Add brake to Z axis
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As I am using a different configuration on my Z axis I need to add a brake to hold the Z axis in position if there is no output to the Z motor. Can a IO be configured on the Duet WIFI to be used to control an external brake/realay when there is no voltage send to the Z motor, will not hold the Z axis.
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Are you using the onboard stepper drivers or an external driver?
There is an explanation in this thread of a way to do this:
https://forum.duet3d.com/topic/4587/vertical-axis-brake/3 -
I am using the expansion board with external drivers.
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@jddt said in Add brake to Z axis:
I am using the expansion board with external drivers.
In that case I suggest you either use the ENA+ or ENA- output to activate the brake when the Z motor is not enabled, or add a dummy Z driver on driver 10 or 11 as described in the thread that Tony linked to.
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I use belts to lift the Z axis in my printer. I solved the bed-drop-on-power-off problem by installing a worm gear drive. If the gear ratio is sufficient (and/or the pitch of the teeth is right), the mechanism is irreversible and no brakes are needed to hold the bed.
My printer's bed assembly weighs about 3.5 kg and does not move unless the motor tells it to move.