Altmill closed-loop motors, dipswitch positions, and corresponding step/mm firmware settings. By default, the X and Y motors use 1/16 micro steps, and the Z motor uses 1/4 micro-steps.
Troubleshooting
If a customer is having issues with incorrect cutting, cuts not coming out the full distance, or losing steps, reduce the motor resolution by reducing the microsteps and updating the firmware step/mm. To change the microsteps, change the position of the dip switches on the back of the motor then update the firmware step/mm values to match.
X and Y motors
|
Microstepping Dip Switch Position |
Switch #1 |
Switch #2 | Switch #3 | Switch #4 | Switch #5 | Firmware Step/mm |
| 1/2 | OFF | ON | ON | ON | ON | 40 |
| 1/4 | OFF | OFF | ON | ON | ON | 80 |
| 1/8 | OFF | ON | OFF | ON | ON | 160 |
| 1/16 | OFF | OFF | OFF | ON | ON | 320 |
| 1/32 | OFF | ON | ON | OFF | ON | 720 |
| 1/64 | OFF | OFF | ON | OFF | ON | 1440 |
| 1/128 | OFF | ON | OFF | OFF | ON | 2880 |
| 1/256 | OFF | OFF | OFF | OFF | ON | 5760 |
Default position X and Y motor
Z Motor
|
Microstepping Dip Switch Position |
Switch #1 |
Switch #2 | Switch #3 | Switch #4 | Switch #5 | Firmware Step/mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/2 | OFF | ON | ON | ON | ON | 100 |
| 1/4 | OFF | OFF | ON | ON | ON | 200 |
| 1/8 | OFF | ON | OFF | ON | ON | 400 |
| 1/16 | OFF | OFF | OFF | ON | ON | 800 |
| 1/32 | OFF | ON | ON | OFF | ON | 1600 |
| 1/64 | OFF | OFF | ON | OFF | ON | 3200 |
| 1/128 | OFF | ON | OFF | OFF | ON | 7200 |
| 1/256 | OFF | OFF | OFF | OFF | ON | 14400 |
Default Position Z motor
How to calculate the corresponding step/mm for the microsteps.
The Nema 23 motors used are 200 steps/revolution. To calculate the step/mm we need to know a few numbers
- Steps (designated by the motor)
- Revolution = (microstepping value x gearing ratio from motor to ball screw x ball screw pitch)
-
- Microstepping Value = Dipswitch position on the motors. The finer the micro stepping the the finer the motion on the motors
- Gear Ratio between the motor to the ball screw
- Ball screw pitch = Distance travel per one revolution of the ball screw
X and Y Motors
Ball screw pitch = 10mm
Steps/mm = Steps/revolution
Steps/mm = 200 / (1/16 (microstep) x 1 (gear ratio) x 10 (ball screw pitch X and Y motors))
Step/mm = 200 / 0.625
Step/mm = 320
Z Motor
Ball Screw Pitch = 4mm
Steps/mm = Steps/revolution
Steps/mm = 200 / (1/4 (microstep) x 1 (gear ratio) x 4 (ball screw pitch X and Y motors))
Step/mm = 200 / 1
Step/mm = 200