Branch out input signals before stepper motor drivers

Other Hardware Motors, Mechanics, Power and CNC
1

Hi everyone,

It's my first time posting here, so I hope to be doing it in the right section.
The issue I'm facing right now is basically that I reached the limit of motors I can control through the software I'm using (6) and, as a quick solution, I would like to use an arduino to "split" the signals output from the motion controller and feed them to two drivers (see attached diagram).
The 2 motors will need to be driven at the same speed either synchronously or with a specific angular offset (i.e. PI/6).

My questions are:

  • do you see any good reason not to do it (or any better approach to get to the same result) ?
  • what kind of delay should I expect (in comparison to config.1 in the attached diagram) ?
  • what is the best approach to read 2 inputs in parallel (pls+,dir+) and write the 2 sets of output again in parallel?

Thank in advance,
Pietro

Arduino_stepper motors.pdf (43.1 KB)

2

I don't see the need for Arduino, if the driver inputs need isolation from each other, I would try optocouplers or logic gates.

3

Check what output current the motion controller can produce on its outputs, and the input
current from the driver opto-isolators at the voltage of interest: that will determine the
available fan-out.