Steppers run in StepConf but not in AXIS

Hello all,

I have been using LinuxCNC for about 3 days and for the last two days I have been banging my head against why my steppers (just loose for now) run beautifully in the StepConf and don't so much as twitch in AXIS while running the sample file.

I'm using a generic parallel port 5-axis breakout board to just X,Y and Z stepper drivers and everything else is as default and basic as it gets.

I'm sure this is something so basic that no one has bothered to write about before because I can't seem to find anything in the Forums.

Your help is appreciated in advance.

One of the more common reasons for this is because Stepconf does not use the drive enables in test mode and if you have the drive enable/disable connected to a drive that is in the normally enabled state, when Axis tries to enable the drives it is actually disabling them.

So in a nutshell, if you have your machine set up with drive enable signals try inverting that signal.

Todd wrote:

...
So in a nutshell, if you have your machine set up with drive enable signals try inverting that signal.

Thanks for your reply.
My drivers do have enable signals but I have left them disconnected from the breakout board. I'm assuming they are active low because when they don't get a signal the drive is active and they ran this way in the StepConf...

When you start linuxcnc check to see if there is power to the motors, that is see if the motor shafts are locked, try this both with linuxcnc started and with linuxcnc off.

Rick G

Are you pressing the e-stop reset and machine power on buttons? (Top left corner of screen or F1/F2)

Rick wrote:

When you start linuxcnc check to see if there is power to the motors, that is see if the motor shafts are locked, try this both with linuxcnc started and with linuxcnc off.

Rick G

Checked, whenever I have the power supply for the motor drivers ON the shafts of the motors are locked regardless if LinuxCNC is running or not even while running the sample part the shafts stay locked with no rotation or vibration.

Thanks.

Todd wrote:

Are you pressing the e-stop reset and machine power on buttons? (Top left corner of screen or F1/F2)

Yes, my exact procedure is:
Turn on the computer and driver power supply,

Execute the LinuxCNC from the desktop shortcut StepConf made which opens to AXIS,

Toggle off the E-Stop (F1) I don't have a physical E-Stop connected right now,

Toggle on the machine power (F2)

Home each axis just by clicking the home axis buttons with each axis selected in turn.

Toggle off the skip lines with "/" like the example says and finally,

Press the play button (R)

The viewing window shows me the preview of the tool tip moving etc... But no stepper motion.

I should also mention the "Jog" functions have no real world effect.

Thanks.

O.K. perhaps look in your configuration files to make sure the correct parallel port address is in the file.
Also double check that you are running the configuration you created with Stepconf and not some other config.
One way to check is to edit the MACHINE name in your ini file and when you run linuxcnc make sure that is shown in the top.

Rick G

BigJohnT wrote:

Zip up your config directory and attach it.

JT

I hope this is what you are looking for, the INI I'm running is my_mill

Let me know if you meant something else.


Thanks.