Author Topic: 542T Stepper drive fault light using pmdx424  (Read 2343 times)

shook

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542T Stepper drive fault light using pmdx424
« on: May 21, 2019, 08:29:16 AM »
Hi to all, i have built a cnc controller box for a plasma machine using the pmdx 424 motion controller. I am using 4 omc stepper online nema 23/425oz motors driven by the M542T drivers 4 each. I am having issues with the drivers tripping into the fault mode every time i try to do a manual jog from my laptop using mach 4. I have tried wiring Dir and Pul both ways (com+ & com-) it still sets off red fault light. I have tried this with motors disconnected and still trips the drive. I am using 36vdc power supplies to power 4 drives/4 motors. I believe all wiring is correct with no Enable connected as well? Have tried different settings within the pmdx plugin as well, no success. Help!

12strings

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Re: 542T Stepper drive fault light using pmdx424
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2019, 11:35:25 PM »
If this happens with motors disconnected it is probably not related to the power supply, or (probably) not the DIP switch settings on the drivers.

Can you run G-code and move the motors?  For example, in the MDI window "g0x1".   Is this on all axis/motors?

What are your motor settings (from the configure, Mach, motors tab)?  counts per unit, velocity and acceleration?

shook

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Re: 542T Stepper drive fault light using pmdx424
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2019, 08:19:09 AM »
   I have not tried doing G code move in mdi, i was trying to do a manual “jog” using the jog tab in lower right hand corner of mach 4 operator screen. Motor sees some form of pulse as it pulses very quick like a blip of power then the over current light comes on in the fault mode.
   Counts per unit set at 8128, velocity set at 85, and acceleration set at 41. This is my first stepper project and am pretty sure i have settings incorrectly set in mach, just want to make sure connections are correct? Thanks for your reply.

shook

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Re: 542T Stepper drive fault light using pmdx424
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2019, 11:27:09 PM »
Today a friend and i sat down and tried many different wiring changes and the like to try and get stepper motors and drivers to work with the pmdx424. Nothing appeared to keep the M542T stepper drivers to not fault out (red light) to come ON. My friend is running mach 3 on his cnc machine tool and is pretty familiar with steppers and setting them up. Pmdx board is sending steps out by indication light on board, problem lies in stepper drives. I will most likely switch drives out to another brand. He has taken one home to try on his setup. A lot of wasted time spent only to find out all is wired correctly.

12strings

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Re: 542T Stepper drive fault light using pmdx424
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2019, 11:54:24 PM »
One quick think to try is set the accel to a much MUCH lower value, say 5.  And/or set the jog rate to 10-20% to limit max speed.