Arduino Stepper Shield driven by Parallel Port?

Electronics related to CNC

Arduino Stepper Shield driven by Parallel Port?

Postby ThatOtherGuy435 » Sun Feb 24, 2013 4:42 pm

Hello all,

I'm building a ShapeOko based on an Arduino Uno and the BuildLog stepper shield with Pololu A4988 drivers. However, I wanted to see if anyone had information relating to driving the shield via parallel port with Mach3 or LinuxCNC as an alternative to GRBL on the Uno. Is it possible to wire directly? Are there any more electronic components needed?

I had originally looked at http://www.buildlog.net/blog/2011/08/open-source-4-axis-stepper-driver/, but nobody seems to be producing any kits for this configuration. To my eyes it looks pretty similar to the stepper shield, but I'm a system administrator and documentation guy and not really familiar (at all) with electronics.

My end goal is to try both the GRBL/Arduino and LinuxCNC methods of driving a ShapeOko and fill out more alternatives and documentation for the electronics over there.

Thanks,
Andrew
ThatOtherGuy435
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2013 4:34 pm

Re: Arduino Stepper Shield driven by Parallel Port?

Postby bdring » Sun Feb 24, 2013 4:50 pm

If you can wire the parallel port to the step and direction signals of the parallel port it will work, but you will need both a motor power supply (typically 12V-24V) and a 5V supply. The Arduino normally supplies the 5V. The current would be very low, so a 5V linear regulator would work.
Bart
"If you didn't build it, you will never own it."
bdring
Site Admin
 
Posts: 2966
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2009 7:33 pm
Location: Chicago, IL, USA

Re: Arduino Stepper Shield driven by Parallel Port?

Postby ThatOtherGuy435 » Sun Feb 24, 2013 5:29 pm

If I understand correctly that would be a linear regulator with the input from the PSU (@~24v) and outputting to what would be the 5v pin on an Uno (Pin... 4 in the power block?) of the shield?

Awesome, thanks! Even I should be competent enough to wire a parallel breakout according to the LinuxCNC pinouts :)
ThatOtherGuy435
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2013 4:34 pm


Return to Electronics

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests

cron