I need to run seven large stepper motors from a SSC-32U USB Servo Controller for an animatronics project. I have the motors, motor controller and SSC. I am interested in putting an Arduino in to convert the pulse signals into step and direction signals. I have searched but have been unable to find any thing off the shelf. Surely I am not the first person to have this need.
@urthlight There are stepper controllers which can accept RC signals.
Stepper Controllers: https://www.robotshop.com/en/stepper-motor-controllers.html
RC Signal input: https://www.robotshop.com/en/t825-usb-multi-interface-85-45v-15a-stepper-motor-controller-soldered.html
You’d need to find a stepper controller appropriate for your stepper motors though.
that is a sweet device it accepts R/C but does not give me step/direction outputs and it has no input for encoders. I drives a small stepper directly.
ok it does give step/direction but the encoder is still an issue
Ah - you are looking for something RC driven that accepts encoder input? Normally RC signals are “fire and forget” and the controllers don’t need or make use of an encoder signal. Not sure I’ve ever seen the type of product you seem to be looking for.
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I have the Sabertooth and Kangaroo from Dimension Engineering for a pair of electric wheelchair motors and industrial encoders for my large servos. I need to build medium servos and i wanted to use steppers for these. I have my eye on some 3d printed robot arm projects that use steppers. I will want encoder feedback on all axes. I want to do the real robotics, but, for now I only need to do canned sequences. So the SSC-32u is a perfect solution and I can teach the installers the Visual Sequencer very easily.