¶ Step 1 - Identifying stepper motor coil wires (without a multimeter)
- This procedure can be found on the OpenBuilds Documentation, for further information click here.
- Follow this step if you don't have access to a multimeter. Otherwise, Skip to Step 2.
- If the two wires you joined together belong to the same coil, the shaft will become significantly harder to turn by hand.
- If that shaft still spins easily, you have not identified a coil yet, and you must try a different combination of wires.
- If you join together two wires that do result in the motor presenting resistance against turning, you can label these two wires as belonging to the same coil.
¶ Step 2 - Identifying stepper motor coil wires (with a multimeter)
- This procedure can be found on the OpenBuilds Documentation, for further information click here.
- Set your multimeter to Continuity / Diode Test mode.
- Start with any random wire, and touch that to the Black/Negative probe on your multimeter.
- Select any remaining wire and touch it with the Red/Positive probe of your multimeter:
- If the multimeter shows [1 or 0L] it means “no connection” - indicating we did not find a coil between these two wires. Some multimeters also “beep” when it does find a connection, so if there is no beep noise, it also could indicate the coil is not between these two wires.
- If you see a reading on the multimeter. The actual number does not matter too much, it's more important that it has some low value reading, and that the multimeter no longer displays [1] on the display. Some multimeters may “beep” when you have continuity between the wires (circuit completed by the coil in between).
- Segment off these two wires and label them as belonging to a coil. It's important to not lose track of the coil pairs.
¶ Step 3 - Identifying stepper motor coil wires - Insert the Xtension connector
- Xtension Connector - 4 Pin
- Insert an Xtension connector (male) onto the stepper wires. The previously identified coil pairs must be next to each other. They are now designated as A pair and B pair. The + and - don't really matter at this point as long as the coil ends are together.
- Your stepper wire colours might be different, please proceed with the correct coil pairs for your set-up.
- Repeat the coil identification step and this step for the remaining stepper motors.
¶ Step 4 - Prepare the Z stepper motor cable
- Prepare the 4 wire cable for the Z stepper motor.
- 4 Wire cable - [Entire length] (don't cut it)
- Insert an Xtension (female) connector on to the cable end.
- Connect the extension to the stepper motor.
- Make sure to follow the wire colour scheme to preserve the motor coil pairs.
- Should the integrity of the motor coil pairs not be maintained, the motor will experience impaired operational functionality.
¶ Step 5 - Route the Z axis Stepper wires
- Route the Z-stepper wires as shown in the picture.
- Use a zip tie to constrain it to the mill_stepper_cable_managment printed part, then through the mill_z_tower_top printed part and inside the Z tower. Finally exit at the rear, above the Y stepper and into the electronics enclosure or your desired location. Leave an extra 300mm (at least) to route it to the controller and crimp the connector.
- Cut the cables to the final length, double check if the cable has the appropriate length to reach the final position of your electronics enclosure before cutting.
- Label the cable at the end, with a piece of duct tape for example.
¶ Step 6 - Prepare the X stepper motor cable
- Prepare the 4 wire cable for the X stepper motor.
- 4 Wire cable - [Entire length] (don't cut it)
- Insert an Xtension (female) connector on the cable end.
- Connect the extension to the stepper motor.
- Make sure to follow the wire colour scheme to preserve the motor coil pairs.
- Should the integrity of the motor coil pairs not be maintained, the motor will experience impaired operational functionality.
¶ Step 7 - Route the X axis cables
- Route the X-stepper wires as shown in the picture.
- Use a zip tie to constrain it to the mill_stepper_cable_managment printed part, through the 4016 X gantry using the mill_4040_t_slot_clip to secure them. Exit at the mill_x_umbilical_mount printed part, and into the electronics enclosure or your desired location. Leave an extra 300mm (at least) to route it to the controller and crimp the connector.
- Cut the cables to the final length, double check if the cable has the appropriate length to reach the final position of your electronics enclosure before cutting.
- Label the cable at the end, with a piece of duct tape for example.
¶ Step 8 - Prepare the Y stepper motor cable
- Prepare the 4 wire cable for the Y stepper motor.
- 4 Wire cable
- Insert an Xtension (female) connector on the cable end.
- Connect the extension to the stepper motor.
- Make sure to follow the wire colour scheme to preserve the motor coil pairs.
- Should the integrity of the motor coil pairs not be maintained, the motor will experience impaired operational functionality.
¶ Step 9 - Route the Y axis cables
- Route the Y-steppers cables as shown in the picture.
- Use a zip tie to constrain it to the mill_stepper_cable_managment printed part, and into the electronics enclosure or your desired location. Leave an extra 300mm (at least) to route it to the controller and crimp the connector.
- Cut the cables to the final length, double check if the cable has the appropriate length to reach the final position of your electronics enclosure before cutting.
- Label the cable at the end, with a piece of duct tape for example.
¶ Step 10 - Route the X axis endstop cable
- Route the X endstop cable as shown in the picture.
- Use a zip tie to constrain it to the mill_stepper_cable_managment printed part, through the 4016 X gantry using the mill_4040_t_slot_clip to secure them. Exit at the mill_x_umbilical_mount printed part, and into the electronics enclosure or your desired location. Leave an extra 300mm (at least) to route it to the controller and crimp the connector.
- Cut the cables to the final length, double check if the cable has the appropriate length to reach the final position of your electronics enclosure before cutting.
- Label the cable at the end, with a piece of duct tape for example.
¶ Step 11 - Route the Y endstop
- Route the Y endstop cable as shown in the picture.
- Cut the cables to the final length, double check if the cable has the appropriate length to reach the final position of your electronics enclosure before cutting.
- Label the cable at the end, with a piece of duct tape for example.
¶ Step 12 - Route the Z axis endstop cable
- Route the X endstop cable as shown in the picture.
- Use a zip tie to constrain it to the mill_z_endstop_mount printed part, then through the extrusion slot. Finally exit at the rear, above the Y stepper and into the electronics enclosure or your desired location. Leave an extra 300mm (at least) to route it to the controller and crimp the connector.
- Cut the cables to the final length, double check if the cable has the appropriate length to reach the final position of your electronics enclosure before cutting.
- Label the cable at the end, with a piece of duct tape for example.
¶ Step 13 - Next guide
- Select your electronics combo:
- Basic
- Intermediate
- Advanced