The NCStepper4D firmware is designed to allow our SS4D series of four motor controllers to operate four-axis stepper motor systems, wherein the intent is to control the set of four of motors as one unit. It supports "perfect line" drawing, wherein the firmware controls the relative W,X,Y,Z stepping rates needed to cause straight (linear) motion between specified pairs of W,X,Y,Z addresses. Additionally, the code provides a simplified arc/circle (actually, a polygon) drawing tool, which permits easy drawing of near-circles and similar figures on any selected pair of motors.

In order to perform the linked-motor operations, the firmware makes the assumption that one "step" on the any motor generates the same distance of motion as one "step" on any other motor. It supports a separate backlash setting for each motor, in order to compensate for gear train 'windup' behaviors.

The NCStepper4D firmware shares many of the features of the PotStepper4D four-motor controller firmware. The PWM control of the motors is identical, as is the general method of sending numeric parameters for commands. Many of the commands which configure the system are also identical (such as setting the step rate); however, the fundamental control theory is different. The NCStepper4D firmware explicitly controls all motors at the same time, from a single command (such as Goto or Arc), with automatic step-rate ratioing in order to generate straight lines; while PotStepper4D explicitly controls the motors independently, so that one motor may be performing a "slew" operation, while the another is executing a "goto".

The current version (using Adobe format) of the common NCStepper4D manual for all of our products is available by clicking here.  Hint: If you want to save your own copy of the manual, right click on the above link, and then select the 'Save Target As...' option which appears. Tell the system where to save the manual, and then you will be able to browse it at your leisure.