MKS Gen L V2.1 and TMC2209 stepper motor drivers

Step/Dir and UART mode experiments for MKS GEN L V2.1 board with TMC2209 stepper motor driver.

Do not plug/unplug drivers or steppers while the board is energized. Disconnect power prior to connecting any motors during setup. Failure to do so may fry the board.

Problem:  I would like to, for the first time, control motor with aforementioned hardwares.

- TMC2209 uses Step/Dir mode, with simple example from TMCStepper library.

- TMC2160 use Step/Dir mode , with simple example from TMCStepper library. (next post)

More problem:

- If I can use StallGuard, CoolSteps, Silent mode, it will be better. However, if I do so, I need to rewrite the code for interfacing with ROS (Robot Operating System)

- I would like to use basic setup for both driver with DIR/STEP method, and interface with ROS. To do so, May I use AccelStepper library?

- During the test TMC2160 with big motor Nema23: 23HS45-4204S, I found that the motor temperature reaches 52 degree. Can I use coolsteps , as the name may imply, to control this temperature?

--  My answer: Datasheet said it is possible, it needs SPI mode. I may comeback to solve this problem after I can build the whole robot. I will first focus on basic robot setup, even with 50 degree temperature. For the time being.

Term: Mobo: Motherboard

Experiment

TMC2209 Dir Stepper Connection

Picture 1: Step/DIR setting for TMC2209 with MKS gen L V2.1

TMC2209 is connected to Hanpose 17HS3401S stepper motor at Mobo's X position. According to the stepper's datasheet, the current per coil is 1.3A , I need the following setting

- Microstep 16.  Therefore I choose exactly the same microstep jumper setting as Picture 1.

- Max current. For safety factor of 0.8, I need to set Max current to 1.0A per coil. This can be done by adjusting potentiometer on TMC2209 board. Measure potentiometer voltage w.r.t board ground, called VREF. Board ground is on USB female metal case. See Picture2

Picture 2 show how to adjust, and measure VREF. Connect the 12V power supply, measure the intermediate pin voltage of the corresponding drive potentiometer with a multimeter, and calculate the maximum load current according to the drive module

- IRUN/ IHOLD 

IRUN = Current scale when motor is running. Scales coil

current values as taken from the internal sine

wave table. For high precision motor operation,

work with a current scaling factor in the range 16

to 31, because scaling down the current values

reduces the effective microstep resolution by

making microsteps coarser

- IHOLD = Current scale when motor is standing still. Scales coil

current values as taken from the internal sine

wave table. For high precision motor operation,

work with a current scaling factor in the range 16

to 31, because scaling down the current values

reduces the effective microstep resolution by

making microsteps coarser

I still don't understand when to set this IRUN/IHOLD programatically with UART, or ignore them and use analog VREF like Picture 2. My current understanding is that DIR/Step mode: Use Vref analog

Picture3. TMC2209 connection

TMC2209 UART connection

Current Setting can be done by Software. Therefore, just write the code to set max current to 1A.

Programming: Use TMCstepper library

=================================

#define DIAG_PIN2209       3

#define EN_PIN2209           38//30 for E1 //38 for X  //62 for Z// Enable  //Check pinout detail diagram  E0=1,E1=2,X=3,Y=4,Z=5

#define DIR_PIN2209         55// 34 for E1//55 for X//48 for Z//Direction //Check pinout detail diagram

#define STEP_PIN2209         54// 36 for E1// 54 for X // 46 for Z //Step  //Check pinout detail diagram

#define EN_PIN2160          62//30 for E1 //38 for X  //62 for Z// Enable  //Check pinout detail diagram  E0=1,E1=2,X=3,Y=4,Z=5

#define DIR_PIN2160         48// 34 for E1//55 for X//48 for Z//Direction //Check pinout detail diagram

#define STEP_PIN2160         46 // 36 for E1// 54 for X // 46 for Z //Step  //Check pinout detail diagram

================================

To check the pinout, refer to this two pictures. 

Look at Schematic for Digital pin number. E0,E1,X,Y,Z = 1,2,3,4,5

Result

-TMCstepper simple DIR/STEP mode success, use "simple" example with the only change in the code:

    TMC2209Stepper driver(SW_RX, SW_TX, R_SENSE, DRIVER_ADDRESS);

-TMCstepper UART mode success. Use "TMC2209_stallguard" example,I can read the stallguard digital output pin. There are trick that many people on internet does not know yet, and may search answer for day. That is : Eventhough the RC_RESULT returns 0 when trying to stop the motor by fingers, the digital pin DIAG was actually trickered. and that should be enough for stallguard. I will write about this in the next post.

-AccelStepper library success.

#include <AccelStepper.h>

#define EN_PIN2209           38

#define X_DIR_PIN2209         55// 34 for E1//55 for X//48 for Z//Direction //Check pinout detail diagram

#define X_STEP_PIN2209         54// 36 for E1// 54 for X // 46 for Z //Step  //Check pinout detail diagram

// Define a stepper and the pins it will use

//AccelStepper stepper; // Defaults to AccelStepper::FULL4WIRE (4 pins) on 2, 3, 4, 5

AccelStepper stepper(stepper.DRIVER,X_STEP_PIN2209, X_DIR_PIN2209);

void setup() {

  // Sets the two pins as Outputs

   pinMode(EN_PIN2209, OUTPUT);

  digitalWrite(EN_PIN2209, LOW);      // Enable driver in hardware

  stepper.setMaxSpeed(1000);

}

void loop() {

 

   stepper.setSpeed(1000);  

   stepper.run();

}