Stepper driver board/exercise routine

Hi,

I have another quick question - I am using my own driver boards which I already have lots of (and paired motors), I know they work when you bit bang them from the parallel port but I couldnt seem to get it working quite right from Arduino, using the code that is below

[reprap.org]

It only works in one direction from the re-rap PC software, using that code with some small amendments (changing delayMicroseconds(2); to delayMicroseconds(i) as I am pretty sure I need a square wave input for my boards. Then it works both directions but only one direction smoothly - which is odd, but can sort that out I guess.

The boards use a STK672-540, guess what I am asking is the way its supposed to be driven fundamentally different to the reprap driver boards?

[www.semiconductor-sanyo.com]∏=STK672-540

datasheet

[www.semiconductor-sanyo.com]



Thanks for any help!!

J.

first off, which Arduino firmware are you using (gcode, snap?) and which version? 1.3?

it should work just fine. the pin mappings should be very similar:

clock -> step
cwb -> dir
enable -> enable

from the datasheet, make sure that resetb is set to low when the chip starts up, then brought high. (datasheet page 10) i dont fully understand it, but the timing diagrams help.

finally, it might be a good idea to add longer delays in the functions that control direction and sending clock signals.

good luck, and let us know how it goes.

The boards already have the resetb thing enable with a capacitor and transistor arrangement (by the looks of it).

I have got some newer 530 based boards which have both directions fully enabled now, I had to hack the cw/ccw bit on the 540 boards as in thier proper application they only rotate ccw.

I'll try uploading the gcode firmware tonight as I can just send that gcode down the serial port. When I try and use the reprap host software it locks up when I try and move anything but the x axis for some reason.

J.