Can I use an SKR Pro with external drivers

markz

I'm thinking about replacing my current CNC controller board (wincnc) with a BTT Skr Pro running RRF. The CNC has high-voltage external stepper drivers that I want to retain.

Questions--

Does the SKR Pro support external stepper drivers (i.e. step/dir pin output) ?
Does RRF support this kind of usage?
Is there a better board I should look into. I'm using a Duet3 in my 3d printer and love it but it doesn't support external steppers.

Thanks,
Mark

jay_s_uk

@markz I use an SKR Pro with external drivers on my CNC machine.
So the answers are

Yes. I made my own little adapter boards to break out the pins but you can also buy these
Yes. you just need to set the appropriate timings
Duet 2 supports external drivers using an external breakout board or you can get a duet 3 with a 1XD board to connect an external driver, although one would be required per driver

markz

@jay_s_uk Thanks for the great answer. I didn't realize the breakout board for the duet2 was such a good fit also (albeit noticeably more money). My CNC hasn't got much on it at all (other than 5 motors and a relay) so I don't need much hardware I/O.

How do you like the SKR Pro with RRF? I'm not excited about what seems to be a pretty serious port of RRF to the STM processor. I would like to test RRF (cheaply) since it's a major change to my CNC but not if I spend piles of time building software and testing.

jay_s_uk

@markz I find it works pretty well.
I have 5 motors, control of the VFD spindle, a paneldue and 2 probes. I also use the wifi version rather than the SBC version.
It all works particularly well.
The STM port works just as well as the duet 2/3 and probably sits somewhere between the duet 2 and duet 3 in terms of capability.
I wouldn't have any issue with recommending it for another CNC user.

markz

@jay_s_uk Thank you very much for the reply.

BlueCurtain

@jay_s_uk said in Can I use an SKR Pro with external drivers:

@markz I use an SKR Pro with external drivers on my CNC machine.
So the answers are

Yes. I made my own little adapter boards to break out the pins but you can also buy these

Yes. you just need to set the appropriate timings

Duet 2 supports external drivers using an external breakout board or you can get a duet 3 with a 1XD board to connect an external driver, although one would be required per driver

Sorry for reviving a several month old thread but this is exactly what I'm looking for.

@jay_s_uk is there any chance you have any details available on the adapters you made? I'm not able to find any of the premade ones anywhere that won't take ages to ship and I'm trying to get this project up and running as quickly as I can. My SKR 1.4 turbo arrives today and I have the high voltage stepper controller already, just need to be able to connect them.

Thank you for any help you can offer!