Currently I am using the arduino motor shields r3 for my CnC application.
However, I want to switch to a different stepping engine driver, as the motor shields can only supply a maximum of 2 A and I want to drive my steppers with about 4 A (Nema 23).
They have 6 inputs to get controled by microcontroler:
-> PUL+
-> PUL -
-> DIR +
-> DIR -
-> ENA+
-> ENA-
The motor shields r3 need also those 6 pins to get controled, they are called:
-> PWM A
-> PWM B
-> DIR A
-> DIR B
-> BREAK A
-> BREAK B
However, the code of my application has got pretty complex - so I would appreciate it, if I do not have to change the code and just keep on using the libaries of the motor shields, which are working perfectly...
As far as I understand the manual, I could keep on using the old code, I just remove the motor shields, and use the M542 devices instead...? Am I right?
The print is too small to read on my screen, but I suspect you don't actually need to control those 6 signals pul+ pul- etc because three of them are actually ground.
Hello, if your screen is to small you can press CTRL + mouse wheel, that will zoom in...
Yes, I do not need a few of them, for example, if I do not connect the break pins on the arduino motor shield, the stepper keeps on working well...
But the Question is, if I can use the arduino stepper libery, which is designed for the motor shield r3 for those amplifiers, because they seem to use the same input...
A very brief look at the datasheet suggests to me that it is controlled the same way as the Pololu A4988 driver. You could look up the Pololu device to see typical Arduino code.
I have never driven a stepper with the motor shield and I suspect the code to operate the A4988 will have a lot of differences and be much simpler.
So actually I do not need the arduino motor shield liebary any more...
If my thinking is correct, I can control those devices with just two pins - respectively PUL + and DIR + (PUL - and DIR -) are ground.
So DIR + will set the rotation direction of the motor weather the pin is high or low and PUL + will get pulsed... so according to the desired speed or rpm I have to calculate the delay...
Hope this is correct - I am going to order one of those devices soon and do not want to trash my money...
This is an industry standard stepper driver, the logic inputs are opto-isolated, and from the
datasheet it claims to have series resistors in there too, so you can common the -ve inputs
to GND and drive the +inputs from 5V logic. Check what the current requirements are
to be on the safe side. Don't forget to drive the enable input or the thing will do nothing
at all.
Do you have a suitable DC power supply (24 to 48V DC) to power this driver?