InSteptm
Motion Control Device Driver
for Windows 9.x

 

FEATURES:

  • Very powerful and easy to use command set
  • Integrates easily with your own programs
  • Linear and circular interpolation
  • Programmable acceleration/deceleration
  • Keyboard interactive JOG mode with dispense
  • Synchronize motion to external pulse source
  • No royalties reduces total cost for future projects
InStep Screen Shot

The InSteptm software includes a royalty free subroutine library ready to be incorporated in your application. The software is designed to be used from ANY programming language that is capable of file input/output (I/O). The subroutines include 4-axis linear interpolation, circular interpolation on any two axes, ramping, keyboard jog, jog keys selection, external device control (i.e. solenoids, relays etc.) and more. The key command used to control movement is done thru the MOVER routine as follows:

IScommand$ = "M" & M1steps & "," & M2steps & "," & M3steps & "," & M4steps ' formulate the command
CALL DriverSend(IScommand$) ' send the command to the driver
CALL DriverGet() ' retrieve the returned parameters

The mover routine automatically checks for limit switch closure events and allows PAUSE, ABORT, and RESUME functions to be easily implemented. On such events the mover routine returns to the calling program information indicating the cause of the interruption and the number of incomplete steps of every axis at the time the interruption occurred. The commands provided by the Insteptm device driver are summarized on the following page.


Requirements:

  • OptiStep Plus, or QuickPhase motion controller
  • IBM PC running Windows 9.x
  • Any programming language capable of file I/O or Microsoft Excel



InStep Command Summary

Arc Moves tool or pen in the path of an arc Joystick Jogs the motors from the joystick
CheckCard Confirm the presence of control card and initialize if found LoadCount Allows modification of the absolute count kept in memory
Control Turns on/off any of the output ports Mover Performs a vector move
DriverInfo Returns the current InStep software version number PowerInit Selects one of four power settings
EncodeMode Sets encoder feedback parameters Profile Sets the ramp(accel/decel) profile
FeedHold Selects between feed hold or safety shield interrupt modes RampSet Enables acceleration & deceleration for next linear move
Jogger Places the controller in jog mode ReadCount Returns the total number of steps moved for each motor
JogKeys Assigns the keyboard keys to be used while in jog mode SetCPlane Selects the two motors to be used for circular interpolation
JogTapSteps Programs # of steps to dispense on each jog key tap SetCardType Selects the controller model
JoyPort Selects which parallel port (1-3) to use for joystick jogging SetBacklash Sets # of backlash steps in each axis
SetMode Selects between absolute or relative mode SetBacklashDir Sets the initial backlash direction
SetMultiPlex Adjusts the interpolation resolution Threader Allows user to perform externally synchronized four-axis moves in which the external pulses are interpolated with the stes of the move.