4 Axis Stepper Motor Motion Control IC Profiler Recommendations? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: rantonides
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2014, 07:52:06 pm
content: Hi,I have a high volume application where I need to drive 4 axes of steppers at 24V and 2.2A. I need a decent motion profiler that can execute a large number of points at an approximate 8ms trajectory update. The motion controller needs to be able to look ahead to keep constant velocity through the profile. I need to download point data over Ethernet as well.The steppers are running open loop. Each requires a 24V home input and I need a couple 24VDC outputs on the whole board.I'm looking at dedicated motion controllers like Galil, but it ends up well over $1k with drives.The quantities of boards are in the 1000 range, so I'm looking to see if it makes sense to spin my own board.Does anyone have recommendations on motion controller ICs and Stepper Drive ICs for this application? There's plenty of open-source stuff based on Arduinos, but I need to have proprietary software and the licensing doesn't usually allow for that. I can find a number of ICs that would do the trick, but maybe someone with experience could make a couple recommendations.Thanks.

author: moffy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2014, 11:43:30 pm
content: It might be worth looking at GRBL and the Arduino Uno board. Very flexible, source code available. Plenty of driver shields available also.

author: rantonides
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2014, 03:44:48 am
content: I'm looking at that, but would you use Arduino stuff in a professional high-volume product? I can't really open source everything on it.

author: poorchava
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2014, 05:54:04 am
content: I guess you'd need to specify what control loop speed you require. I have tested GRBL and it's impressive piece of code for what it runs on. Those guys have probably squeezed every single cycle from that poor ATMega. If your motion is not very fast, violent, doesn't involve particularly high accelerations or inert masses, this may be a good option. GRBL is one of the rare cases when arduino crowd actually managed to produce very decent piece of software with very high performance (in relation to what it's being run on)If your product involves something more "brutal" that requires the software to take into account stuff like centrifugal forces when changing movement direction - then I think it's going to make most sense to roll your own with an FPGA or some DSP from TI, AD or Freescale.

author: rob77
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2014, 06:56:40 pm
content: just for the sake of curiosity... what is the application ? some kind of CNC machining or robotics ? the 1000s of boards needed... it kind of amazed me

author: rantonides
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2014, 06:01:24 am
content: I can't say a lot about it. It's similar to 3D printing, but totally different. I already have an order for 200 units.

author: rob77
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2014, 08:41:35 am
content: no one want's you to disclose your projectthe answer "it's kind of CNC thing" is sufficientbtw. isn't it too late to design the thing is you have orders in the queue already ? (but on the other hand nothing unusual these days even for big companies)

author: jeremy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2014, 08:56:16 am
content: Smoothstepper is the one I use. Definitely professional grade.

author: rantonides
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2014, 09:37:42 pm
content: I got the order based on a prototype that used expensive components. Now I need to build it at the price I promised.

author: rantonides
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2014, 09:44:39 pm
content: I think the SmoothStepper isnt a stand alone motion trajectory planner. It requires commands from Mach3. Im thinking something more like a Galil.

author: madshaman
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2014, 10:12:04 pm
content: To the OP, I'm just curious, what's your plan for testing your new units?I'd be way too conservative to commit to an order for a product that hasn't been designed yet, and it sounds like your requirements aren't trivial.Aren't you worried about the liability to which you're exposing yourself (or your corporation)?

author: rantonides
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2014, 03:29:21 am
content: Not really. I have tons of experience with previous projects. I have a good 6 months to deliver the units. My new prototype, based on the new hardware, should be complete in 6 weeks or so. Plenty of time for testing. I've delivered in volume a few times before.I've delivered the same machine in an industrial setting (at 10 times the cost), so most development is done. It's just the building down to a price for retail level and testing. The core technology is proven and tested, it's just the motion control left, and that's nothing new.

author: jeremy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2014, 04:28:59 am
content: Ah yes, that slipped my mind sorry.The other device I have here (but haven't had a chance to play with yet) is the smoothieboard:http://smoothieware.org/smoothieboardIt is supposedly like grbl on steroids.You could also try to modify a RAMPS board to do what you want, or provide a small Linux PC running linuxcnc. I think I recall seeing an effort to port it to the raspberry PI a while ago, but the beaglebone black is currently the standard device afaik.

author: rantonides
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2014, 06:29:43 am
content: I've been looking at that Smoothieboard. Looks nice. I think I'll give it a shot.