Double Y axis steppers - Can't get it to work

Art Wolf got me a Smoothie 1.1 board recently.

I have been setting it up while I wait for all my machine chassis 80/20 inc parts to arrive.
This will be a pick and place machine with 4 ball screws.
One X axis, Two Y axis and one Z axis

M4 will be a slave of M2
I have the ball screws here and I have hooked them up to the board to dial in my config
I am able to send G-code via the web interface and get the motors to move

Art sent me to the page below and I followed the instructions there for doubling stepper motor drivers
http://smoothieware.org/general-appendixes#doubling-stepper-motor-drivers
The instructions on the page below say to do this

Jumper these pins together on the smoothie board

  • EN2 to EN4
  • ST2 to ST4
  • DIR2 to DIR4

Then Set the current for each motor in the config
beta_current 2.0 - This is the Y axis or M2
delta_current 2.0 - This is the hotend1 axis or M4

Then remove the config lines shown below for Delta - M4 axis
I commented these lines out in the config
#delta_step_pin 2.3 # Pin for delta stepper step signal
#delta_dir_pin 0.22 # Pin for delta stepper direction
#delta_en_pin 0.21 # Pin for delta enable

I did all that and booted up the smoothie board
Nothing happens when I issued any G-code command to the Y axis (M2)
Such as a simple G0 Y100

The chip for M4 driver got really hot and so I shut down the board and removed the jumpers
M4 will not respond to any G-code and I think it is dead
M1, M2, M3 and M5 are all working fine when I issue G code

I may have gotten a bad board?
I did not test M4 by itself before doing the procedure above, so I don’t know if it arrived not working?

I tried to upload my config.txt file here but the .txt file extension is not allowed so I added .dxf to the end. Then it said new users are not allowed to upload files

Anyone have any advice on what to do now?

paste your config file in like this:

```
your config file goes here
```

then it will be displayed like this:

your config file goes here

Edit to clarify: Those little tiny characters need to be exactly three single back-quote ASCII characters.

Thanks Michael
The config posted below was the config at the time I was trying to double the (Y axis-M2-Beta) to (hotend1-M4-delta)
I have since removed the board jumpers and changed the config so I could test each stepper driver individually

I have pretty much figured out that M4 stepper driver is bad
The M4 driver chip gets really hot and the motor makes a low pitched humming noise and will not respond to Gcode commands


# dlh config
# Smoothieboard configuration file, see http://smoothieware.org/configuring-smoothie
# NOTE Lines must not exceed 132 characters, and '#' characters mean what follows is ignored
## Robot module configurations : general handling of movement G-codes and slicing into moves


# Basic motion configuration
default_feed_rate                            3000            # Default speed (mm/minute) for G1/G2/G3 moves
default_seek_rate                            3000            # Default speed (mm/minute) for G0 moves
mm_per_arc_segment                           0.0              # Fixed length for line segments that divide arcs, 0 to disable
#mm_per_line_segment                         5                # Cut lines into segments this size
mm_max_arc_error                             0.01             # The maximum error for line segments that divide arcs 0 to disable
                                                              # note it is invalid for both the above be 0
                                                              # if both are used, will use largest segment length based on radius

# Arm solution configuration : Cartesian robot. Translates mm positions into stepper positions
# See http://smoothieware.org/stepper-motors
alpha_steps_per_mm                           80               # Steps per mm for alpha ( X ) stepper
beta_steps_per_mm                            80               # Steps per mm for beta ( Y ) stepper
gamma_steps_per_mm                           1600             # Steps per mm for gamma ( Z ) stepper



# Planner module configuration : Look-ahead and acceleration configuration
# See http://smoothieware.org/motion-control
acceleration                                 3000             # Acceleration in mm/second/second.
#z_acceleration                              500              # Acceleration for Z only moves in mm/s^2, 0 uses acceleration which is the default. DO NOT SET ON A DELTA
junction_deviation                           0.05             # See http://smoothieware.org/motion-control#junction-deviation
#z_junction_deviation                        0.0              # For Z only moves, -1 uses junction_deviation, zero disables junction_deviation on z moves DO NOT SET ON A DELTA

# Cartesian axis speed limits
x_axis_max_speed                             3000            # Maximum speed in mm/min
y_axis_max_speed                             3000            # Maximum speed in mm/min
z_axis_max_speed                             300              # Maximum speed in mm/min


# Only needed on a smoothieboard
# See http://smoothieware.org/currentcontrol
currentcontrol_module_enable                 true             # Control stepper motor current via the configuration file


# Stepper module configuration
# Pins are defined as  ports, and pin numbers, appending "!" to the number will invert a pin
# See http://smoothieware.org/pin-configuration and http://smoothieware.org/pinout

# X axis - M1
alpha_step_pin                               2.0              # Pin for alpha stepper step signal
alpha_dir_pin                                0.5              # Pin for alpha stepper direction, add '!' to reverse direction
alpha_en_pin                                 0.4              # Pin for alpha enable pin
alpha_current                                2.0              # X stepper motor current
alpha_max_rate                               3000.0          # Maximum rate in mm/min


# Y1 axis - M2 and M4 are slaved
beta_step_pin                                2.1              # Pin for beta stepper step signal
beta_dir_pin                                 0.11             # Pin for beta stepper direction, add '!' to reverse direction
beta_en_pin                                  0.10             # Pin for beta enable
beta_current                                 2.0              # Y1 stepper motor current
beta_max_rate                                3000.0          # Maxmimum rate in mm/min


# Z axis - M3
gamma_step_pin                               2.2              # Pin for gamma stepper step signal
gamma_dir_pin                                0.20             # Pin for gamma stepper direction, add '!' to reverse direction
gamma_en_pin                                 0.19             # Pin for gamma enable
gamma_current                                2.0              # Z stepper motor current
gamma_max_rate                               300.0            # Maximum rate in mm/min
gamma_acceleration                           300              # Acceleration moves in mm/s^2




## Extruder module configuration
# See http://smoothieware.org/extruder
extruder.hotend.enable                          true          # Whether to activate the extruder module at all. All configuration is ignored if false
extruder.hotend.steps_per_mm                    140           # Steps per mm for extruder stepper
extruder.hotend.default_feed_rate               600           # Default rate ( mm/minute ) for moves where only the extruder moves
extruder.hotend.acceleration                    500           # Acceleration for the stepper motor mm/secýuder.hotend.max_speed                       50            # Maximum speed in mm/s

#extruder.hotend.step_pin                        2.3           # Pin for extruder step signal
#extruder.hotend.dir_pin                         0.22          # Pin for extruder dir signal ( add '!' to reverse direction )
#extruder.hotend.en_pin                          0.21          # Pin for extruder enable signal
 
delta_current                                    2.0          # First extruder stepper motor current



# Second extruder module configuration
extruder.hotend2.enable                         true         # Whether to activate the extruder module at all. All configuration is ignored if false
extruder.hotend2.steps_per_mm                   140          # Steps per mm for extruder stepper
extruder.hotend2.default_feed_rate              600          # Default rate ( mm/minute ) for moves where only the extruder moves
extruder.hotend2.acceleration                   500          # Acceleration for the stepper motor, as of 0.6, arbitrary ratio
extruder.hotend2.max_speed                      50           # mm/s

extruder.hotend2.step_pin                       2.8          # Pin for extruder step signal
extruder.hotend2.dir_pin                        2.13         # Pin for extruder dir signal ( add '!' to reverse direction )
extruder.hotend2.en_pin                         4.29         # Pin for extruder enable signal
 
epsilon_current                                 2.0          # Second extruder stepper motor current



## Endstops
# See http://smoothieware.org/endstops
endstops_enable                              true             # The endstop module is enabled by default and can be disabled here
#corexy_homing                               false            # Set to true if homing on a hbot or corexy

alpha_min_endstop                            1.24^            # Pin to read min endstop, add a ! to invert if endstop is NO connected to ground
#alpha_max_endstop                            1.25^            # Pin to read max endstop, uncomment this and comment the above if using max endstops
alpha_homing_direction                       home_to_min      # Or set to home_to_max and set alpha_max and uncomment the alpha_max_endstop
alpha_min                                    0                # This gets loaded as the current position after homing when home_to_min is set
alpha_max                                    200              # This gets loaded as the current position after homing when home_to_max is set

beta_min_endstop                             1.26^            # Pin to read min endstop, add a ! to invert if endstop is NO connected to ground
#beta_max_endstop                            1.27^            # Pin to read max endstop, uncomment this and comment the above if using max endstops
beta_homing_direction                        home_to_min      # Or set to home_to_max and set alpha_max and uncomment the alpha_max_endstop
beta_min                                     0                # This gets loaded as the current position after homing when home_to_min is set
beta_max                                     200              # This gets loaded as the current position after homing when home_to_max is set

gamma_min_endstop                            1.28^            # Pin to read min endstop, add a ! to invert if endstop is NO connected to ground
#gamma_max_endstop                           1.29^            # Pin to read max endstop, uncomment this and comment the above if using max endstops
gamma_homing_direction                       home_to_min      # Or set to home_to_max and set alpha_max and uncomment the alpha_max_endstop
gamma_min                                    0                # This gets loaded as the current position after homing when home_to_min is set
gamma_max                                    200              # This gets loaded as the current position after homing when home_to_max is set



# Optional enable limit switches, actions will stop if any enabled limit switch is triggered
alpha_limit_enable                           true            # Set to true to enable X min and max limit switches
#beta_limit_enable                           false            # Set to true to enable Y min and max limit switches
#gamma_limit_enable                          false            # Set to true to enable Z min and max limit switches


# Endstops home at their fast feedrate first, then once the endstop is found they home again at their slow feedrate for accuracy
alpha_fast_homing_rate_mm_s                  50               # Alpha/X fast homing feedrate in mm/second
alpha_slow_homing_rate_mm_s                  25               # Alpha/X slow homing feedrate in mm/second
beta_fast_homing_rate_mm_s                   50               # Beta/Y  fast homing feedrate in mm/second
beta_slow_homing_rate_mm_s                   25               # Beta/Y  slow homing feedrate in mm/second
gamma_fast_homing_rate_mm_s                  4                # Gamma/Z fast homing feedrate in mm/second
gamma_slow_homing_rate_mm_s                  2                # Gamma/Z slow homing feedrate in mm/second


alpha_homing_retract_mm                      5                # Distance to retract from the endstop after it is hit for alpha/X
beta_homing_retract_mm                       5                # Distance to retract from the endstop after it is hit for beta/Y
gamma_homing_retract_mm                      1                # Distance to retract from the endstop after it is hit for gamma/Z



# Optional enable limit switches, actions will stop if any enabled limit switch is triggered (all are set for delta)
#alpha_limit_enable                          false            # Set to true to enable X min and max limit switches
#beta_limit_enable                           false            # Set to true to enable Y min and max limit switches
#gamma_limit_enable                          false            # Set to true to enable Z min and max limit switches


# Optional order in which axis will home, default is they all home at the same time,
# If this is set it will force each axis to home one at a time in the specified order
#homing_order                                 XYZ              # X axis followed by Y then Z last
#move_to_origin_after_home                    false            # Move XY to 0,0 after homing
#endstop_debounce_count                       100              # Uncomment if you get noise on your endstops, default is 100
#endstop_debounce_ms                          1                # Uncomment if you get noise on your endstops, default is 1 millisecond debounce
#home_z_first                                 true             # Uncomment and set to true to home the Z first, otherwise Z homes after XY


# End of endstop config
# Delete the above endstop section and uncomment next line and copy and edit Snippets/abc-endstop.config file to enable endstops for ABC axis
#include abc-endstop.config



## Z-probe
# See http://smoothieware.org/zprobe
zprobe.enable                                false           # Set to true to enable a zprobe
zprobe.probe_pin                             1.28!^          # Pin probe is attached to, if NC remove the !
zprobe.slow_feedrate                         5               # Mm/sec probe feed rate
#zprobe.debounce_ms                          1               # Set if noisy
zprobe.fast_feedrate                         100             # Move feedrate mm/sec
zprobe.probe_height                          5               # How much above bed to start probe
#gamma_min_endstop                           nc              # Normally 1.28. Change to nc to prevent conflict,



# Levelling strategy
# Example for 3-point levelling strategy, see wiki documentation for other strategies
#leveling-strategy.three-point-leveling.enable         true        # a leveling strategy that probes three points to define a plane and keeps the Z parallel to that plane
#leveling-strategy.three-point-leveling.point1         100.0,0.0   # the first probe point (x,y) optional may be defined with M557
#leveling-strategy.three-point-leveling.point2         200.0,200.0 # the second probe point (x,y)
#leveling-strategy.three-point-leveling.point3         0.0,200.0   # the third probe point (x,y)
#leveling-strategy.three-point-leveling.home_first     true        # home the XY axis before probing
#leveling-strategy.three-point-leveling.tolerance      0.03        # the probe tolerance in mm, anything less that this will be ignored, default is 0.03mm
#leveling-strategy.three-point-leveling.probe_offsets  0,0,0       # the probe offsets from nozzle, must be x,y,z, default is no offset
#leveling-strategy.three-point-leveling.save_plane     false       # set to true to allow the bed plane to be saved with M500 default is false






## Network settings
# See http://smoothieware.org/network
network.enable                               true            # Enable the ethernet network services
network.webserver.enable                     true             # Enable the webserver
network.telnet.enable                        true             # Enable the telnet server
#network.ip_address                           auto             # Use dhcp to get ip address
# Uncomment the 3 below to manually setup ip address
network.ip_address                           192.168.0.157   # The IP address
network.ip_mask                              255.255.255.0   # The ip mask
network.ip_gateway                           192.168.0.1     # The gateway address
#network.mac_override                         xx.xx.xx.xx.xx.xx  # Override the mac address, only do this if you have a conflict



## System configuration
# Serial communications configuration ( baud rate defaults to 9600 if undefined )
# For communication over the UART port, *not* the USB/Serial port
uart0.baud_rate                              115200           # Baud rate for the default hardware ( UART ) serial port


second_usb_serial_enable                     false            # This enables a second USB serial port
#leds_disable                                true             # Disable using leds after config loaded
#play_led_disable                            true             # Disable the play led


# Kill button maybe assigned to a different pin, set to the onboard pin by default
# See http://smoothieware.org/killbutton
kill_button_enable                           true             # Set to true to enable a kill button
kill_button_pin                              2.12             # Kill button pin. default is same as pause button 2.12 (2.11 is another good choice)


#msd_disable                                 false            # Disable the MSD (USB SDCARD), see http://smoothieware.org/troubleshooting#disable-msd
#dfu_enable                                  false            # For linux developers, set to true to enable DFU

Mystery solved
M4 was dead on this smoothie board

I ended up using an external driver paralleled to the Y axis (M2) on the smoothie board
Got it all running perfectly
I shot a video of the twin Y axis in motion

Here’s the youtube video link of my build

3 Likes

Nice actuators. Where did you get them from?

The link to the ball screws is in the video description

Found it, thank you.

It looks like there is no thrust bearing in this assembly, just two floating bearings. If thats correct, you will get axial play on direction changes.