OX stepper microstep and delay configuration

The LV8727 drivers I have for my OX have choices between 2 and 128 microsteps (no full-step option), and default to 2. With a 1000x1500 OX, I’m guessing that belt stretch will be my dominant constraint. I’m already down to 70% holding torque by using the minimum microstepping, and the next option is 8:

That would be only about 20% holding torque (relative to full steps). That doesn’t seem like a win.

I expect to be routing mostly wood and a little plastic. Is there any reason for me to use anything other than 2?

I don’t have any idea what I should do for delay configuration:

I found the datasheet:

http://www.onsemi.com/pub/Collateral/ENA1998-D.PDF

It doesn’t tell me why I would choose fast, slow, or mixed decay.

A web search found a site that seems to say that mixed is the only appropriate choice for microstepping; if that’s so, why would a driver that only does microstepping and not full stepping even have a fast or slow decay mode?

Good explanation of the different decay modes:

http://www.piclist.com/techref/io/stepper/decay.htm

1 Like