CNC Update 2: 3 Functioning stepper drivers on 1 Proto Board!

Yesterday was spent picking up supplies and installing and learning Autodesk 2010. I have never really worked with any CAD program before so this was a challenge. However I was able to learn enough to draft my first item. It will be the spindle holder for my machine. I then used the trial version of CAMBAM+ to generate the Gcode. So I then loaded that into Mach3 and simulated the cut. All of that worked well. I thought that was enough software learning for one weekend and moved on to more of the electronics. Although I will be returning to cover these software packages in much more detail later.

I have decided to put aside the plans to run this from the Arduino for now and instead I will use a parallel port on a spare PC. I am still using the Arduino for testing for now. The reason for this decision was simply that the use of the Arduino was going to severely limit my integration of some very good off the shelf software. I suspect I will be revisiting the integration of the Arduino later.

Today’s goal was to construct a proto board with the 3 EasyDriver’s on them and the breakout terminals to simplify hookup. I purchased a proto board from Radio Shack and intended to purchase the terminals as well, but much to my disappointment they didn’t have them. So I had to sacrifice a breakout board I built for my OOPIC several years ago. I had  to amputate the terminals I needed! Oh, the carnage! Well at least it had signed the organ donor card so this project my live.

Here are some pictures of the construction:

This is the layout of the stepper drivers on the Proto Board

I had to first solder pins to the other 2 driver boards that I hadn’t used yet. Then I started with the wiring on the under side of the board. Here is a picture shortly after starting the wiring.

Let the finger burning begin!

Man, I will be glad when I have my own CNC router that I can just put a copper clad board in and zap out my custom PCB.

A few minutes later I have this:

Aint it Purdy?!

OK, well maybe it took more than a few minutes and several puncture wounds and a few burns as well. You will notice every like trace is color coded.

Here is the Key:

Light Red-> Coil A

Dark Blue-> Coil B

Yellow-> MS1

Dark Green-> MS2

Purple-> Dir

Brown-> Step

Light Green-> Sleep

Light Blue-> Enable

Black-> Ground (There are two gnd sources)

Red-> V+ (12v)

If you are asking yourself, why is he giving so much information here about the color codes and such, remember this blog is as much for me as it is for anyone else. I can use this as a reference should I need it.

Here is the top view again with the wiring completed and the standoffs installed.

Board with Z axis wired up to Arduino

 Here it is labeled:

 That is where I finished today. I ordered some 80/20 extruded aluminum Friday. I hope to get to work assembling the frame and axises next week.