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UCPotStepper Firmware

The UCPotStepper firmware is designed to allow our UCC30xx series of current regulating controllers to operate two stepper motors independently of each other.   It permits use of a single potentiometer (user provided, according to the desired top speed of the motors) to use as a rate control for the motors.

The following table summarizes the currently released UCC30xx series of unipolar stepper motor control product key capabilities.    You will first want to review the calculating motor current faq in order to determine the current requirements for your motor.

Product Unipolar Current/Winding with 2 motors Motor Voltages
UCC3005 x 0.1-0.5 Amp up to 45
UCC3015 x 0.3-1.5 Amp up to 45
UCC3030 x 0.6-3.0 Amp up to 45
 

The UCPotStepper key capabilities may be summarized as follows:

  • Up to two stepper motors may be independently controlled at one time.
  • A single potentiometer (user provided) may be used to control the stepping rates of the motors.  As a special order option, two separate potentiometers may be used to control each motor independently.
  • Limit switches may be used to automatically request motion stop of either motor in either direction.
  • Rates of 1 to 41,667 microsteps per second are supported.
  • Step rates are changed by linearly ramping the rates; the rate of change is independently programmed for each motor, and can be from 1 to 41,667 microsteps per second per second.
  • All motor coordinates and rates are expressed in programmable microstep units of 1/8 to one full step.  Once the base step size is selected, changing stepping modes between half, full and micro does not change any other value other than which winding pairs may be driven at the same time.
  • Motor coordinates are maintained as 32 bit signed values, and thus have a range of –2,147,483,647 through +2,147,483,647.
  • Both GoTo and Slew actions are fully supported.
  • A TTL "busy" signal is available, which can be used to see if the motors are still moving. Note that this information is also available from the serial communications subsystem.
  • Simple control of the motors may be done by switch closure: i.e., each motor can be told to slew left or right, or to stop by simply grounding some input lines. Similarly, the rate of motion can be controlled via a user-provided potentiometer.
  • Complete control of the motors, including total monitoring of current conditions, is available through the 2400 or 9600 baud serial connection.   If you purchase our USB-to-TTL conversion board, you may also operate our products via USB.
  • You have full control over the current which is sent to the windings, both when the motors are in motion and when they are idle.
  • Runs off of a single user-provided 7.5 to 15 volt DC power supply.   It may also be configured using a split supply, wherein the motor runs off of a separate DC power supply, while the logic circuit runs off of a 7.5 to 15 volt DC supply.
  • Theoretically, an unlimited number of boards can be controlled via one serial line, if the SerRoute product is used.

Click Here for the full PDF manual for the UC30xx series of products with the UCPotStepper firmware.

Hint: If you want to save your own copy of the manual, right click on the appropriate link (above), 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.

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