re:what type of stepper motors?

Terry wrote:
...i am not sure what he means by the below:
<begin quote> Our high resolution electronics provide 400 steps, or

>computer instructions, per revolution of the motors. This results
>in a minimum directional movement of .00163".<end quote>

No mystery here. The torchmate uses size 23 motors in halfstep mode,
giving 400 steps per revolution(a std. 1.8 degree motor)
The .00163 is the distance traveled by the machine with one step.
This is about 613 steps per inch, so we also know that the gearing
from the motor to the driven point(the torchmate is rack and pinion)
is about 1.53:1

>there is a big difference between 400 steps per revolution and 400
>computer instructions.am i reading more into this then what is meant?

Actually, no. Just some unclear terminology on the torchmate site.
Using a direct step and direction output from the computer WILL
require 800 computer instructions(at least) to be EXECUTED. Each step
will require a write to the output port to set the bit, and a second
instruction to clear it. In BASIC, these will be OUT statements.
If the code is written efficiently, it will APPEAR to take less
instructions, but the computer following the code commands will do at
least 800(ok,maybe 799)instructions. An example in BASIC:

FOR X = 1 TO 400 'number of steps to take
OUT 888,1 '888 is the location of p-port lpt1, 1 will set PIN 2 HIGH
shortdelay 'this is a call to a subroutine "shortdelay" to give
'the motor time to step
OUT 888,0 'this clears pin 2(sets to LOW)
feedrateDelay 'this calls another subroutine which determines the
'time BETWEEN output pulses,I.E. the feedrate
NEXT X 'loop back to the FOR statement above, this will happen 400
'times
END 'on the 401st trip back we've exceeded 400 so we come to here
'and stop

Notes: So we're looking at 7 lines of instructions(source code)TO the
computer. One of these is the END of the program, and 2 are labels to
subroutines("helper" sets of instuctions) Since I didn't include
these "helper"subroutine instructions, this code will not actually
run. But it IS functionally correct. With the subroutine code, we
have maybe 15 or 20 lines of code(instructions).

Since 15-20 does not equal 400(or 800), that may be where the
confusion lies? But remember, these are instructions telling the
computer WHAT TO DO. A sort of shorthand if you will...

When we RUN this program, the computer WILL EXECUTE the lines between
the FOR statement and the NEXT statement 400 times!

I hope this is clear.

Ballendo

>anyone happen to have an idea what type of stepper motor is he

using.

See above

>the stepper motor will either be driven at 400 microsteps per
>revolution or 1600 microsteps per revolution.

Nope, it's just plain ol' halfstep. I believe torchmate DOES have the
OPTION of microstepping drives, but that doesn't change what I've
written above.


P.S. Terry, I like your sig poem.

Reminds me of a favorite part in Oliver Stones' movie WALL STREET:
Bud Fox(Charlie Sheen)is about to be arrested for illegal trading.
His boss(Hal Holbrook??)meets him and says(paraphrased)"Bud,
Sometimes a man finds himself looking into a great abyss. And what he
sees in the abyss, is what keeps him from falling into it."