Anyone running LinuxCNC with HP-Step 1.5b?

Hi all,

I bought a CNC system cheap from a legal estate but unfortunately there was no documentation or software included. Now I would like to configure the system with LinuxCNC 2.6 (I am an experienced Linux user for 20 years).

Unfortunately I can not control the system with the settings I tried in StepConf. I can hear that the stepping motor is being accessed but nothing is moving. And the sound of the stepping motor doesn't feel comfortable to me so I aborted my tests.
Before I will start to dismount the stepper motors I would like to ask the community if someone is using the HP-Step 1.5b and can me provide a working config to exclude that this is a configuration issue.. If someone can provide me assistance or a working configuration this would be really appreciated.

Kind regards,
Michael

Hi

Is this what you have?

www.mechapro.de/hpstep.html

If so they appear to be stepper driver cards, rather than a system, depends how they are connected as to the exact config.

There appears to be a forum , downloads etc on that url, just need to put it through a translator from German

This page should contain the schematics etc you need
www.mechapro.de/download.html

regards

Michael,
the problems your are having is no more than a configuration and tuning ,
it is normal for linuxcnc to default to running slow or rough running etc

the site's linked to should give you all the information you need , but if you need assistance , i'd be happy to help
although be mindful as i'm located in the UK

Hello ArchEye and cncbasher,

thank you for the feedback. Yes, it is the HP-Step 1.5b from mechapro. I found the information directly printed on the board when opening the controler case. I will provie some pictures during this weekend... I returned from Dublin yesterday in the late evening so I have to spend my time for my family this weekend

I already found the documentation for HP-step 1.5b at the refered link before I started to configure StepConf but the settings I tried did not work. I will provide screenshots of my configuration as well with the pictures.

But your answers let me hope that this is not a defect but a configuration issue

Looking forward to provide you more information and get my "red Zora" running!

Best regards,
Michael

Hi

If you can zip your config folder and attach it, that will be the easiest way to check it.

One common mistake is reading a manual that has step timings in us and entering them into stepconf, which requires ns

Then the timings are far too short and the motors just make some noise but do not move

regards

Quick status:

Was able to spend some minutes for my project but was still unable to upload more information to this thread.

I was able to find out that the emergency switch off has an issue. Once the switch is pulled to on the motors for Z and Y axis becomes noisy and the "Emergency switch" LED on the controller unit flickers. So I will buy today a new switch and replace the old one.

The good message is: If I disable the emergency switch via jumper on the interface board I am able to move all axis. So my fear that the hardware could be damaged is gone.

Obviously I will join the "LinuxCNC Integrator Meeting 2014 Germany" on the 25th October since they stated explictit:

We want you to bring your LinuxCNC related barriers to progress
along - whether that is in thoughts or in form of unfinished machinery
so we can work on solving the faced issues together.

Anyway, I will document my project here further soon as promised.

Regards,
Michael

your making progress thats good

Hell, yeah

To keep you entertained until I have further facts here are some pics from my system and technical components identifeid so far:

System Specs:
19" Rack
AMD Quad Core Phenom II 2,8 GHz
4 GB RAM
Nvidia GTX (under observation, maybe replaced with another one)
500 GB SATA HD
WiFi & Ethernet (WiFi just for setup. Will be removed as soon system works and Ethernet cable is in place)
15" ELO Touch Screen
OS: Latest DVD from LinuxCNC.org (Debian with LinuxCNC 2.6)
Max jitter (tested over 24 hours under extreme parallel high load): 20565

Stepper Interface Card
nc-step.de
Rev 1.2 03/2004
(only german docs found)

Stepper Motor Card
www.mechapro.de/pdf/hpstep_15b_en.pdf

Stepper motors:

X-Axis:
Nanotec Type 4H5618C 0108
Steps per revolution 200
de.nanotec.com/fileadmin/files/Datenblae...toren/4H5618_L_C.pdf
3,4 V
2,85 A
1,8 DEG

X-Axis Belt driven (1:2 - 15:30) teeth

Ø 6 / 6 mm
length 19 / 19 mm

LxWxH: 135 x 55 x 55 mm
Wight: 1,28 kg

Y Axis:
OFFANENGO
HS200 2221 0100 AX08 A4612
www.denfordata.com/bb/download/file.php?id=2707
Specifications
step angle 1,8°
Steps per revolution 200
step angle accuracy 5
rated phase current 1
phase resistance 6,2
phase inductance 8,8
holding torque unipolar * 75
holding torque bipolar * 98
detent torque 4
rotor inertia 220
mass 0,7
max. length 55
shaft dia 6,35
max. applicable voltage 75
insulation class B
* two phases "ON"

X-Axis Belt driven: 1:2 (15_30 teeth)

Z-Axis
Sonceboz Stepmotor
Typ 6500 R403
2 Phases
Schritte / Umdrehung (Steps per rev.): 200
Schrittwinkel (Step Angle): 1.8° +/- 5%
Rotorträgheitsmoment (Rotor Inertia): 121 gcm²
Restmoment (Detent Torque): 35 mNm
Baugrösse (Dimensions): 57.2 x 50.8 mm
Gewicht (Weight): 530 g
Isolationsklasse (Type of insulation): B130 (°C)
Schutzart gemäss (Protection): DIN 40050 / IP30
Isolationswiderstand (Resistance of Insulation): >100 MOhm
Phasenwiderstand (Resistance per Phase) Rph: 5 Ohm +/- 10%
Phaseninduktivität (Inductance per Phase) Ls: 16 mH +/- 15%
Nennphasenstrom (Nominal current per Phase) IN: 1 A
Haltemoment - 2 Phasen bei IN (Holding Torque - 2 phases at IN): 660 mNm +/- 10%
Motornennleistung (Nominal Power) PN: 10 W
Anschluss / Connection:

4-poliges Anschlusskabel (Länge ca. 34 cm) mit 5-poligem Stecker
4-wire cable (lenght approx. 34 cm) with 5-pin connector

Z-Axis Belt driven: 1:2 (15:30 teeth)


Regards,
Michael

New status:

RedZora has first time moved along the linuxCNC (the default loaded gcode) successful
The stepper motors are not running that smoothly but acceptable.

So I guess that on the 25th October on the LinuxCNC Integration Meeting in Stuttgart I will get the last issues fixed.

Current issues:
- Emergency Switch issue was not fixed by replacing the switch. Once enabling the emergency switch feature it feels like parasetic frequences are to the stepper motors. Maybe to be fixed with the help of mecapro.de (vendor of the stepper cards). When the emergency switch feature is disabled the machine runs.
- The driver settings probably needs to be more optimized
- Z-axis is not yet moving as I want. After homing all axis the mill could not reach the bottom of the machine. Whatever I try (invers flag set / not set, homing to top / bottom, setting workplace offset to the correct value) the z axis will not move down until
the tool reaches the object. But probably the problem is here between my chair and the keyboard

If you would like to have a look into my current config: Feel free. Maybe you see some parameters to be optimized:




Regards,
Michael

ok post your whole configs folder and attach as an archive , also any information on the emergency switch ? , how is it wired etc , or is it special to your electronics
the step config program is only to get you started , after that you hand edit the hal and ini files to suit , their are a few default settings that will need to be hand tuned for optim use

have you set the soft limits ( the red box area shown on screen this is your boundary the machine will not move outside of this , the values are per axis in the ini file

also i notice in the circuit that it uses a normaly open switch for the emergency stop , linuxcnc uses normaly closed , so for now for testing it should work the opposite way round ,
then the easiest way later is to change the switch contact block

also have you determined the microstepping value by looking at the switches , this will be needed to work out the number of steps per mm
do you know the number of steps needed per mm of movement ( presuming your using metric ) ,is this machine using belt drive or ballscrew etc , we would need to mnow the pitch of the ballscrew for example