Low cost, public domain, stepper analyzer - season 2.

droftarts

@zapta's stepper motor analyzer is the star of this Teaching Tech video! https://youtu.be/4iII25DGIdA

Ian

zapta

@droftarts, he did a very good job IMO, precise and informative.

There are two analyzers shown in that video, one with the standard base and another with the enclosed case design. Functionality wise they are identical and the open frame design is easier to build and therefore the default option.

The enclosed case is documented in the link below but is more complex to build so I am not sure it worth it.

https://github.com/zapta/simple_stepper_motor_analyzer/blob/master/case_option.md

And the Onshape design is at https://cad.onshape.com/documents/146b8b994145177887407b23/v/c2dc7870c6f0bf989cd611b5/e/b6453eca2ba530476c30538a

BTW, how does your analyzer progress? Any problems?

droftarts

@zapta I sent it to Tony, who has the equipment and time to put it together! However, we’re waiting for screens to come from China. I think we’re going to use the 411 Blackpill, as the 401 seems unavailable.

Ian

StepperAnalyzer

@fma Hello, Sorry to be so late getting on the bandwagon with this, but I would definitely buy the PCB and SMT components, even ALL the parts if possible. I live in Switzerland. Please let me know what you need from me to do this. Thanks so much!

droftarts

@zapta And now on Hackaday: https://hackaday.com/2021/04/23/stepper-motor-analyzer-reveals-all/

Ian

droftarts

@stepperanalyzer I don't think anyone is producing a kit at the moment. It's an open source project, so you can send the files to a PCB manufacturer and get them to populate the board for you. You'll probably have to find the Blackpill (the 401 version seems to be out of stock everywhere, but the 411 version is available) and the display yourself.

Ian

GeorgeM

Is @PCR still creating pcb's? I would like to get one if so.

zapta

@droftarts said in Low cost, public domain, stepper analyzer - season 2.:

@zapta And now on Hackaday: https://hackaday.com/2021/04/23/stepper-motor-analyzer-reveals-all/

Teaching Tech video was a great help.

Now let's see some entrepreneur makes it available to the community, as is or a variant. Could be a great kickstarter campaign.

PCR

@georgem Still have them

zapta

Apparently the current version of the PCB leaves one of the TFT inputs (RD, pin 26) floating. If you encounter any problem, you may want to attach a pullup resistor as explained in the updated schema. https://github.com/zapta/simple_stepper_motor_analyzer/blob/master/kicad/stepper_analyzer-sch.pdf

BTW, I am working on a Raspberry Pico version. It will have a single board design similar to the Dustin Watts ESP32 Touchdown. With the shipping times from China, it will probably take a few months to be ready.

If everything will go as planned, it will have the exact same functionality but will be easier to solder (SOIC-8 current sensors), lower profile, larger mounting screw clearance, easier firmware update process, no external EEPROM IC needed, a more stable source for microcontroller modules, lower cost TFT module, and hopefully smoother display updates due to the larger RAM that fits an entire screen). However, it will have a micro USB connector instead of the existing Type C.

woodscooter

If it's any help, I have a small batch of PCBs for the original Simple Stepper Motor Analyzer, not the new board using the Raspberry Pi Pico.

They are on Tindie: Electro-General Stores, and I'm selling at a no-profit price because this is a great project. Thanks, @zapta!

zapta

Thanks @woodscooter, that was my hope, that somebody will make them available to the community. What is your store's URL? (I hope it's OK with the moderators).

CCS86

Definitely interested in the new version.

droftarts

@ccs86 here’s a thread about the Pico version: https://forum.duet3d.com/topic/23461/anybody-wants-a-stepper-motor-analyzer?_=1623217766458

Ian