E5 and Z axis for Buildlog.net 2.x laser

[BenJackson]

The buildlog laser uses a 20TPI leadscrew, a 20->48T gear reduction, and a 0.9 degree (400 step) stepper. At 16x microstep, this is about 0.08um/step.

* E5 will not accept value < 1.0. LaserCAD will accept the small value, but if you SAVE + READ, it will come back as 1.0. (And of course axis moves short/slow)
* With microstepping changed to 1x, you get ~1.3um/step, but the motor loses too much torque (even with higher current, and really low start speed + acc, it stalls). It is also very loud.
* I decided to set the axis up at 10x scale. So I used 8x microstep, and put in 1.65um/step (real value for 8x microstep would be 0.16). Then I set 10x for known values for good acc, speed, etc. This drives the axis fine, but I can't set the axis limit to 10x, because it is capped at 600mm (I need to set it more like 1000 "0.1mm")

I would really prefer that E5 accept the true value for um/step, because microstepping seems to be necessary for this axis.

[Tech_Marco]

The software only accept 'um' from 1.0 to 100.0 for stable operation.
I will suggest you to set the microstepping from 3200 to 5000 range depends on the motor performance.
You don't want to use 1600 or lower because you may get not smooth movement or detail enough for engraving. For Z table, motor driver should set the micro stepping to either 1/8 or 1/16.

Acceleration for the Z should be 50~100 and the speed should set to 5mm/s to 8mm/s in general.
Finding um for Z axis is similar to finding um for X or Y

Marco

[BenJackson]

Ok, if Z axis cannot be configured properly on E5, I will let people know it is not a good option.

[Tech_Marco]

It is not E5 or X7 controller issue, it is software tune up.

We are using 1.0 to 1.5 on Z and it works well on all our machine. You just need to find proper acceleration value and the speed. And the parameters is different from one machine to other.

You need to get familiar to the controller/software before making a conclusion.


Marco

[BenJackson]

Marco,

My Z moves fine with 1.6. But that way my axis moves 1/10th as far as the controller thinks. Which is fine, except the controller has a 600mm Z limit which means my Z can only move 60mm.

My only conclusion is that you say there is no problem, but there is a problem.

Thanks.

[Tech_Marco]

Let me discuss with the programmer see if he can make the card to work with UM <<1.0

How small of um do you need?
Can't you use 1.8 degree motor instead.
You really don't need 0.9 degree motor for the Z table.


Marco

[Tech_Marco]

How did you find the um value for the Z?
I found the um for Z by making measurements of traveling distance and use the software UM calculator to get the um. Not sure how did you end up 10x more on traveling distance.
We will launch a small laser machine: PRO530 by the end of September. It is 500x300 working area and the Z distance is 150mm. We are using E5 to drive it.


Marco

[BenJackson]

It's a buildlog.net 2.x laser. I saw the E5 because you advertised on the buildlog.net forum. The Z works as I described in my first post:

25.4 mm/inch * ( 1 inch / 20 turns leadscrew ) * ( 20 / 48 gear reduction ) * ( 1 turn / 400 steps ) * ( 1 step / 8 microsteps ) * ( 1000 um / mm )

That gives 0.16536458333 um/microstep.

As I said in the first post:

* I can't use that value in E5.
* I can't turn off microstepping because the motor stalls (E5 seems to start too fast no matter what the setting)
* I am currently using 1.6 (10x value) but that makes axis 1/10th as long (600mm limit becomes 60mm, which is really +/-30mm each time you reset)

If you can just let me enter > 600mm for Z height, I can just use it at 10x.

[Tech_Marco]

You need to set the Z speed, and acceptation
If you can't use it, please request a return RMA#

Marco

[Tech_Marco]

You need to set the Z speed, and acceptation
If you can't use it, please request a return RMA# return for refund.

Marco