Z Axis not functioning

Just converted my Redsail laser from TopWisdom to a Ruida RDC6445G controller. Everything seems to be functioning correctly except the Z axis. When pushing the up/down arrow keys the table does not move. The stepper motors groan and sound like they are engaging, but the table does not move. I’ve tried changing the step length from 1 to 14 as well. Prior to conversion the Z axis was working with the TopWisdom controller so the driver and motors are more than likely not the issue. ???

Sounds like you have a swapped wire polarity between the A and B coils. Did you actually change the wires between connectors, or just unplug and plug? You can find the coils with an ohm meter. If you have them paired properly, just reverse one of the coil pairs and it should zip off. If it goes the wrong way, you can pull it all apart and put the coil you swapped back and reverse the other pair… or you can simply change the direction polarity in the controller.

I followed Matt’s video on the TP to Ruida change and went seamlessly. Especially with him giving the basic settings.

Thanks for the suggestion as I’m at a dead end. I tried changing polarity but that wasn’t the fix. I did watch Matt’s video and that’s probably the reason I got everything else to work. I’ve talked with Matt a couple of times regarding my issue and haven’t been able to resolve. Thanks Dave.

As a quick test, swap the motor connectors between the controllers. basically swap X and Y and see if or where the problem moves to. Be ready to hit the power switch to shut it down, and put your laser head in the middle of the table, but the homing sequence should move both motors at the same time.

Having X and Y gives you a ‘mirror’ circuit to use for diagnostics. If the X will now move the Z and not the other way around, it’s in the motor wiring. If the problem moves then it’s in the controller is somewhere up stream. Keep swapping things until you do or don’t get the problem following you around the changes.

take the load off ( unlink the axis chain) and see if it moves freely.

If it all moved with the Top Wisdom, it should all move with the Ruida. I made the same change with no problems. I don’t remember having to change any of the drive motor connections, but it’s been over a year ago. I’d have to go pull my log book and see if my notes are still in there from the change. I remember Matt having two screen shots of connectors he did and did not have to make changes in as well.

Thanks Dave for the suggestions to narrow things down. I tried swapping out the z motor connections to X and the table still didn’t move. I then shut things off and was able to move the table by moving the belts by hand. I am including a shot of the parameters I am using. Do they look correct?

I can’t say on the programming, I have an electric Z with two push buttons.

Get your top wisdom out and pop the power connector into it, don’t worry about connecting anything else up, and go in and see what your parameters were in it. Have you watched Matt’s video on the controller change? I just paused them at each screen shot to put my parameters in, and I believe he has a stepper controlled Z. I don’t so I just skipped past those settings.

If the motor didn’t move when you plugged it into the X then I would say it’s in the motor wiring and not the controller / stepper controller. The list I have from Matt says it should have been a straight swap. Better yet, plug the power and the Z back into the TW and make sure it still moves with the old controller. You don’t have to physically swap, just set it in front enough to make the connections.

Where did you get that display window from?

That is RDWorks, the software that comes with the controller. It’s a free download on the Ruida web site. I can’t see the version, but the current good release is .48. Anything above that is a beta. The .52 was released but pulled for a bad bug problem.

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