Help with initial electronics test: gen 6

So my first set of electronics for my reprap is gen 6 and regarding the matter of software, i dont know how to write it.

Since gen 6 already has firmware installed its is to my understanding that i dont need to install arduino/sanguino software.

As such, I installed the reprap software (copy and paste really) and the java stuff. I can run the software just fine but the problem is getting it to talk to my hardware. When i turn it all on, a motor I plug in( just 1 to test) makes a high pitched humming sound and the motor shaft is solid and cannot be turned. When I use the software to nudge it, there is no response.

I assume the humming is from electrical noise since Im connecting the motor to the molex connectors by wrapping the motor's wires around the pins, I am waiting for proper connectors in the mail.

My problem is that the motor is unresponsive to commands.

A small fact of note is that the motor is always humming except for when I boot the reprap software. A few seconds during the boot sequence the motor stops humming and can be turned by hand. This means that the software has some talking with the gen 6 hardware.

when i first boot the reprap software the Y stepper pins read out about 12 volts for A+/A- B+/B-, then it goes to zero. X and Z remain at zero volts throughout.

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This means that the software has some talking with the gen 6 hardware.

Not necessarily. Stepper motors get current all the time, even when not moving. Usually they don't hum when standing still, though. Sorry I can't help you further.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

I use the drivers that I found here: [www.mendel-parts.com] and also the repsnapper with the settings that can be found on the same page. That worked directly. I'm still struggling to extrude my abs, but all the motors work.
My motors are also making noise all the time except when I click the 'connect to printer' button, its quiet for about half a second and then they start humming again. I suppose its normal if we both have it.

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my blog: [reprap.tman.be]

Sounds like one of the wires might be wrong

I posted this in the other thread

My Tip: If you were a Gen3 user plan on a redo of the molex connectors. Some difference in left to right pins. It's no big deal as the layout (#1 pin) etc are clearly layed out on the Gen6 motherboard.

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I use the drivers that I found here: [www.mendel-parts.com] and also the repsnapper with the settings that can be found on the same page.

I had some strange thing happen. Just had an upgrade to windblows like last week. The first version of Repsnapper (ver333?) worked before the update. After it had issues.

I downloaded the brand new ver. of Repsnapper from the site and found it works just fine. Something is very different in the Com settings. I found that Com6 works pronto

i tried out the repsnapper software and it was a great success as far as i can tell. thanks guys!

The motors should not hum when stationary. Looks like the chopper frequency is set too low on Gen6 with the motors you are using.

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[www.hydraraptor.blogspot.com]

The com port might change if you plug the usb cable into another usb port. Also, the default com port in repsnapper might not be the proper port for you. the default baud rate is 19700, i think (could someone confirm? i'm at work now), so double check this. I changed this to 38000 (something i saw on another wiki page for the atmega 644. I'm assuming this increases transfer speed from the software to the electronics, but requires firmware editing)

my steppers don't "hum" but I get a high frequency whine from all my motors, which i had just chocked up to a stepper motor thing. it's like that noise that only teenagers are supposed to hear, or a mosquito buzzing. When the motors move, they sing and chirp like normal, and the axes moves as they should. I can't capture it on a video because it's too high pitched.

Ideally the chopping frequency should be ultra sonic, but as you say that depends how old you are. I think 20 kHz is ultrasonic for everybody, 15kHz can be heard by young people.

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[www.hydraraptor.blogspot.com]

Frequency Range of Human Hearing

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http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2003/ChrisDAmbrose.shtml
The range of hearing for a healthy young person is 20 to 20,000 hertz. The hearing range of humans gets worse with age. People lose the ability to hear sounds of high frequency as they get older. The highest frequency that a normal middle-aged adult can hear is only 12-14 kilohertz. Also, the hearing range for men worsens more quickly than the hearing range for women. This means that women will have the ability to hear notes of higher pitch than men of the same age do.

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http://www.dspguide.com/ch22/1.htm
The range of human hearing is generally considered to be 20 Hz to 20 kHz, but it is far more sensitive to sounds between 1 kHz and 4 kHz. For example, listeners can detect sounds as low as 0 dB SPL at 3 kHz, but require 40 dB SPL at 100 hertz (an amplitude increase of 100). Listeners can tell that two tones are different if their frequencies differ by more than about 0.3% at 3 kHz. This increases to 3% at 100 hertz. For comparison, adjacent keys on a piano differ by about 6% in frequency.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearing_range
Specifically, humans have a maximum aural range that begins as low as 12 Hz under ideal laboratory conditions,[2] to 20,000 Hz in most children and some adults, but the range shrinks during life, usually beginning at around the age of 8 with the higher frequencies fading.

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Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

I find I can hear high frequencies quite often (for reference I'm 40). I seem to have a few dead spots in my hearing (notably one around 18kHz), but then again, it seems I can still hear sounds around the 22kHz mark.

For example, I can hear the Pololu's "holding" the axes motors when my RAMPS setup is on. No where near as loud as the sound I hear out of the old Makerbot electronics though.

Everyone is different, and the characteristics of each individual ear (inside and out) are what give you your specific frequency range.

There are a number of online hearing tests you can do (you need a quiet place to perform them, and even then with headphones) that go up to about 22-24 kHz.

PS: There is also the case that you can heterodyne sounds in air. ie: Two or more high frequency sounds interfering with each other and producing a lower frequency "beat" which is in the audible range. I've seen this in action using ultrasonics to produce localised pockets of audio sounds in mid air.

yeah thats exactly the hum im talking about. I asked my dad if he heard it and he couldnt hear it at all. i guess im still a youngin'

im starting the physical construction now and everything seems to be in order except for the extruder. i still have to figure out what im going to do about getting one of those.

thanks again for all your help!