MDF Rose Engine Lathe 2.0
Control System for Multiple Stepper Motors
Used to stop the motion of the stepper motor.

Synchronized
Targets
Used to initiate the synchronized movement of the selected axes.

Used to return the spindle or the selected axis to the start point of the previous operation.

When using this function, Be sure to stop and retract the cutter from the cut first. The return path does not always follow the same path as the initial cut. (Backlash and other factors come into play here.)

The speed of the return action is set in the Preferences | Returns screen.

MultiSync Screen

Purpose: This screen allows the turner to run multiple motors synchronously, or individual motors continuously.


Run One For a given axis, this button can be used to run that single axis (like on the One screen) in continuous mode. The motor will run until Stop is pressed.

This is basically the opposite of using

Synchronized
Targets

Selects the axes which are run synchronously until each reaches the Target.

  Axis is selected to operate.
  Axis is not selected to operate.

Dir

and

Target

Indicates the direction the motor will run.

Axis
Type
Direction of Motion Target
Measure
Linear Towards the headstock. Distance
Away from the headstock.
Radial Counter-clockwise. Degrees
Clockwise.

The value of Target depends on the type of axis.

  • Linear axis targets are in distance.

    This distance is unit-less, and is dependent upon value entered for Distance/360 in the Configuration Screen for the axis you are using.


  • Radial axis targets are in degrees.

    It is common for this value to be a multiple of a circle (e.g., 3600 = 10 revolutions).


Enabled
Enabling a stepper motor locks it into place, preventing motion along the relevant axis. One use for this would be to lock the spindle whilst changing a rosette.

The stepper motor on a given axis may be enabled even if that is not the axis of movement.

When the Stop button is selected, the stepper motor on this axis is reset to be disabled.

More than one stepper motor may be enabled at a time.

 
Disabled
This stepper motor is disabled, allowing for manual adjustment (e.g., manually moving the slide along the Z axis by rotating the leadscrew).

To set the MaxSpeed and % of MaxSpeed for a selected axis, click on the row for that axis. The values shown in the table are read-only.

In the screen image shown, the value of MaxSpeed (4500) matches the value above the right slider bar. Changing that value would relfect a change in the small white box in the table.

In that same image, the slider is used to set the % of MaxSpeed (41).

 
MaxSpd MaxSpeed for the specific axis.
 
% Percentage of MaxSpeed that this axis will run.

Limit Switches

Limit switches can be used with this function. The pins used for this are configured on the Limit Switches Configuration Screen. (More information about the implementation of limit switches is on that page.)