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Monday, April 10, 2006

Stage now moving under Java control

I've finally got my repaired PC to run javacomm and have got the stepper exerciser running. It just drives the stage module at the moment, though I plan to add the rest on tonight. This puts the hardware only a whisker away from being capable of producing a plotted circuit board, provided the hardware actually checks out.

The stepper driver being used is the ULN2803-based design, driving a unipolar stepper motor. I'll work on the updated instructions over Easter when I'm not allowed in the workshop...

The 754410-based extruder controller design is also communicating, and can control the motor and read values from the thermistor. A glitch in the driver code (possibly a compiler issue) is currently preventing the use of the heater controller, but as I have a working thermostat from the prototyping stage this is not a show-stopper.

Vik :v)

2 comments:

  1. You can indeed use the ULN2803 to drive two motors simultaneously. A simple hardware solution is simply to strap the necessary input pins together: 1-5, 2-6, 3-7, 4-8

    Slight fly in the ointment: Last night my motors refused to turn over. Dunno why yet, but the comms is still working. Will investigate.

    Vik :v)

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