Ok, the firmware has been uploaded to the board
Figured out how to use CNCjs with it (need to use capitol letters (G, M etc) instead of lowercase - did not know that was necessary.
However, when I do a movement command the motors seems to continue working after the movement stopped. Almost a “wind down” sound.
the only change to the motors I did was lower the current settings to 500. Since these are not the same motors from the V1 store and if I read the spec right they require lower current - I didn’t want to overheat them.
Maybe this is the reason?
Other ideas why they sound like that? I can get a video with sound if it helps.
OK so weirdly enough I adjusted the motor current up to 600 and the sound went away. Cool.
Just to test, I dropped the motor current back down to 500 (where I had it) and the sound is still gone.
Not sure what’s going on, but at least on the right track.
When motion is enabled, the drivers should be energized. While they are energized, it is normal to have a bit of sound from the system as the drivers are still flowing current into the steppers to produce holding torque needed to keep the axis stationary.
I bet if you are in that state and enable/disable the drivers you will hear that this changes the sound that you hear.
I know that when the motors are moving they will make a sound. Particularly when moving in multiple directions it could almost be described as “musical”.
what I was experiencing was after movement was done, there was a slow decreasing whining sound. Almost like it was trying to move, but couldn’t.
Yeah, that’s what the quote below means… The sound after motion is done is the holding torque. It often hisses. It doesn’t “Sing” because the stepper coils aren’t being cycled as the motor moves.
Hmmmm, Back to the servo control topic
I’ve connected the servo to the zmin pins. I think that is what the mods to the pin file did - unless I’m wrong.
When I send a M280 P0 S90 or S0 or S180 nothing happens…
If I try P1 or P2, it says servo out of range.
Man, I was really hoping this was it and I could move on with the project.
I did see that Ryan has a fluidnc board for pen/laser but I really don’t want to spend $45 on it this as it was meant to be an inexpensive project since I had the boards already.
What am i missing to get the servo to work on Marlin?
I would start troubleshooting by checking out the pin. Carefully (with the board unpowered) hook up a voltmeter to your proposed PWM pin. Use an M42 to set the pin PWM directly. Use S values of 128, 192, and 255. You should get values of around 2.5V, 3.75V, and 5V for the three values.
If the voltage stays around 0V, then you either have the wrong pin, or the pin is burned out. If you only get 0V and 5V from the pin, then the pin is either not a PWM pin, or it is not acting like a PWM pin. It is possible to use a timer that drives PWM pins, plus, based on reading the Marlin source, some pins appear to be protected. If this is the case, I suggest you use one of the PWM pins I identified on Extension-2 above.
Those pins should only ever show 5V when the board is powered on. Those are not PWM pins, or even switchable, they are meant to provide 5V constant power. The “S” pin for the servo port is the one to test. Put the red lead there.
You can use the black line one as the ground reference though. Personally, I would use the power supply ground though. It’s more reliable, and also safer. Less chance of a short circuit.
I…am such…an…idiot.
First, I did know better that it was the signal wire pin that I needed to test. I just had + - in my head and called those out instead.
Second. The Z min is the correct pins to use. I originally had the servo on the Z max and when I swapped it I didn’t see that the set of pins (is this called a header?) was rotated 180 degrees, basically swapping the + and s pins
I ran the M280 P0 P90 and P0 commands and it works!
Unfortunately it is reversed in the direction I want it to go.
Is there a way to reverse it? my carriage is set up for the servo to move in the opposite direction, which it did when using grbl.
although I am working on a new carriage design so it might not be needed. The one I have has too much play in it and I think is what is causing my line to wander.
Unfortunately it is reversed in the direction I want it to go.
If the movement is on the correct side of the servo, then the direction does not matter. The fact that 0 may be up and 125 might be down does not make any difference to the g-code. If the movement is on the wrong side of the servo, then, sometimes, you can just reverse the horn. Unfortunately, almost all servos have a limited range of motion.
Thanks to you and everyone who helped out.
This was a huge learning experience for me. In design, build (the easy parts in my mind) and all the firmware stuff.
Wow and it looks good to! I did vinyl with the mpcnc, but it was a lil effort to changeover and i have a little variance in my board, so i always wanted a machine like yours!
