Setting Up Arduino Ver 1.3 Firmware for GCODE

Hello GUys,
I am setting up an Ardruino Board with version 1.3 firmware. For starters I am going to use te board to drive a small cnc router table. Berfore I build the RepRap.

I am using stepper driver modules that go from 1 Step to 64 Step I have chose to use 16 as my microstepping rate. 400 step 1.8 degree bipolar motors.

Here is the problem no matter what I do the motors run very very very slow.

Does the firmware put out Single or 2 step?

Next I am setting up as follows:
#define X_STEPS_PER_INCH xxx.xxxx = TPI * * 16 (MicroStep mode)
#define X_STEPS_PER_MM xxx.xxx = the above / 25.4
#define X_MOTOR_STEPS 9600 = 400 (Steps/rev motor) * 16 (MicroStep mode)

FAST_XY_FEEDRATE <- Is this not supose to be faster like
FAST_Z_FEEDRATE <- G01 X10 as opposed to G1 X10 ?????????????

#define X_MAX_SPEED <-- This is not to be found in ver 1.3 firmware????

It appears I get one constant speed out of the motors between 0 and very slow.
I ave tried changing my nicrostepping to 1:1 but it does increase speed a little but nothing significant.

Can anyone please give me a set of values to play with as for now I just have the motors on my desk spinning a flag.

Cheers DeWayne (UK)

dewayne att ppsc dot net

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Cheers DeWayne (UK)

Hi

How are you sending G code commands to the Arduino to spin the motor?

If you ever try to use Snap be aware that micro stepping and fine pitch ball screw produce a resolution that is too high. I have micro stepping drives and I am having to change to half steps (400 steps per rev) to keep within the current maximum resolution of the Arduino Snap firmware.

Having said that I don't think it causes a problem with G code.

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Regards

Ian

try sending different feedrate values with your commands, I've been having feedrate problems too with 1.3, but I haven't had time to troubleshoot the code. I don't think the initial feedrate is set, and I don't think a value is remember for later instructions. Try G01 X-.5 F3, and then G01 X.5 F6 and see if its any faster.

Ian you asked how I was sending the GCODE. I have weote a Windows Vista App in C# and VIsual Studio 2008, to import a GCODE file, syntax check it and then forward it on to the Aurdiuno board. Seems to work on the desk top but have yet to try cuttting anything with it yet.

I need to get the feed problems sorted out first.

From the best I can tell the Ver 1.3 firmware does not do half steping but i still need to find out for sure.

Cheers DeWayne (UK)

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Cheers DeWayne (UK)

Doesn't the L927 decide if its a half step or not based on the jumper? If your board is set to do half steps, your STEPS_PER_INCH would be double what it would be if your board was doing whole steps

Hi,
Thanks for the response, I am not using the L927 board, i am using a motion conroll driver board that I can select form 1 to 64 microsteps per step pulse.
for now I have tried 1:1 and 16:1 ratios.

In the latest firmware can anyone tell me where you set the max speed of the motors, as the ver 1.3 i have downloaded seems to have it missing on the Arduino.

Cheers DeWayne (UK)

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Cheers DeWayne (UK)

Could some one please email me or post there exact files and libs the are using on the Arduino, perhaps I can gleam some info there. It would be helpful thanks.

DeWayne (UK)

dyoung(at)ppsc(DOT)net

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Cheers DeWayne (UK)