Hi,
I am working on a custom project using the Makeblock system. I originally got it for the beams / mechanics but the electronics were a nice plus. I am using their base board and ME stepper driver connected to a 42BYG stepper motor, as well as an arduino UNO + ME shield connected to ME stepper driver.
For some of the uses, the motor has enough power to turn the belts, but in another application the motor sometimes has difficulty. I found the Makeblock instructions and have tuned the current setting using the potentiometer and am running with the DIP switches set on HHH for maximum micro-stepping precision. The stepper driver is capped at 1.3A but the 42BYG motor is rated at 1.7A. I see the same issues when the boards are connected to a 9V and 12V power supply.
Before I look into purchasing a different driver and/or motor, do you have any thoughts on how to increase the torque of the motor? I already did reduce the size of the drive gear attached to the motor which helped a lot (forgot my basic physics there of Tau equals F crossed R, thus reducing the torque needs of the motor to drive the same belt). I was driving the same belt with a CR servo previously and did not run into these problems. The stepper motor is rated at higher torgue than the CR servo.
Hi The Tinkerer,
The easiest way to increase the torque would be to increase the voltage (with steppers) and of course not doing microstepping will help as well.
Unfortunately the driver is rated at 12V maximum.
MakerBlock have a bigger stepper driver (more industrial) HERE.
Hi,
Already ordered the driver you mentioned. Should arrive Friday with some other goodies. Let’s see if they are any better. One question, though. I read elsewhere that using microstepping will help with Torque. You are saying the opposite. I’m an old mechanical engineer, so the electronics classes I took were subtitled “for the non-believers” because of the imaginary number stuff. Can you please add in an article or document to explain which is better?
Of course I could just reset the DIP switched to LLL and reset my timing (I am using my own Arduino library since I want to make sure I include the limit switches and do some other logic) to see if there is a difference. I’m just curious why.
Also, what NEMA 17 motors would you recommend I use that have a relatively short chassis (some of the higher torque motors are quite long)? Physical size is a consideration for me. The specs for the 42BYG can’t be right at .7 oz-in as other motors also rated at 12V / 1.7A are closer to 44 - 55 oz-in. The official sheet must be wrong.
The Microstepping will reduce torque as the core is being placed between two direct step. (rude explanation)
Regarding the size, longer motor have more magnet and core area which increase the torque ability.
Again, the best is to run a higher voltage but be careful and look for overheat.
