Connections and settings
The STEP400 is capable of inputting from 12V DC to 72V DC. This voltage is supplied directly to the motor driver. It is also stepped down to 5V and 3.3V on the board for control power. If a PC or other device is connected to the USB port, only the control power is supplied. The required current depends on the type and number of motors and drive voltage.
If you are going to arrange for a power supply, it is better to choose one that can flow at least 3A at 24V. It can be used for a wide variety of purposes.
The terminal has four screw types, two on the left hand side are negative and two on the right hand side are positive. The screw diameter is M3. The core wire of the cable can be directly tightened, but special terminals can be used for a more secure connection. The following are examples of compatible terminals;
- NICHIFU TMEX1.25-3N
The STEP400 can be used with bipolar stepping motors with a phase current of around 5A or less. Please refer to this page for examples of usable motors.
- TE Connectivity AMP Connectors 284507-4
- Ningbo Kangnex Elec WJ15EDGK-3.81-4P
There are two terminals for each axis, HOME and LIMIT, to which sensors and switches can be connected. The roles of each terminals are as follows;
Input terminal for origin detection. Since the stepping motor cannot detect its own position, a separate sensor is required to return to the home position at startup. It is directly connected to the motor driver IC and can be used for coordinate control by the driver. The input pin is pulled up at 3.3 V inside the driver IC.
These pins are separate from the origin, and can be used for limit sensors in the operating range. It can be used to stop the motor by setting up a function to stop the motor, or used completely independently. The input terminal is pulled up to 3.3V.
XA series connectors from JST (J.S.T.MFG.CO.,LTD.) . For compatible connectors, refer to the following;
| Product name | Model number | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| (Reference) Circuit Board Post | B03B-XASK-1 (LF)(SN) | Parts mounted on the board |
| Housing | XAP-03V-1 | Main body of the connector to be inserted |
| Contact | BXA-001T-P0.6 | Connection to be inserted into housing |
The pin assignments are the same for HOME and LIMIT.
| Pin number | Function |
|---|---|
| 1 | GND |
| 2 | SW/sensor input |
| 3 | 5V output |
The driver responds when the input terminal changes from High (3.3v) to Low (0V). Therefore, the mechanism and sensor (or switch) must be combined so that the contacts are open (normal open) under normal conditions.
Sets the ID for STEP400, which is used to reply to OSC messages and is also reflected in the IP address and send port number.
The ID is set in binary digits. For more information on setting the DIP switches in binary digits, click here.
Channel setting with DIP switches
| Item | Initial value |
|---|---|
| IP address | 10.0.0.100+ID |
| MAC address | 0x60, 0x95, 0xCE, 0x10, 0x02, 0x00+ID |
| Destination address | 10.0.0.10 |
| OSC incoming port | 50000 |
| OSC outgoing port | 50100+ID |
Individual MAC addresses are assigned to STEP400, but the initial values are as shown above. Please set the MAC address at the beginning of use.
We are going to make a feature where you can press this switch to reset or power up to enter setup mode, but the feature isn't implemented yet, so currently pressing it doesn't do anything! If you need to change the network settings, it is necessary to rewrite the firmware directly.
Likewise, we haven't made anything yet, but we are looking into ways to get the setup done via SD card.