StepMaster

 Small but flexible intelligent stand alone stepper motor controller.

This product was made for a motor company.

They had a programmable and independent motor controller that was to expensive and with low flexibility. So they asked me if a could do a better and cheaper version. It was a challenge to build it so small with that much motor power .

 

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The upper board is my first Beta version. The lower one is the motor board that i should replace. It´s main features is “small but flexible intelligent stepper motor controller”.

Main Features

  1. 8 Inputs with programmable functions.
  2. 2 Outputs with programmable functions.
  3. 2 Amp Stepper Driver , Selectable in 20 steps from 100mA to 2000mA. 12 – 30 VDC Input voltage.
  4. Current Standby, Both Time before standby and current is programmable.
  5. 2 Analog inputs with programmable functions.
  6. 1/1 , 1/2 , 1/4 , 1/16 microstep is selectable by input or internal state.
  7. Programmable functions is set by a PC application.
  8. FW update can be made by customer (done in the PC application).
  9. Programmable Acceleration/Deceleration Time.
  10. Smooth motor motion in manual step mode.

Programmable Input Features

  1. Go To Home “Position zero”
  2. Step continuously at given direction
  3. Step xx steps at given direction
  4. Direction Step continuously at positive direction
  5. Step continuously at negative direction
  6. Step xx steps at positive direction
  7. Step xx steps at negative direction
  8. Positive end sensor input
  9. Negative end sensor input
  10. 2 Inputs for speed, 4 programmable speed settings
  11. 2 Inputs for current, 4 programmable current settings
  12. 2 Inputs for microstep, 4 programmable microstep settings
  13. Emergency Stop, 3 different variations ( Pause ongoing function ) ( Pause and Exit all ongoing functions) ( Pause and Exit all ongoing functions and release current to motor )
  14. Emergency Reset Wait until, trigged functions is memorized and on hold until this function triggers Current standby, Releases current to motor
  15. Abort if, abort all functions when trigged

Input Features

  1. High signal in, between 4.5 to 30v is acceptable for a logic 1  (levels can be changed)
  2. Pull up signal can be applied to input, if pull up is enable, the input pin only needs to be grounded to trigger input function
  3. Functions can be set to trigger on negative “falling signal” or positive “rising signal”

Output Features

  1. Both outputs can handle up to 300mA current each.
  2. Outputs can be set to positive or negative response out

Programmable Output Features

  1. Busy, Triggers output when device is busy or motor is running
  2. Home, when current position is zero “Home” can be set with a +- tolerance
  3. Positive, Negative, Or both end sensor. Activates output on end sensor trigger.

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The final version. The board dimensions is 30 x 37 mm

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I created a PC program in C#  that makes the board profile really easy to setup.

Profile

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Input options

Every input / output on the motor board can be set to a selected function.

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Main profile settings

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Analog Input Settings

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Device Control

Manual control of the motor.

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Communication settings

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Firmware Update

Built in firmware update function for easy upgrade.

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