Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

I have a strange thing happening with my Acorn setup. I am using closed loop stepper motors on all four axes. The stepper drives are Stepperonline CL86Y and the motors are Stepperonline NEMA 34 types 34HE46-6004D-E1000. These were setup as 4000 pulses/rev. X and Y axes work perfectly but the Z and A(4th axis) don't respond despite what I think are the correct settings (same as X and Y). Since all my connections are the same I substituted my X/Y axis setup with the Z/A setup (just swapped H2 and H3 on the Acorn board). The Z/A now being the X/Y setup. What was formerly Z/A now worked perfectly when connected to H2 on the Acorn board. What was formerly X/Y didn't work when connected to H3 on the Acorn board. I then substituted a NEMA 23 conventional stepper for axis Z or A and it worked perfectly when connected to H3. That motor drive was a Stepperonline DM542T. I have a second Acorn board and it did the same thing. This setup works with Mach 3 but not Acorn. Clearly something I'm doing wrong but what?

Try connecting them to the DB 25 header with a breakout board

I have a breakout board but shouldn't a rather expensive controller work on all ports, especially H2 and H3? If it works on the DB25 then Ok but why Centroid wouldn't mention this is strange to me. The DB25 uses 5V logic vs 24V logic (what I am using on H2 and H3).

SRAD wrote: ↑Mon Oct 04, 2021 8:31 pm I have a breakout board but shouldn't a rather expensive controller work on all ports, especially H2 and H3? If it works on the DB25 then Ok but why Centroid wouldn't mention this is strange to me. The DB25 uses 5V logic vs 24V logic (what I am using on H2 and H3).

The Acorn does work on all ports but some ports are for SERVO motors and some ports are for STEPPERS and not all work on both. There are numerous posts and topics and diagrams on here that all say servos get wired to the headers and steppers get wired to the DB25.

Like Shawn says, they all work, but not all drives are compatible with both.

The signal from the DB25 is a line driver (ttl) signal and the H2-3 terminals are an open collector signal. Most stepper drives are more compatible with the line driver signal, as are some servos.

Axis Label Motor Encoder Lash Comp. Limit Home Dir Screw
mm/rev counts/rev. (mm) - + - + Rev Comp
1 X 5.0800 4000 0.0000 2 2 0 1 N N
2 Y 5.0800 4000 0.0000 2 2 0 1 N N
3 Z 5.0800 1600 0.0000 2 2 0 1 N N
4 A 6.0000 1600 0.0000 2 2 0 1 N N
5 N 5.0800 200 0.0000 0 0 0 0 N N
6 N 5.0800 200 0.0000 0 0 0 0 N N
7 N 5.0800 200 0.0000 0 0 0 0 N N
8 N 5.0800 200 0.0000 0 0 0 0 N N

Z and A are not set to 4000c/rev. but when the drivers are, they will not work.

CL86Y should run on H2 and H3, also suggested in Acorns schematics.

Regards

Uwe

Hi Uwe,

I set my pulses per rev to 1600 when I was using my conventional steppers vs the closed looped ones. I did set the pulses per rev to 4000 when using the closed loop steppers. I also tried all values below 4000 and set the appropriate dip switches on the CL86Y drivers but still no movement. As you stated, the CL86Y should work on H2 and H3. They work on H2 for me but not H3. Did you encounter the same issue I am seeing?

Regards, SRAD

SRAD wrote: ↑Wed Oct 06, 2021 8:46 pm Hi Uwe,

I set my pulses per rev to 1600 when I was using my conventional steppers vs the closed looped ones. I did set the pulses per rev to 4000 when using the closed loop steppers. I also tried all values below 4000 and set the appropriate dip switches on the CL86Y drivers but still no movement. As you stated, the CL86Y should work on H2 and H3. They work on H2 for me but not H3. Did you encounter the same issue I am seeing?

Regards, SRAD

No, I have CL57T working on H2 and H3. Had only to change the ALM to NO with the tuning Software to make it work NC. Postion Following Error was set to 4000 Pulses, changed that to 20 to make it useful for my desired precision.

Did you check that all DIP switches are set equal on the drivers?

I would also check the settings with the tuning Software of all drivers.

Regards

Uwe

Hi Uwe,

Thanks for that advice. I'll recheck everything. As I stated, "Clearly something I'm doing wrong but what? ". I am not familiar with the "Position Following error" setting, but will locate it. I have not tried the tuning SW since it is recommended that one get the drives moving first. DIP switches are set correctly because I can swap my H2 and H3 connections when using the aforementioned CL86Y drivers and the closed loop steppers. The issue follows the H3 port. All four closed loop stepper drivers and motors work on H2. Conventional steppers work on H3. This issue is on both Acorn boards I am using. I might add that I have an upgraded license that allows additional features to be enabled like the wireless MPG and simultaneous axis movement/coordination. I was hoping I'd hear something from cnckeith, the moderator or Marty or Franco. Franco touted the CL86Y but only tested it on the H2 port. If I have to use the DB25 (really intended for legacy steppers) then so be it but I'd like to understand why.

Regards, SRAD

Hi everyone, discovered what my issue was and of course it was equipment related. The CL86Y I was using to test the Z and A axes had an issue with the dip switches. Before I discovered that, I Ohm'd out all connections and checked continuity between all cables and pins, checked voltages etc. I also cycled all the dip switches and voila, a working Z axis followed by the A axis. I appreciate all the help.