Connections and settings
STEP400 can be powered with power supplies ranging from 12V DC to 72V DC, directly fed to the motor driver. It is also stepped down to 5V and 3.3V on the board for control power. If a PC or another device is connected to the USB port, only the control power will be supplied to the board. The required current depends on the type and number of motors and drive voltage.
If you are going to get a power supply, it is better to choose one that can provide at least 3A at 24V. You will be able to use for a wide variety of purposes.
The screw diameter is M3. You can tighten the conductor of the cable directly, but you can also use a dedicated terminal for a more secure connection. The following are examples of compatible terminals:
- NICHIFU TMEX1.25-3N
STEP400 can be used with bipolar stepper motors with a phase current of around 5A or less. We are currently preparing a page with a list of the motors we have tested and their parameters.
- TE Connectivity AMP connectors 284507-4
- Ningbo Kangnex Elec WJ15EDGK-3.81-4P
There are two terminals for each axis to which sensors and switches can be connected: HOME and LIMIT. The roles of each terminals are the following:
Input terminal for home position detection. Since the stepper motor cannot detect its own position, a dedicated sensor is required to return to the home position at startup. It is directly connected to the motor driver IC and can be used to assist driver control. The input pin is pulled up at 3.3 V inside the driver IC.
These pins, which are separate from HOME, can be used to limit mechanical operating range of motors. You can configure these pin to cause stop the corresponding motor. The input terminal is pulled up to 3.3V.
We use XA series connectors from JST (J.S.T.MFG.CO.,LTD.) . For compatible connectors, please refer to the following:
| Product name | Model number | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| (Reference) Circuit Board Post | B03B-XASK-1 (LF)(SN) | Parts mounted on the board |
| Housing | XAP-03V-1 | Main body of the connector to be inserted. |
| Contact | BXA-001T-P0.6 | Connection to be inserted into housing. |
The pin assignments are the same for HOME and LIMIT.
| Pin number | Function |
|---|---|
| 1 | GND |
| 2 | Sensor/switch input |
| 3 | 5V output |
The driver responds when the input terminal changes from High (3.3v) to Low (0V). Therefore, the mechanism and sensor (or switch) must be combined in such a way that the contacts are open (normal open) under normal conditions.
The DIP switch sets the STEP400 ID that is used to reply to OSC messages, and is also reflected in the IP address and send port number.
The ID is set in binary digits. For more information on setting the DIP switches in binary digits, click here.
Channel setting with DIP switches
| Item | Initial value |
|---|---|
| IP address | 10.0.0.100+ID |
| MAC address | 0x60, 0x95, 0xCE, 0x10, 0x02, 0x00+ID |
| Destination address | 10.0.0.10 |
| OSC incoming port | 50000 |
| OSC outgoing port | 50100+ID |
Individual MAC addresses are assigned to STEP400, but the initial values are as shown above. Please set the MAC before use.
You can export the network settings and other initial values from the Configuration Tool, store them in a microSD card, and load them into STEP400. For details, see Setup with a microSD card.