StepperOnline Closed Loop Stepper & Driver Review

[@ronbaldwin6382]

So, looking at your video at 1:20, your stepper spec sheet on the right hand side shows the 4 stepper wires, their colors, and internal connection. if you get something wired backwards, the encoder will show rotation in the opposite direction and then the driver will try to "Fix" it's position resulting in the hunting or vibration. Thanks for the video. My purchase will be for adjusting a vacuum variable capacitor for a small magnetic loop antenna.

[@RivalMachining]

Oh, that completely makes sense now! On a normal stepper, you can switch a set of poles around to change the direction, but if the stepper has an encoder, the motor and encoder need to agree with each other. Thanks for the clarification and good luck with your project.

[@jakob_2187]

Hi, I use the same closed loop setup and everything works fine but the motors don't fight as seen at 9:30. Do I have to program that? Has anybody had a similar problem?

[@bluegroovemodelsports9650]

I have a HF mini mill that po converted it to cnc . I may upgrade the drivers and motors

[@brynmrsh]

The links for the motor and driver don't work anymore. They've likely updated the version of motor and driver. Thanks for the good review though

[@timholstpetersen79]

@11:12 - "That will be the next step"... no pun intended ;-)

[@bluegroovemodelsports9650]

I will go thru your links if I upgrade . Thanks for sharing

[@RivalMachining]

Awesome thank you!

[@Bakamoichigei]

Funny coincidence you posting this; I'd been looking at your mini mill CNC conversion videos (need to finally stop _procrasturbating_ and convert mine...) and my current project is actually a joystick that uses closed loop steppers for centering instead of springs. With the fight that stepper put up, it looks like the smaller NEMA17 motors I'll be working with should be about right. ;)

[@Bakamoichigei]

That's one possibility, though few games support it these days. I'm mostly doing it because it can provide adjustable resistance/tension and will keep center better than an all-mechanical solution. (Also because, yeah, it's damn-cool!)

[@guanbochen9755]

Just for clarify, the port looks like RJ45 is actually a RJ11 port, I'm trying to figure out whether a RJ11 to USB could be used in the software, I will update below this video

[@nowikowalexander1615]

Hi I watched your video, it's about stepper online stepper motor and CL57T driver, it's exactly the same as what I have. I have a serious problem, I connected everything according to the instructions, but when I want to move the axes of my cnc machine, the motor stops when I start and makes very loud noises. I use an arduino mega with an ESTLCAM CNC controller AC-CNC2022-3D-Mega clamp adapter as a controller. Can you please help me? what could be the problem?

[@lordfreedom001]

hello, I have the same driver (maybe a newer version), but I want to ask. Motor parameters such as current must be set using software? Did you find a manual somewhere for the individual parameters? Thanks

[@RivalMachining]

You should be able to set the basic stuff like current and microstepping with the dip switches. The software is only required to fine tune some of the advanced settings.

[@timholstpetersen79]

Hi again, greetings from Denmark 🙂 I'm doing my own CNC router project with a table size of about 1500 mm x 1000 mm and I want to use either Nema 23, 24 or 34 closed loop stepper motors... and I think I just realized that I can't use e.g. an Arduino Uno controller to control them. It is not equipped to handle the feedback from the encoders on the motors. Do you have any experience with this? So the question is basically: After I've made my drawing in e.g. Fusion 360 and exported to e.g. a DXF file, if I had an Arduino Uno based system, I'd use a g-code sender, and upload the code to the controller. What is the procedure and software/controller needed for a closed loop to actually work as a closed loop system?

[@DallasJ]

The closed loop drivers do all the work for you! Whatever you use to send the pulse and direction signals to the driver will work the same way. Basically, the driver receives the step/dir signals and commands the motor to move. The encoder on the motor sends a signal back to the driver to tell its new location. The driver then knows what it told the motor to do and verifies it did the right thing. If there is a mismatch between the 2 signals, the driver throws an error. You can run the signal for the error back to your controller to stop the program in the same way a limit switch works. I hope this helps!

[@timholstpetersen79]

@@DallasJ So an Arduino Uno would actually do just fine, if I read you correctly.

[@DallasJ]

I've never used the arduino but I thinknit would. If it can work with the open loop steppers and has at least one pin that can stop the mill if triggered you should be good.

[@davesdrone3125]

RJ45 is ethernet, RJ11 is what this takes, same as an old school phone. That wiring mess is why you were missing steps.

[@zvargulis1988]

Hey thanks for your video, not a lot of info out there for these drivers, did you manage to change it so that it would throw an alarm? rather than fight and return to position?

[@RivalMachining]

I haven't had time to try out the alarm portion yet, but it should work the same way as a limit switch. I will be out of town for a few more weeks, but I'll give it a shot when I get back. It will be hard to test since these steppers take a lot of force to throw the code. I don't want to crash the mill just to test it lol.

[@zvargulis1988]

Rival Machining I have had a play with the HS leadshine versions and we tested by doing just that maxing out the bed travel, although they didn't fight just nicely threw an alarm no violet side affects.

[@RivalMachining]

Good to know, thanks!

[@shecterelectric432]

How do you program it?

[@hamidfazli5184]

Hi Mate, I am going to carry a steel pallet (overall weight of 700 kg) over rollers with 2 stepper motors on each sides, do you reckon "Nema 42 CNC Stepper Motor Bipolar 30Nm" is enough for this application?

[@RivalMachining]

It really depends on how fast you want to accelerate or decelerate, assuming there is very little friction in the rollers.

[@allymarie3330]

I'm excited for you! Did you get more lights. It looks a lot brighter.

[@rusticagenerica]

The light you see comes from your beautiful eyes !

[@pierrelouis96]

Is it possible to use arduino to control the driver? and if so how will the driver give the encoder feedback to the arduino since and r232 is to be used only for tuning not for communication according to my driver's data sheet.

[@RivalMachining]

I would assume so. I've never controlled a stepper with an Arduino but I'm sure it's been done. The driver will stop when the following error is exceeded (when it detects it is in the wrong position based on feedback). There is a pin that goes high or low when there is an error. That pin would go to the arduino to tell it there was an error. That is all separate from the tuning port.

[@hazemfire]

could you please tell me the values of step time, step space, direction hold and direction setup for linuxcnc configuration for these closed loop steppers?

[@RivalMachining]

In the order you listed I have 3500, 3500, 5000, 5000. I remember playing with these numbers and never really noticed any changes though. I hope that helps!

[@tahirkamboh147]

Which thing keep the stepper in its position when you try to move using adjustable spanner. Any program/code?

[@RivalMachining]

I had it running with LinuxCNC on an old computer. Linux was telling the stepper drivers to hold position, but the encoder on the motor could see and tell the driver to correct for me moving the shaft with the wrench.

[@tahirkamboh147]

@@RivalMachining ok thank you very much

[@albertvandrejer5003]

Thanks for the video. What are you using for the step and direction signal? Do you use an arduino? Regards

[@RivalMachining]

Hello, I'm using LinuxCNC on an old computer with a DB25 parallel port. The parallel port runs to a breakout board where I can tie into individual pins.

[@albertvandrejer5003]

okay, thank you very much

[@pierrelouis96]

were you able to preform the process using arduino ? if yes please provide the code if possible?

[@donaldhollingsworth3875]

What is the best drive to use. A closed loop stepper motor or a servo motor?

[@DallasJ]

I used the closed loop stepper drivers that stepperonline sells.

[@Fr1day-RT]

Hey man I know you're all Tormach obsessed nowadays but I had some questions on this one. First what breakout board are you using and is it closed loop specific? Second what would be the full parts list with quantity for this swap for plug and play. My MaxNC was originally closed loop and I'm thinking about redoing it that way again.

[@RivalMachining]

Haha, I do like the Tormach! I am using the cheapy eBay DB25 BOB here: rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_id=114&ipn=icep&toolid=20004&campid=5338261376&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2Fbreakout-board-DB25-for-cnc-router-kits-milling-engraver-cable-longs-motor-mach3%2F161480696189%3Fhash%3Ditem2598ffe17d%3Ag%3An4wAAOSw1NJbNIga The BoB is not closed loop specific. The encoders feed back to the stepper drivers. The stepper drivers are for closed loop and they compare what they told the stepper to do vs what the encoder said it did. It will make corrections, but if it gets too far out of limits, it should kill power to the stepper and create a fault. The fault can (though I haven't done it yet) be sent to the breakout board and on to linux just like a limit switch error is wired. As for parts, I bought 3 motors and 3 drivers from Stepper Online: Motors: www.omc-stepperonline.com/closed-loop/nema-23-closed-loop-stepper-motor-30nm425ozin-encoder-1000cpr-23hs45-4204d-e1000.html/?tracking=5aac72b14c081 Drivers: www.omc-stepperonline.com/closed-loop-stepper-driver/closed-loop-stepper-driver-0-70a-24-48vdc-for-nema-17-23-24-stepper-motor-cl57t.html/?tracking=5aac72b14c081 These are just the parts I bought, but they have other sizes and seem to be a good company to work with. They also have breakout boards and power supplies, but I am still rocking the Longs Motor (eBay) stuff for that. Also, note that I am an affiliate for them, but I really do like their pricing and product support so far.

[@Noellluvsuuu2]

Was it necessary to have the rs232 cable wired up for these to run? I’m not entirely sure what the purpose of that connector is for. I’m currently running UCCNC software if that makes a difference.

[@RivalMachining]

The rs232 is for the encoder. The drivers are designed to work in a closed loop system. The rs232 is for the encoder ring on the back of the stepper and completes the feedback loop. If the rs232 wasn't connected, the driver would receive a command, send it to the motor, and not see any change in position from the encoder. This would trip a fault because the driver would think it didn't move. I think I tried it on the next video and the mill barely moves before tripping a code.

[@Noellluvsuuu2]

I apologize. I meant the rj45 port.

[@RivalMachining]

I haven't used it yet. It is supposed to be used to adjust the parameters for the driver. The main thing I would be interested in changing is the number of missed pulses that triggers an error.

[@wolfitirol8347]

@@RivalMachining hi guys if you look close it's not a RJ45 (would have minimum 8 pins) it's a RJ11 6P4C is the exact term which means it has 6pins but 4connected ( pin 1 and 6 is not connected, pin 2 and 4is 5V and GRND only extern STU and pin 3 and 5 are the important send and receive) there are cables with RJ11 on one end and RS232 on the other end with these you can connect the driver to the PC and set it up as you want with the software you have already linked above. These infos are a little late but somebody probably is glad about them.

[@RivalMachining]

@@wolfitirol8347 Thanks for the information!

[@rusticagenerica]

Sadly none of the OMC links work.

[@julianpitney7835]

Reading through the documentation for the CL57T driver, I found this line "It is a RS232 communication port using to connect with PC software to configure... ". Do you know of any software that knows how to talk to these things?

[@RivalMachining]

I'm not sure, I thought I asked the company at one point but can't find the email. I sent them an email this morning with your question. I'd like to see what parameters are adjustable. I'll let you know when I hear back.

[@julianpitney7835]

@@RivalMachining Fantastic. Thanks!

[@RivalMachining]

They responded with a direct link to download the software. It is in a .rar format which I think is a type of file compression. I had to download winzip to get the file to open. I didn't connect a driver, so it doesn't open any of the tables, but from the dropdown menus, it looked like it has a descent amount of adjustibility. www.omc-stepperonline.com/download/CLSeries_setup.rar

[@julianpitney7835]

@@RivalMachining That's great. Going to run this next week when our drivers arrive. Thanks man.

[@geekoid183]

@@julianpitney7835 So how was the software ? Does the software give feedback on the position of the stepper ? So that linuxcnc can read those value through the serial port.

[@uptechcncpvclt-1302]

i have the same motors whats the webb site to download the wires colors codes?

[@RivalMachining]

The ones I am using appear to be outdated and replaced on the omc-stepperonline site. I found the datasheet by googling the model number 23HS45-4204d-e1000. It has all the colors labeled.

[@uptechcncpvclt-1302]

I got it! Thank you! Nice helpful video!!!

[@rusticagenerica]

Most of the links don't work anumore.

[@albertotrevino9594]

hello!! I´m going to buy these stepper motors!! are good quality?

[@RivalMachining]

I was very impressed with the product quality and customer service. That being said, I only have about 15 or 20 hours of machine time on them. I have some more videos with these running too. If you use the link in the description to make a purchase I do receive a small commission, but I wouldn't recommend something I wouldn't buy again.

[@albertotrevino9594]

thanks regards!!!

[@johnboon5330]

I'm just super frustrated... the software help available for these stepperonline closed loop units says: Download the software at this online link... Are they f&%ing kidding? I was able to communicate the drive with the software, but 4 hours later, no matter what I tried, the software didn't want to save any parameter change. I mean... what a piece of s*@t!!! software!!! And there are 2 other versions of the software that don't even communicate at all!!! I guess they put those files there to even get you more confused. This company is a complete joke!!! 😤😤😤😤😤