Stepper driver connections

[raynerd]

Hi guys, hoping someone can help.

I'm running a stepper motor on an expensive driver from an arduino by connected a pulse line to the step input and a direction line to the dir input and tying the common to the arduino ground- simples and it works!!  Rather than waste an expensive 4.2a driver to run a 1a none essential project, I purchased a cheaper tb6560 driver without looking properly!!

http://forum.hobbycomponents.com/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=1371#p2687

The input lines I believe are based on a pc breakout! I can't get my head around it... The inputs are
Cw+
Cw-
CLK+
CLK -
En+
En-

I'm not sure how to connect it despite some form of an example in the link above! I just have two wires, dir and pulse...where do I stick um' ?? 

Any help appreciated!

[awemawson]

Presumably CLK is the 'Step', 'CW' is Clockwise so direction, and 'EN' is enable. But why a + and a - version of each? I doubt that they are balanced signals so >>maybe<< the - versions are the common rail ie ground. Alternatively they could all be opto-isolated and the + - refer to the anode and cathode of the input LED of the isolator?

I would carefully trace the signals back from the green connector block - I bet they go to the ics next to it. Google the chip, download the data sheet, identify the pin they go to and you'll have your answer 

[John Rudd]

Chris,
 If you look at the example, the -ve connections are all communed up........
This gives Step, Direction and Enable as the three inputs with a common shared with them giving four wires in total....
As you only have step and direction, the enable needs pulling high, so connect to a 5v supply via 10k resistor (you could wire it via a switch to stop the stepper)

[Bluechip]

There are opto-couplers on pic2, bottom right. Little black dogsnobbers above the red DIL-switches.
 
One, the DIL-6, is a 4n35 ... 
 
http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1693303.pdf
 
The DIL-4 below it is almost certainly another, can't read what type it is .
 
Dave BC
 
 

[raynerd]

Cheers guys!!!

So just to clarify:

CLK to my step pulse line
CK to my dir line
En+ to +5v from arduino

All the three opposite -ve pins join to a common ground between arduino grd and 12v motor supply gnd.

May as well double check before I make it go pop!

Thanks again. 

[John Rudd]

Chris,
Yes that is correct.....Don't let the magic smoke out....

[awemawson]

You're welcome - let us know how you get on. 

[Noitoen]

Those +/- signals are differential signals more immune to noise. You can use ttl to rs485 converters to adapt the signal such as http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/slls101d/slls101d.pdf This is a transceiver chip and you can use the transmit side to convert the single line to double. There are more chips for this in the market. Industrial encoders use the same system.

Hope this helps 

[Dawai]

Very neat, you do understand "THOSE connections are for the polarity" of the signal you are supplying? probably opto isolated LED-transistor inside it, so you can use a positive signal and a negative on the other side, or a positive pwr and a negative (sinking) Signal on the other side. Think of a opto-diode as a one way switch, power flows through in one direction only, and "if you have a negative (sinking) signal, or a Positive (sourcing signal) it will work with either by routing the proper "other pwr" to the other terminal.

I want one too.. my problems.. well.. the arduino "reprap" code I downloaded has a 1ms signal length, a "geckodrive" from www.geckodrive.com has a desire for a 6ms signal.. so.. I was going to go in and alter the wavelength in the arduino code.. but the new "look ahead software" is so complicated I need a school sized chalkboard to keep track of what goes where,when and how.

I want to see this project work, as I am hard on your heels with one of my own.
I ran the 3d printer drives (geckos from my cnc mill) with the 2amp motors in Mach3 just the other day (pc based).. I have had more trouble with the WINDOWS on the cnc than the cnc.. even with the dog pulling cables out the side.. (+300 wires going to shop automation)

THIS arduino has been a new interesting journey for me.  It kicks the basic stamps butt that turned me off on micro-controllers for sure.

I do not mind sharing anything I have figured out.