Easy To Build Stepper Controller from Recycled Materials

Step 6 Configure Control Software

Click start and shut-down. Then check the box that says "Restart in MS-DOS mode". You will get a command prompt. At the Prompt, type "C:\tcnc\TURBOCNC". Then you will get a screen like the one in image 3. Press any key. Now you are in the main program menu. Press F1, and then use the arrow keys to select the "Configure" menu. Use the arrow keys to select "number of axis". Press Enter. Enter the number of axies you will be using. I only made one driver, so I selected "1". Press enter to continue. Now press F1 again and navigate to the "Configure" menu. Select "Configure axes", then press enter twice.

You will see a screen that looks a little confusing. Do not worry, it is not that bad. Press tab until you get the box that says"Drive Type". Press the down arrow to select 'Phase. Press tab again to select the Scale box. If your computer has a mouse in dos (mine does not), click the calc button. If yours is like mine, you can simply run the program off a computer running Windows XP or Vista by double clicking on the TURBOCNC file. Then, follow the above steps.

To use the calculator, you must find the number of steps per revolution that your motor takes. Google your motor's part number and look for how many degrees per step it takes. Then, divide 360 by the number of degrees per step to find your steps per revolution. For example, my motor turns 7.5 degrees per turn, so I divided 360 by 7.5 to get 48. Punch that number into your scale calculator. Leave the rest of the settings the same. Press ok, and then copy the number in the scale box to the scale box on the other computer. Next, change the value in the acceleration box to 20, as the default 2000 is way too fast for your system. Change the value of the start velocity box to 20, and the value of the max velocity box to 175. Change the value of the fast jog box to 175. Press tab until you get to the "Last Phase" option. Change its value to 4. Press tab until you get to the first row of x's. Copy the following into the first four boxes:
1000xxxxxxxx
0100xxxxxxxx
0010xxxxxxxx
0001xxxxxxxx
Leave the rest of the boxes as they are. Select OK. You have now set up the software.

Comments

[laxhead94]

can this be used in windows 2000? or just 98

[murray484]

This can be used with windows 2000, but you will have to create a boot floppy. There are instructions listed here: http://www.dakeng.com/turbofaq.html#q8

[willie19a]

how do i change the language from portuguese to english?

[kareden]

"Expand and copy the TurboCNC files to the floppy. "

But what fies? My floppy is to low for Boot files (DOS) end TurboCNC files.

[murray484]

There is an option to download the program only (not the instructions) on the DakEng site. put these files on your preformatted DOS disk.

[kareden]

I know, but still to low. Maybe not to use folders with files: dots, goldsrc, inifiles, samples, surce & utils? Only other files in tcnc_lt folder?
I formated in Windows XP and then put folders in formated(DOS) floppy. am i clir

[zoot686]

Over at the turbocnc site there's a link to a brazilian company that ported turbocnc over to windoze XP.
The freely downloadable version is limited to to programs of 100 lines of G-code or less..........but it'll do the trick for folks that don't know how, or can't setup a DOS box or DOS virtual machine of any sort

[dylanwinn]

It fits fine for me. I used the windows XP formatter to make a DOS boot disk, and then I extracted everything but the utils and samples into the root of the floppy.

[zoot686]

Decided I had to rig up this circuit.
Used a breakout board, some pieces of perfboard, some LED's(stepper motor substitutes) and a cat5 cable I cut up for the wires.
All three axis flash the little LED's just like they're supposed to, and after a run one LED on each axis stays lit to "lock" the motors.
For a power supply I'm just using a 4-AA battery box.

[Asa J]

When I connect the red motor wire the motor locks up and gets hot. I have triple checked the circuits and it does match the diagrams. Any ideas?
Also, when I try to jog the motor just vibrates. What is going on?

[murray484]

There is an error on the schematic for the 3 Axis version.  If you are using it, make sure that pin 1 is not connected to pin 25.  What is your power supply voltage, and what is your motor voltage and amperage.  Can you attach a picture of what you have hooked up?  Also, make sure that you are running turbo CNC in DOS mode on windows 2000,98 or 95, not just a DOS box.

Hope this helps you get your system running

[Asa J]

AAAAh ha ha,  IT LIVES!!! Uh, I mean I got it. I didn't notice that it said "No changes will be made until you reset the ports." So all my configuring was doing nothing.
Thanks for this instructable, it really motivated me to try something new.

[nasimgauhar]

what if i don't have a floppy drive and i'm using win XP

[murray484]

You need to buy a floppy drive. You can get usb ones, but they might not work.

[dancmarsh]

you can use a vitual floppy drive. I haven't used a real floppy disk forages. it works in a similar way to a floppy, it gives you a drive A: butit works at hard drive speeds.

Used this one just today, reporting software insisted that it wanted afloppy disk
http://www.freewarereview.info/2006-03/virtual_floppy_drive_-_floppy_disk_imaging_and_virtualization_part_ii.html

copy to a memory stick and bingo!

[tgrigsby]

Windows 98? ooookay... Have you tried this in the DOS box in WinXP?

[murray484]

No, you should not use the DOS box in windows xp. The reason why you need to restart in DOS mode is that windows multitasking throws off the timing of the parallel port. This results in missed steps. You can however, still use windows xp in DOS mode, by making a start up disk. This is the guide from Turbo CNC's manual: "You'll need to create a real-mode boot disk for TurboCNC Get a blank floppy disk out. 1. From the desktop hit Start | My Computer | Floppy (A) (or other letter as appropriate for your system) 2. Insert the disk, then hit File, Format 3. Check the box that says "Create MS-DOS boot disk" and hit OK to format Expand and copy the TurboCNC files to the floppy. Reboot the computer with the floppy in drive A Execute TurboCNC at the A:\ prompt." Hope this helps

[Lito bambito]

Hey Murray484, I have started testing my setup, but it seems when toggle the x and y positions in turbocnc only one motor is being activated, and there seems to be a lot of lag after the arrow keys are pressed, do you know what could cause this? Thanks,

[murray484]

I am not sure, are you running it in the dos box in windows xp?

[robert.suput]

Can I use emc instead theas softwar

[murray484]

I am not sure, try googling it and see if it supports "Phase Drive". If it does, It will work, if not, then it wont

[zoot686]

No............emc2 doesn't support phase drive..........I checked last night.

[kareden]

Please, tell me, this PIC uln2003 can be talk with the EMC2 and other CAD programs? Thanks.

[lenny25]

I think it would easier to to find an old 486 or P1 on the dump, set it up with the machine permanently, rather than having to lug my PC through to the garage every time i want to use my CNC machine.

[maxpower49]

so in order to run the soft ware you can only have a maxum of windows 98 nothing newer

[murray484]

Not exactly. In order to be able to use windows XP, you need to create a start up disk. Do do this, refer to the post farther down on the page, or refer to the turbocnc manual. Good luck

[tmcalhoun]

i am stuck what do i do after i input all the data on the screen to look just like yours and then have the electronics all hooked up? What do i do to get it working?

[murray484]

In the program window, you can input commands like "G00 X1.00", Then run the program. This will move your motor 1 inch. You can change this command to make it go different distances. For example, if you type "G00 X4.00", it will move 4 inches. This is a basic G-Code command. Hope this helps clear things up