Cnc usb controller software motor tuning

Cnc usb controller software motor tuning driver#

Unless you properly tune your stepper motors it will be wise to change your 'Motion Mode' from 'Constant Velocity' to 'Exact Stop'. We have found one setting that is useful to change. Most of them should not be played with or adjusted. There are many things you can set in the Mach3 setup 'Config > General Configuration'.

Cnc usb controller software motor tuning driver#

Always turn off all other programs when running Mach3 (and the driver test). If you computer is fast enough it will say 'System Excellent' if your speed is too slow (or even too fast) it will say 'Pulsing Too Slow' or 'Pulsing Too Fast'. The computer will then act as if it is actively sending out commands to the CNC and will measure how many are successful. Loading the program you can set your parameter control (number of pulses Mach3 will send per second, for our Kickstarter electronics we use 35KHz), and press 'Start Timer'. It is located in the Mach3 folder on your harddrive and is called 'drivertest.exe'. If you notice a lack of performance with your CNC, or missed steps, you should run the Mach3 Driver test. For our machines we start out a 1 IPSPS, with accelerations of 25+ IPSPS being achievable. Depending on the settins of the CNC controller, power and stepper motor size, this number can range from 1 IPSPS to 50 IPSPS. 'Acceleration' is the speed that the CNC can accelerate from a dead stop to the working velocity, in inches per second per second. For our machines 20 IPM is a good base to test movement, with higher speeds being capable through Stepper Motor Tuning. Depending on the settings of the CNC controller, power and stepper motor size, this number can range from 1 IPM to 600 IPM. 'Velocity' is the speed that the CNC can travel, in inches per minute. For most of our machines, the setting is 4800 for the X & Y axis, and 9600 for the Z axis. A formula for determining the setting can be found on the Stepper Motor Calculations page. It is based almost entirely on the type of leadscrews used in the machine. 'Steps per' is the number of steps per inch, which is the number of steps the motor needs to turn in order to move the CNC one inch. 'Steps per', 'Velocity' and 'Acceleration'. There are three main settings you need to set for each motor. The motor configuration can be set by going to Config > Motor Tuning and Setup on the Mach3 main screen.

This will enable your control board when your Mach3 is running. Place a check mark in the 'Enabled' for the Digital Trigger. (This will simulate that the EStop button is always released.) If you do not have an EStop switch, you will need to place a check mark in the 'Active Low' box. Place a check mark in the Enabled box, assign the Port as #1, Pin as #13. You will need to do this, the machine will not run without the EStop setup. On the 'Input Signal' screen, you will want to scroll down and enable the EStop button. If you want to reverse the directions of any of the axes, place a checkbox in the 'Dir Low Active'. Place a checkmark in the X, Y, & Z 'Enable' boxes, and apply the following pins: On the 'Motor Outputs' screen you can enable and disable the axes. Use the Driver Test program (see 'Testing Computer Speed' section) to test how your computer performs when you increase the Kernel speed. If your computer is faster, you may be able to set this higher. On the main 'Port Setup and Axis Selection' screen, you will want to select a Kernel Speed of 35000 Hz. Opening the main connection configuration for the input and output using 'Config > Ports and Pins' allows you to setup your controller to communicate with Mach3.