Re: "lost steps", what is it and how do you know you lost 'em?

I think the simple way is to run your table from zero to end and back
to zero. if you come back to 0.000" you didn't miss a thing.

if you come back to something else, you missed something. Since the
stepper cogs or steps, we call it missed steps.

in testing, I think a lot of us run as fast as we can until we lose
steps, then back off about 20% and don't have the problem.

Can't speak to the servo side.

Dave



--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "Monte Westlund
<montejw@e...>" <montejw@e...> wrote:

> I think I know what the term "lost steps" is describing, but how do
> you know that you lost them? Is it a stepper motor thing only? I'm
> putting together a Taig mill with servo's, Gecko 320's (Camtronics
> kit, if it matters, but I don't think it does) and demoing Mach1 (I
> don't think that matters either, could be any step and dir
> controller program). I've read about servos and the encoders

sending

> feedback "back to the computer", but in this sort of setup the
> encoder feedback isn't going "back to the computer", is it?
>
> The control program is feeding step and dir to the drivers. Are the
> drivers making sure that no steps are lost? Is this a true "closed
> loop" system, or just a way to use a step and dir controller

program

> with servo motors, but still with the possible problem of lost

steps?

>
> Monte (electronics almost done, waiting for mill, reading too much)