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Motors & Control
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Topic starter
2020-11-17 8:45 am
I understand that Arduino CNC Shields can separately control three stepper motors plus a clone (that echoes one of the three). But can I control a fourth motor separately?
Actually I may have found some pertinent information but I'd like forum help on understanding it: This GRBL page says "Version 3.00 of the board added a jumpers to configure the 4th axis(Clone the other axis’s or run from Pin D12-13), Comms Header(RX+TX , I2C) and a Stepper Control Header(All Pins needed to run 4 steppers)"
Does that mean what I want it to mean?
Tom
Topic starter
2020-12-30 4:57 pm
Wow, in a way it feels as if so much has happened since I posted the above, but when I look at my project's progress it's a bit demoralizing.
Has anybody used the 'clone' feature on a CNC rev 3 shield? This is where you set a pair of jumpers and the X motor (or you can select Y or Z) commands are cloned to the 'A' motor.
It won't work for me. The X stops working and just twitches and the A won't do anything.
Can anybody help, please?
Desperate in Kyiv (Tom)
Tom
2020-12-31 7:28 am
Wow, in a way it feels as if so much has happened since I posted the above, but when I look at my project's progress it's a bit demoralizing.
Has anybody used the 'clone' feature on a CNC rev 3 shield? This is where you set a pair of jumpers and the X motor (or you can select Y or Z) commands are cloned to the 'A' motor.
It won't work for me. The X stops working and just twitches and the A won't do anything.
Can anybody help, please?
No, I haven't... but I've been wanting to build my own CNC for quite a while - Maybe next year! 😉
Did you follow these steps? 4th Axis
Topic starter
2020-12-31 7:36 am
@frogandtoad, I don't think your link is correct, is it? I'm keen to see if it shows something I haven't been shown so far.
Tom
2020-12-31 8:13 am
@frogandtoad, I don't think your link is correct, is it? I'm keen to see if it shows something I haven't been shown so far.
Please try again... I re-pasted the link.
Topic starter
2020-12-31 8:23 am
Thanks for re-pasting the link, @frogandtoad.
These are the steps in the nice page you linked: "Using two jumpers the 4th axis can be configured to clone the X or Y or Z axis."
This is what I had said in my post: "This is where you set a pair of jumpers and the X motor (or you can select Y or Z) commands are cloned to the 'A' motor."
Can anybody else help me?
Tom
Tom
2020-12-31 8:30 am
Thanks for re-pasting the link, @frogandtoad.
These are the steps in the nice page you linked: "Using two jumpers the 4th axis can be configured to clone the X or Y or Z axis."
This is what I had said in my post: "This is where you set a pair of jumpers and the X motor (or you can select Y or Z) commands are cloned to the 'A' motor."
Can anybody else help me?
No problem, but no one can help you without knowing what the problems you're experiencing?... Did you receive any errors during installation, and if so, what were they?
What about run-time errors, if any?
Which exact board do you have?
Topic starter
2020-12-31 8:36 am
The problem I'm experiencing is "It won't work for me. The X stops working and just twitches and the A won't do anything."
I didn't receive any errors during installation - though I don't think plugging a shield onto an Arduino can trigger error messages. There are no run-time errors. The Arduino doesn't know anything is wrong. My code compiles, uploads, and runs smoothly.
The exact board is a "A4988 3D CNC Shield v3.0 Arduino Expansion Board (11549)"
Tom
2021-01-01 11:09 am
2021-01-02 8:32 am
Don't put yourself down... we all overlook the obvious, and even make mistakes too 🙂
The important thing is that we (hopefully), learn from these experiences!
One day, when I get around to building my own CNC, I will probably try to use Marlin over GRBL, as it has much more features and very powerful in comparison... or maybe even design my own controller, etc... based on some micro controller yet to be invented... we shall see!
Cheers.