Re: Phase vs. Step/Dir?

I think Harvey is saying that each step along the way is called
a "phase". Am I right?

So this scheme would be 8 steps, in full stepping mode:
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
...and each one of those steps would be called a "phase"?

And this would be 8 steps, in half-step mode
1 12 2 23 3 34 4 41
each of those steps are called "phases"? Or am I still not getting it?


But I thought a "phase" had somehting to do with an encoder??
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I really do appreciate you all taking the time to explain these
things to me. Maybe I can help you help me by showing you what I
understand so far and where I get lost.

First, I have a Xylotex 3 axis "driver" board. It's hooked up to a
computer which uses TurboCNC, and the computer and software together
act as my "controller".

So far so good?

I was wondering if I could get a faster (and maybe smoother) pulse
train by hooking up an actual controller between the computer and the
Xylotex board (my computer is generating approx. 28,000 pulses per
second, which would be 28 khz?). This way the controller would
generate the pulses based on what the computer tells it to do. I
guess I would have to find different software if I can do this.

I came across the Pico Systems website and they have a "Universal
Stepper Controller". I was understanding it completely until I came
across this paragraph:

"The stepper outputs are available in both step/direction and full
step phase signals. The phase signals are identical to the signals
produced by a quadrature encoder..." That's when I realized that I
have a lot more to learn.

If the Xylotex driver can handle 500 khz, and the Pico controller can
generate 300 khz, they should be a good match, no?

Sorry for the long post, and thanks to anyone who made it this far! :)

David