Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

Hello All,

I am building a CNC mini lathe with the Acorn. I am currently using two "Stepperonline "DM556T drivers to power my steppers. However I am not able to get them to turn when benchtesting. The Acorn and PC are communicating as I did the first step.

The manual for the drivers is here: https://www.omc-stepperonline.com/download/DM556T.pdf
The Stepper motors are these: https://www.automationtechnologiesinc.c ... 00-50-4bm/


I do not have a DB25 connector so I am using the "H2" output to send the step and direction signal. I am using the "ACORN_rev4, STANDARD CONNECTIONS" PDF as my guide. I have the Step cable going to the PUl+, the Direction cable going to DIR+, the enable cable going to ENA+ and the common cable going to ENA-.

I have also tried going to PUL- and DIR- from the acorn. As well as PUL+/DIR+ and then wires going from PUL-/DIR- to the ground bus. I have also tried inverting the signal in the wizard under the "axis advanced" setting. And I couldn't figure out a way to do it in the "primary system axis drive type" part.

I have the 24volt jumper connected, as well as the e-stop. DIP Switches are set to 8000.

I am sure this is something that I am doing/missing. But I've been working on it for a few hours now and probably have blindness to the solution. I have attached the report, and the wiring diagram. Please let me know if you would like anything else. I did go through the "YOU WANT HELP? READ ME" post and I believe I have posted most relevant things. If you require anything else please let me know, and I would be happy to provide.

Thank you!

Doing some more research on the forums, and it does appear that the DB25 connector is preferred for steppers, and I have placed an order with Amazon.

However, if it is still possible to not use the DB25 connection, I would be interested in finding out, as this is the final piece in my puzzle before I can assemble . Thanks for any input.

You misunderstood. The DB25 is required for all but a few high end steppers and some servos. Yours are lesser cost Leadshine clones, highly unlikely they will work from the open collector outputs. Set the steps per rev at 1600 or 3200 and match that in the software

I agree with Gary, the only stepper I was ever able to get to work on the headers was a closed loop, genuine Leadshine drive. Unhook the enable lines also just to get started, more than likely they are not needed. Dip switches and Acorn settings to 3200 max.

You could try wiring the drive like this and see if it works:

+5VDC to +PUL (+5VDC on the Acorn power supply)
+5VDC to +DIR (+5VDC on the Acorn Power supply)
-PUL to ST1 on Acorn Header
-DIR to DR1 on Acorn Header

No alarm or enable connections when testing. See if the motor locks when you power it up.

Shawn

Thanks guys. I'll give that a shot. I'm curious though (and not doubting), but where does it say to only use the DB25 for steppers? I'm curious how I missed it.

Thanks!

ShawnM wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 4:04 pm You could try wiring the drive like this and see if it works:

+5VDC to +PUL (+5VDC on the Acorn power supply)
+5VDC to +DIR (+5VDC on the Acorn Power supply)
-PUL to ST1 on Acorn Header
-DIR to DR 1 on Acorn Header

Shawn

Just a heads up, that absolutely worked. I've still went ahead and ordered the DB25 connector, but this will at least allow me to mount up and test things while I wait.

Thank you!

Great, glad to hear it. As for the ENABLE line, it tells you in the manual that you posted to leave it disconnected. Page 3 states "By default it
is left UNCONNECTED (ENABLED)." If you have any issues with the drives the way they are wired you'll need to swap to the DB25 when you get it.

Colt4587 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 4:13 pm Thanks guys. I'll give that a shot. I'm curious though (and not doubting), but where does it say to only use the DB25 for steppers? I'm curious how I missed it.

Thanks!

If you look at the Acorn rev 4 schematics there are Leadshine example wiring diagrams in this file and your drive is a Leadshine clone. These examples all show the drives hooked to the DB25 connector. None show a Leadshine drive PUL and DIR hooked to the headers.

The Acorn schematics could have a note on them that states this and it would save some time for many. You referenced the "standard connections" and there really is no standard connection.

ShawnM wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 5:30 pm

Colt4587 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 4:13 pm Thanks guys. I'll give that a shot. I'm curious though (and not doubting), but where does it say to only use the DB25 for steppers? I'm curious how I missed it.

Thanks!

If you look at the Acorn rev 4 schematics there are Leadshine example wiring diagrams in this file and your drive is a Leadshine clone. These examples all show the drives hooked to the DB25 connector. None show a Leadshine drive PUL and DIR hooked to the headers.

The Acorn schematics could have a note on them that states this and it would save some time for many. You referenced the "standard connections" and there really is no standard connection.

Yeah, I think I actually went through and looked at all of the schematics at one point to see if there was an exact match. There were two Stepperonline instructions, but they were each for servos. I looked at the leadshine too, but it had some extra hookups that I don't have on mine. So that's when I fell back to the "standard" hookup.

Yeah, it would be nice to know that if I'm doing steppers I have to have the DB25. I would have ordered it when I ordered everything else.

Oh well, no worries. I appreciate you guys taking the time to help me!

Its very hard to do a schematic for every drive out there.
Rule of thumb, if the drive says use +5VDC for the +PUL and +Dir, then you should use the DB25.