I'm trying to build the cnc machine from momus design.

I'm trying to build the cnc machine from momus design, the author suggest using xyoltex drive board. is there any better option for the stepper motor controller ?

Comments

[jbaker22]

You can order free electronic samples to make an arduino, then control it with that. I can show how to get free parts for making an arduino.

[dalward]

Can you show me how to do this?

[jbaker22]

Be nice when you ask the companies for free stuff.
http://www.ladyada.net/library/procure/samples.html

[flonect]

Thanks, I already have an arduino board. I will look for circuit to control the CNC with arduino.

[rickharris]

There are several CNC drive boards out there.

In general you need the software to translate the CAD drawing into X,Y positions.

The most common approach is to generate an intermediate language called G code. (you can look this up easily) - G code is in plain text.

A lot of G code translators will got from DXF files or similar to g code.

G code defines very simple parameters - X Y Z position - Speed of movement etc.

Your stepper controller needs to be able to translate that.

I am not aware of any 'duino based translator although they can obviously be done.

[flonect]

Thanks. I'm a Mechanical engineering student I used CNC machine a while back, so I know how to it works and all. I asked the question because most of these drive boards are very expensive like Gecko g540.

There is a post here explains using arduino for 3 axis CNC:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-wire-an-arduino-based-3-axis-CNC-machine/

I not sure if it as effective as other drive boards.

Thanks for your help.

[rickharris]

Ah yes the post shows how to drive stepper motors and I rather like the authors off hand "all you need to do now is interpret the G code..."

driving the stepper motors isn't the hard bit and a variety of systems can do it with various levels of simplicity - Decoding the drawing is the real issue.