Stepper Configuration

The RMC supports a wide range of quadrature encoders and homing configurations. The following settings should be set to match your system:

Active state of the Index (Z), Home (H), Fault, and Limit inputs. This is set in the Configuration word. See the Quadrature/Stepper Specific Configuration help topic for details.
How the Home status bit is used. This is set in the Configuration word. See the Quadrature/Stepper Specific Configuration help topic for details.
How the Encoder Error/Fault Input status bit is used. Setting this bit is described below.
Support for reversing the direction output in software. This is set in the Configuration word. See that topic for details.
Maximum steps per millisecond. The Maximum Steps Per Millisecond parameter is used to limit the stepper motor from being overdriven.

No jumpers are required for changing any of these settings. Instead, set the Configuration word and Maximum Steps Per Millisecond parameter for each axis used.

Defining the Encoder Error/Fault Input Status Bit

This status bit can represent either an encoder error or a fault error. Which of these two conditions gets reported in this status bit is configurable by the user. There are four options:

Encoder Error only. This bit will go high if the encoder circuitry detects an error, which is defined as an invalid transition of the A and B lines. This usually occurs due to over-speed or noise conditions.
Fault Input only. This bit will go high if the Fault input goes active. The fault input is intended to be a means of the drive amplifier letting the RMC know that it no longer has control. If the fault input is not used, it should be made inactive by wiring or by reversing the polarity in the Configuration Word parameter.
Encoder Error or Fault Input (default). This bit will go high if either of these conditions occurs. This is the default behavior for QUAD and STEP axes, but it is ambiguous whether the error was triggered due to an encoder error or the Fault input.
Unused. This bit will always be low.

The use of this bit can be set only from RMCWin. Use the following steps:

On the Tools menu, click Module Configuration.
In the Slots list, click the Stepper module you want to edit.
Click Slot options. The Quadrature with Stepper Output Options dialog box will be displayed with a tab for each axis on that slot.
Click the Axis 0 tab.
Check the conditions that you want to have set this status bit. You can check one, both, or neither condition.
Click the Axis 1 tab.
Check the conditions that you want to have set this status bit. You can check one, both, or neither condition.
Click Update RMC.
The Update Module Configuration dialog box will be displayed to indicate the progress. If the module could not be reset automatically, you may be prompted to reset the module yourself.