Re: MaxNC modifications

Tim Goldstein wrote:

> From: "Tim Goldstein" <timg@...>
>
> Jon,
>
> I am sure you said, but what are you using for a controller? How many amps
> are you running to the motors and at what voltage? What is the volt & amp
> rating of your motors? What is the max feed rate you are trying to achieve?
>
> I think you can safely assume your lost steps are not due to the software at
> this point. From my playing with a number of software products I have pretty
> well come to the conclusion that if you are having lost steps it is not the
> software that is usually at fault. Do you have lost steps even at very slow
> feeds or are the lost steps most common at fast rates?

Depending on the stepper drivers, the problem could be electrical noise. If
the stepper drivers take step pulses and a direction signal (and most work
that way), then stray electrical noise could cause extra step pulses to be
seen at the driver, even when the computer didn't generate them. You could
turn various motors on and off near the CNC setup while not commanding
any motion from the CNC control. If anything moves, even a couple of
steps, that's your problem. Grounding and shielding of the cables between
the parallel port and the stepper driver would be the first thing to try.

Jon