Twitching Stepper Motor

Using Arduino Programming Questions
#1

Hi all, I am trying to program a small project using a Ramps 1.4 board on an Arduino Mega with 2 stepper motors (X, Y). When I upload the Marlin code to the board and use Pronterface to "jog" the system the motor's just "twitch" and "Jerk" as such, they aren't actually rotating. To see if the stepper motor's where actually working I downloaded a test code and uploaded it, the motors worked perfectly fine. Does anyone know why they may be "twitching" when I try to jog the system in Pronterface?

Thanks,

#2

What code did you use for the motor tests?

Is it possible that you have not configured Marlin correctly so that it is not using the correct Arduino I/O pins?

I use Pronterface with my 3D printer which came with Repetier installed and I have never had a problem - and I think Pronterface worked "out of the box".

...R

#3

The code I used to get the motor working forward and backward is attached, its just a code I downloaded for testing.

#include "thermistortables.h"

#define X_STEP_PIN         54
#define X_DIR_PIN          55
#define X_ENABLE_PIN       38
#define X_MIN_PIN           3
#define X_MAX_PIN           2

#define Y_STEP_PIN         60
#define Y_DIR_PIN          61
#define Y_ENABLE_PIN       56
#define Y_MIN_PIN          14
#define Y_MAX_PIN          15

#define Z_STEP_PIN         46
#define Z_DIR_PIN          48
#define Z_ENABLE_PIN       62
#define Z_MIN_PIN          18
#define Z_MAX_PIN          19

#define E_STEP_PIN         26
#define E_DIR_PIN          28
#define E_ENABLE_PIN       24

#define Q_STEP_PIN         36
#define Q_DIR_PIN          34
#define Q_ENABLE_PIN       30

#define SDPOWER            -1

#define EXTRUDERS 3

#define TEMP_SENSOR_AD595_OFFSET 0.0
#define TEMP_SENSOR_AD595_GAIN   1.0

#define THERMISTORHEATER_0 1
#define THERMISTORHEATER_1 1
#define THERMISTORHEATER_2 1

#define HEATER_0_USES_THERMISTOR 1
#define HEATER_1_USES_THERMISTOR 1
#define HEATER_2_USES_THERMISTOR 1

  static void *heater_ttbl_map[EXTRUDERS] = { (void *)heater_0_temptable
#if EXTRUDERS > 1
                                            , (void *)heater_1_temptable
#endif
#if EXTRUDERS > 2
                                            , (void *)heater_2_temptable
#endif
#if EXTRUDERS > 3
  #error Unsupported number of extruders
#endif
  };
  
    static int heater_ttbllen_map[EXTRUDERS] = { heater_0_temptable_len
#if EXTRUDERS > 1
                                             , heater_1_temptable_len
#endif
#if EXTRUDERS > 2
                                             , heater_2_temptable_len
#endif
#if EXTRUDERS > 3
  #error Unsupported number of extruders
#endif
  };
  
  #define PGM_RD_W(x)   (short)pgm_read_word(&x)

#define SDSS               53
#define LED_PIN            13

#define FAN_PIN            9




#define PS_ON_PIN          12
#define KILL_PIN           -1

#define HEATER_0_PIN       10

#define HEATER_1_PIN       8
#define TEMP_0_PIN         15   // ANALOG NUMBERING
#define TEMP_1_PIN         14   // ANALOG NUMBERING
#define TEMP_2_PIN         13   // ANALOG NUMBERING

void setup() {
  
  pinMode(TEMP_0_PIN  , INPUT);
  pinMode(TEMP_1_PIN  , INPUT);
  pinMode(TEMP_2_PIN  , INPUT);
  
  pinMode(FAN_PIN , OUTPUT);
  pinMode(HEATER_0_PIN , OUTPUT);
  pinMode(HEATER_1_PIN , OUTPUT);
  pinMode(LED_PIN  , OUTPUT);
  
  pinMode(X_STEP_PIN  , OUTPUT);
  pinMode(X_DIR_PIN    , OUTPUT);
  pinMode(X_ENABLE_PIN    , OUTPUT);
  
  pinMode(Y_STEP_PIN  , OUTPUT);
  pinMode(Y_DIR_PIN    , OUTPUT);
  pinMode(Y_ENABLE_PIN    , OUTPUT);
  
  pinMode(Z_STEP_PIN  , OUTPUT);
  pinMode(Z_DIR_PIN    , OUTPUT);
  pinMode(Z_ENABLE_PIN    , OUTPUT);
  
  pinMode(E_STEP_PIN  , OUTPUT);
  pinMode(E_DIR_PIN    , OUTPUT);
  pinMode(E_ENABLE_PIN    , OUTPUT);
  
  pinMode(Q_STEP_PIN  , OUTPUT);
  pinMode(Q_DIR_PIN    , OUTPUT);
  pinMode(Q_ENABLE_PIN    , OUTPUT);
  
   digitalWrite(X_ENABLE_PIN    , LOW);
    digitalWrite(Y_ENABLE_PIN    , LOW);
    digitalWrite(Z_ENABLE_PIN    , LOW);
    digitalWrite(E_ENABLE_PIN    , LOW);
    digitalWrite(Q_ENABLE_PIN    , LOW);
    Serial.begin(115200);
}



float analog2temp(int raw, uint8_t e) {

  #ifdef HEATER_0_USES_MAX6675
    if (e == 0)
    {
      return 0.25 * raw;
    }
  #endif

  if(heater_ttbl_map[e] != 0)
  {
    float celsius = 0;
    byte i;  
    short (*tt)[][2] = (short (*)[][2])(heater_ttbl_map[e]);

    raw = (1023 * OVERSAMPLENR) - raw;
    for (i=1; i<heater_ttbllen_map[e]; i++)
    {
      if ((PGM_RD_W((*tt)[i][0]) > raw) && ((float)(PGM_RD_W((*tt)[i][0]) - PGM_RD_W((*tt)[i-1][0])) >0))
      {
        celsius = PGM_RD_W((*tt)[i-1][1]) + 
          (raw - PGM_RD_W((*tt)[i-1][0])) * 
          (float)(PGM_RD_W((*tt)[i][1]) - PGM_RD_W((*tt)[i-1][1])) /
          (float)(PGM_RD_W((*tt)[i][0]) - PGM_RD_W((*tt)[i-1][0]));
        break;
      }
    }

    // Overflow: Set to last value in the table
    if (i == heater_ttbllen_map[e]) celsius = PGM_RD_W((*tt)[i-1][1]);

    return celsius;
  }
  return ((raw * ((5.0 * 100.0) / 1024.0) / OVERSAMPLENR) * TEMP_SENSOR_AD595_GAIN) + TEMP_SENSOR_AD595_OFFSET;
}

unsigned long prevMillis;

void loop () {
  
  if (millis() %1000 <500) 
    digitalWrite(LED_PIN, HIGH);
  else
   digitalWrite(LED_PIN, LOW);
  
  if (millis() %1000 <300) {
    digitalWrite(HEATER_0_PIN, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(HEATER_1_PIN, LOW);
    digitalWrite(FAN_PIN, LOW);
  } else if (millis() %1000 <600) {
    digitalWrite(HEATER_0_PIN, LOW);
    digitalWrite(HEATER_1_PIN, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(FAN_PIN, LOW);
  } else  {
    digitalWrite(HEATER_0_PIN, LOW);
    digitalWrite(HEATER_1_PIN, LOW);
    digitalWrite(FAN_PIN, HIGH);
  }
  
  if (millis() %2000 <1000) {
    digitalWrite(X_DIR_PIN    , HIGH);
    digitalWrite(Y_DIR_PIN    , HIGH);
    digitalWrite(Z_DIR_PIN    , HIGH);
    digitalWrite(E_DIR_PIN    , HIGH);
    digitalWrite(Q_DIR_PIN    , HIGH);
  }
  else {
    digitalWrite(X_DIR_PIN    , LOW);
    digitalWrite(Y_DIR_PIN    , LOW);
    digitalWrite(Z_DIR_PIN    , LOW);
    digitalWrite(E_DIR_PIN    , LOW);
    digitalWrite(Q_DIR_PIN    , LOW);
  }
  
  
    digitalWrite(X_STEP_PIN    , HIGH);
    digitalWrite(Y_STEP_PIN    , HIGH);
    digitalWrite(Z_STEP_PIN    , HIGH);
    digitalWrite(E_STEP_PIN    , HIGH);
    digitalWrite(Q_STEP_PIN    , HIGH); 
  delay(1);
  
  
  
    
    digitalWrite(X_STEP_PIN    , LOW);
    digitalWrite(Y_STEP_PIN    , LOW);
    digitalWrite(Z_STEP_PIN    , LOW);
    digitalWrite(E_STEP_PIN    , LOW);
    digitalWrite(Q_STEP_PIN    , LOW); 
    
    if (millis() -prevMillis >500){
    prevMillis=millis();
    int t = analogRead( TEMP_0_PIN);
    Serial.print("T0 ");
    Serial.print(t);
    Serial.print("/");
    Serial.print(analog2temp(1024 - t,0),0);
    
    Serial.print(" T1 ");
    t = analogRead( TEMP_1_PIN);
    Serial.print(t);
    Serial.print("/");
    Serial.print(analog2temp(1024 - t,1),0);
    
    Serial.print(" T2 ");
    t = analogRead( TEMP_2_PIN);
    Serial.print(t);
    Serial.print("/");
    Serial.println(analog2temp(1024 - t,2),0);
    
  }
    
}

It is possible that I have configured Marlin incorrectly, I have also attached some photos of my project, is there anything that you can see that I may need to change in Marlin from the photos? (apart from the fact that the steppers aren’t plugged in)

Thanks for the help anyway, I am kinda new to the stepper motor world lol

Google Drive Link for photos: 2 Axis Stepper Project - Google Drive

#4

I am not able to offer any suggestions based on your photos - it would be much too easy for me to misunderstand things and I am not familiar with Marlin.

Marlin (and its equivalents) is a very complex "off-the-shelf" program and if you need help with it you would probably be better seeking advice on a Marlin forum or on the RepRap forum which specializes in 3D printing.

This Forum is mainly for helping people write their own programs.

A wild guess is that your Marlin program is trying to make the motor move too fast - perhaps because it is expecting the driver to be set for microstepping. But this guess could be very wide of the mark.

...R

#5