Microstepping with Duet2 expansion board
-
Can the Duet2 controller send microsteps to external drivers connected via an expansion board, or are only full steps available to the external drivers? If it can send microsteps, what is the limit - 1/16?
-
@mrehorstdmd it just sends step commands. Whether a step is a full step or a microstep depends on the dipswitch settings etc for the external driver. I think I run my 2108 stepsticks at either 16 or 32 microsteps (whichever was the highest I could get!)
-
@mrehorstdmd you can send 16 microsteps in I1 mode or up to 256 with I0 (no interpolation) mode. (Maestro is an exception, it can use I1 with other microsteps also).
But the limiting factor is the number of steps per time: the limit is about 100 to 200 kHz per axis*) from the Duet side, and typically 100...200 kHz for the external stepper driver.
E. g. 256 microsteps * 200 stepper-steps * 5 rotations/s = 256 kHz, which is already too much.*) https://forum.duet3d.com/topic/18694/duet-maximum-achievable-step-rates