the board, so did not want to do that. For now I took a small 12V PC fan (50mm) and placed it over the board so it blows on the chip. That was good enough to at least help me move the axis around so I could start cleaning the Mill.

My eventual plan is to get the correct Clearpath motors installed and not have these cheap steppers anymore, so getting a replacement C86 board or hooking them up using the DB25 pins is not a priority.

[martyscncgarage]

Is the C86 Acorn led green when you are using it or red?