Tom, it'd be nice to see you actually connect one to a motor, and briefly compare the sound of a cheap, er, sorry, "highly affordable" Chinese driver with this one. Nothing too complex....just power it up and make the stepper turn under load. That way, we (the viewing public) can see, yes, those new driver chips do make a real difference or, nope, the difference is not enough for me/us/them. Not a big all-in performance test, just a brief demo.
Hi Tom, at 1:48 you talk about the two extra configuration jumpers (I think you say blind time and hysteresis?). I am trying out the silent stepsticks now and I get a very high pitched noise when I use them (other than that they work awesome). Would I be able to get rid of that high pitch noise using those? Can you tell me more on how to do that, or tell me where I can find information on it? Thank you, and great video!
I have the same problem with 2130's, I reduced the blind time and raised the hysteresis which helped it a little but it's still awful, like having tinitus.
Would you recommend the SilentStepstick or the A4988 for small robotics projects in which NEMA 8 and NEMA 11 steppers are used ? The maximum needed ampere is around 1,2-1,5A. I'd like to have drivers that can act very silently, but also (in another mode) put out that motor sound as this would be a nice feature in the robots.
hello! this is an old video but i only recently discovered these trinamic drivers and found my way back to your channel! have any 3d printer control boards been developed since then that use these drivers or a similar solution with the same benefits? they seem incredible!
Has the torque issue been resolved? I remember that in your original preview, you mentioned that these didn't have the torque to drive printers accurately without losing steps..
+Paul Sieradzki That's only in the super silent "Stealth Chop" mode -- in the "Spread Cycle" mode they're still quieter than a the TI or Allegro chips and they're more than powerful enough to run a 3D printer.
It is a common myth that gold pins solder better. They do not. HASL for me anyday. The only thing gold offers is the lack of oxidation. If you want (solderfree) test pads or edge connectors, or pogo-pins, then gold is the way to go. Perhaps a little explanation is in order: Solder (let's say 60-40 solder) has a low and sharp melting point due to the specific proportions of tin and lead. Add gold to the mix (yes, the gold actually dissolves into the molten solder) and you get a stringy gloopy mess. The first thing I do if I ever have to solder gold-plated contacts (pins, pads, whatever) is to "wash" away the gold. Do this by melting an excessive amount of solder onto the pad (into which the gold dissolves) and then remove the messy alloy with a de-soldering pump or wick. *Then* you can tin the pad a second time, and get an excellent (and noticeably shinier) solder-joint.
Tom in all the review is nice but i have a question, you name that Geetech stepstick drivers are from another league. How is that when they use also TI drv8825 chips?
I wanted to update my 3d printer with these drivers but I ran into temperature issues: My A4988 Polulu's are loud but they will stay at 50-60°C, I have to "feed" it with 0,27V (=> 0,68A). To reach this amount of amps I have to feed the SilentStepStick's with 1V (=> 0,7A). So this is 0,7V more - and they reach 90°C in a few minutes... Is this a failure of the drivers? I'm running them in stealthChop mode. And for the heatsink: I'm afraid of a short-circuit if I glue a heatsink on the solder pins of the chip...or aren't they connected to the cip?
First day of test: 12V, 1.68 A rated stepper, ramps 1.4 It seams that I have to reduce the current by a lot compared to a4988 to have them work properly. Tried vref at: 1.5, 1.0, 0.9, 0.8, and it sometimes stop sending steps. I suppose because of overheating. I run them now at 0.7V with heatsink. The vref pin is one row above the one highlighted in the video. The stepper are still whining at 0.7V, I will look about the driving mode and jumper to enable. I guess my stepper are not optimal for this drive. I would be interested to know better how to choose the right stepper for this usage. Quiet but still powerfull and precise. (video suggestion?) Thanks for this review.
can i use the wire jumper from CF01 to GND as i kinda messed up the solder jumper to the point of, no more solder jumper, some online warn against this but want to see what people here say. mine are mks tmc2100,if this makes any diference or not thanks
Hi! Can you tell me, if it is possible or not, to replace the "Makerbot 2" Botsteps with those SilentStepSticks? 1 on 1, or are there any modifications required? Edo
Hi, i use tmc2100 module board and configure pin correctly,but i can't drive motor with 256 resolution. Config Pin: CFG0,CFG2CFG3,CFG4,CFG5,CFG6==>OPEN CFG1:GND
Hey Thomas! Don't know if you'll get this, but I recently got myself some SilentStepSticks for my Prusa i3 DIY Sadly however their noise level is roughly around the region of the A4988 chips that I am currently using, and that with 24V, big capacitors between VM and GND, and the recommended SpreadCycle 1/16->1/256 mode. The motors also don't really "feel" like there is any interpolation going on, they still vibrate and make some noise, much like before. Any ideas for what is the cause?
Hi! There are two differt models of the TMC2100 at watterott. There is a 5V and a 3.3/5V (black one from the video) model. The FAQ says that you have to power on and off the black boards in a certain way. The Motorpower should be on first, than the logicboard. See: github.com/watterott/SilentStepStick/blob/master/docu/FAQ.md I have the black boards (so those are powered by the motorpower). I have only one switch for the whole printersetup. So the power should come up simultaneously. Is that a problem?
+Thomas Sanladerer hi is there resolution difference between printing object with this driver in stealthchop and drv8825 or spreadcyrcle mode and stealthchop mode ?
***** could I just desolder the pins for the motor power and then use a boost converter to get 24v from my 12v supply and run wires to the drivers? Or do I have to completely move to a 24v system?
You guys seem to have gotten an answer for the whining issue, that i can't see in the comments. Do you mind sharing what it was? I tried connecting different pins on cfg4 and cfg5 but the whining remained with 12v in spreadcycle.
Anyone knows which software to open brd and sch files from here: github.com/watterott/SilentStepStick/tree/master/pcb. I tried eagle but it was not able to open them. I would like to have more infor about the jumpers on the board. Which one to solder. Thanks.
Are there any plans to review the TRAMS board from Trinamic? www.digikey.com/product-search/en?keywords=trams blog.trinamic.com/2015/07/10/first-print-from-trams-3d-printer-shiled/
I get realy TERRIBLE whining sound comming out of my 60mm NEMA 17 motors with theese drivers whether they move or not no matter what setting I use for spreadCycle (stealthChop is silent but useless), the only config pin CFG0 that I think could change that sound is unconfigurable. Copared to that the static sound DRV8825 make with theese motors is almost unnoticable. I did try theese drivers with some short (~35mm) NEMA 17 and the sound was a lot quieter and not much different from what DRV8825 or A4988 makes. I think most reprap users run on 48mm NEMA 17 and zou didn|t die from Also, why the hell does it have 2 regular pinholes unconnected while using @#$% tiny solder jumpers for CFG4 and CFG5 and no config option for CFG0? The point of this board should be making the QFN-36 more human friendly... Other than that, they are nice drivers... I was able to get more than 2 times more acceleration without loosing steps than with DRV8825.
Gragagrogog Got the same problem on 12V with powerfull NEMA17 rated for 55Ncm, 1.5A, 4.8mH. It is whining a lot even if it doesn't move. I search for documentation about the jumper on the board, which one to solder to configure it better. What software to use to open .sch and .brd files? Thanks
upside-down mounting with thermal vias is as old als cheap desktop 3d printers and was in makerbot replicator 1 open hardware design on the a4982 stepsticks on mightyboard. so all the cheap chinese makerbot1 clones have the right thermal design on the stepper drivers too. next thing: whining on the steppers may be reduced alot by using a 24v PSU for the stepper motors.
Tom, it'd be nice to see you actually connect one to a motor, and briefly compare the sound of a cheap, er, sorry, "highly affordable" Chinese driver with this one. Nothing too complex....just power it up and make the stepper turn under load. That way, we (the viewing public) can see, yes, those new driver chips do make a real difference or, nope, the difference is not enough for me/us/them. Not a big all-in performance test, just a brief demo.
Hi Tom, at 1:48 you talk about the two extra configuration jumpers (I think you say blind time and hysteresis?). I am trying out the silent stepsticks now and I get a very high pitched noise when I use them (other than that they work awesome). Would I be able to get rid of that high pitch noise using those? Can you tell me more on how to do that, or tell me where I can find information on it? Thank you, and great video!
sttrife I have the same problem. did you ever figure it out?
Raise stepper driving voltage.
I have the same problem with 2130's, I reduced the blind time and raised the hysteresis which helped it a little but it's still awful, like having tinitus.
Would you recommend the SilentStepstick or the A4988 for small robotics projects in which NEMA 8 and NEMA 11 steppers are used ?
The maximum needed ampere is around 1,2-1,5A. I'd like to have drivers that can act very silently, but also (in another mode) put out that motor sound as this would be a nice feature in the robots.
hello! this is an old video but i only recently discovered these trinamic drivers and found my way back to your channel! have any 3d printer control boards been developed since then that use these drivers or a similar solution with the same benefits? they seem incredible!
Any particular reason why the diagnostics pins are not connect to the two unused pins which usually connect to sleep and reset?
Has the torque issue been resolved? I remember that in your original preview, you mentioned that these didn't have the torque to drive printers accurately without losing steps..
+Paul Sieradzki That's only in the super silent "Stealth Chop" mode -- in the "Spread Cycle" mode they're still quieter than a the TI or Allegro chips and they're more than powerful enough to run a 3D printer.
+Michael Jensen Thanks for getting back to me! So do you think that a 3D printer running in Stealth Chop mode still won't be feasible?
How do these fare against the gecko stepper drivers? Are these as good in performance as a cpld based PI closed current loop ?
It is a common myth that gold pins solder better. They do not. HASL for me anyday. The only thing gold offers is the lack of oxidation. If you want (solderfree) test pads or edge connectors, or pogo-pins, then gold is the way to go.
Perhaps a little explanation is in order: Solder (let's say 60-40 solder) has a low and sharp melting point due to the specific proportions of tin and lead. Add gold to the mix (yes, the gold actually dissolves into the molten solder) and you get a stringy gloopy mess. The first thing I do if I ever have to solder gold-plated contacts (pins, pads, whatever) is to "wash" away the gold. Do this by melting an excessive amount of solder onto the pad (into which the gold dissolves) and then remove the messy alloy with a de-soldering pump or wick. *Then* you can tin the pad a second time, and get an excellent (and noticeably shinier) solder-joint.
Tom in all the review is nice but i have a question, you name that Geetech stepstick drivers are from another league. How is that when they use also TI drv8825 chips?
I wanted to update my 3d printer with these drivers but I ran into temperature issues:
My A4988 Polulu's are loud but they will stay at 50-60°C, I have to "feed" it with 0,27V (=> 0,68A).
To reach this amount of amps I have to feed the SilentStepStick's with 1V (=> 0,7A). So this is 0,7V more - and they reach 90°C in a few minutes...
Is this a failure of the drivers? I'm running them in stealthChop mode.
And for the heatsink: I'm afraid of a short-circuit if I glue a heatsink on the solder pins of the chip...or aren't they connected to the cip?
First day of test: 12V, 1.68 A rated stepper, ramps 1.4
It seams that I have to reduce the current by a lot compared to a4988 to have them work properly. Tried vref at: 1.5, 1.0, 0.9, 0.8, and it sometimes stop sending steps. I suppose because of overheating. I run them now at 0.7V with heatsink.
The vref pin is one row above the one highlighted in the video.
The stepper are still whining at 0.7V, I will look about the driving mode and jumper to enable.
I guess my stepper are not optimal for this drive. I would be interested to know better how to choose the right stepper for this usage. Quiet but still powerfull and precise. (video suggestion?)
Thanks for this review.
+jimbob1er yeah, i put my old drivers back due the whining noise, can't get it tolerable levels.
+Thomas Sanladerer hi do you know Trams reprap shield ?If is possible show me the difference between this board and this trinamic stepper drive. thaks
can i use the wire jumper from CF01 to GND as i kinda messed up the solder jumper to the point of, no more solder jumper, some online warn against this but want to see what people here say.
mine are mks tmc2100,if this makes any diference or not
thanks
+Thomas Sanladerer hi i have retraction problem with the motor of extruder ,is there Solutions?
Hi! Can you tell me, if it is possible or not, to replace the "Makerbot 2" Botsteps with those SilentStepSticks? 1 on 1, or are there any modifications required? Edo
I've just done this, you have to run them upside down as the botsteps are already 'corrected' compared to most drivers for thermals
Blurting out that this makes DRV8825 obsolete is hilarious
Hi, i use tmc2100 module board and configure pin correctly,but i can't drive motor with 256 resolution.
Config Pin:
CFG0,CFG2CFG3,CFG4,CFG5,CFG6==>OPEN
CFG1:GND
Does anybody know how to solder the heatsink to the board, I'm looking for some kind of tutorial.
Thanks
You could also use heatsink paste, which might also fill the via holes and provide better thermal transfer.
Hey Thomas!
Don't know if you'll get this, but I recently got myself some SilentStepSticks for my Prusa i3 DIY
Sadly however their noise level is roughly around the region of the A4988 chips that I am currently using, and that with 24V, big capacitors between VM and GND, and the recommended SpreadCycle 1/16->1/256 mode.
The motors also don't really "feel" like there is any interpolation going on, they still vibrate and make some noise, much like before.
Any ideas for what is the cause?
Hi! There are two differt models of the TMC2100 at watterott. There is a 5V and a 3.3/5V (black one from the video) model. The FAQ says that you have to power on and off the black boards in a certain way. The Motorpower should be on first, than the logicboard.
See: github.com/watterott/SilentStepStick/blob/master/docu/FAQ.md
I have the black boards (so those are powered by the motorpower).
I have only one switch for the whole printersetup. So the power should come up simultaneously. Is that a problem?
+Thomas Sanladerer hi is there resolution difference between printing object with this driver in stealthchop and drv8825 or spreadcyrcle mode and stealthchop mode ?
+Thomas Sanladerer extruder motor torque is good in steal chop or is bad for extruding filaflex?
Thomas, I seem to recall you saying something about a whining that you fixed, how did you go about doing that?
Thanks!
Most excellent, thanks Thomas!
***** could I just desolder the pins for the motor power and then use a boost converter to get 24v from my 12v supply and run wires to the drivers? Or do I have to completely move to a 24v system?
***** Great! and what should we expect for current draw from these drivers?
You guys seem to have gotten an answer for the whining issue, that i can't see in the comments. Do you mind sharing what it was? I tried connecting different pins on cfg4 and cfg5 but the whining remained with 12v in spreadcycle.
which drivers would be advised to a wanhao 6?
Anyone knows which software to open brd and sch files from here: github.com/watterott/SilentStepStick/tree/master/pcb. I tried eagle but it was not able to open them. I would like to have more infor about the jumpers on the board. Which one to solder. Thanks.
got it. thanks!!!
Are there any plans to review the TRAMS board from Trinamic?
www.digikey.com/product-search/en?keywords=trams
blog.trinamic.com/2015/07/10/first-print-from-trams-3d-printer-shiled/
I get realy TERRIBLE whining sound comming out of my 60mm NEMA 17 motors with theese drivers whether they move or not no matter what setting I use for spreadCycle (stealthChop is silent but useless), the only config pin CFG0 that I think could change that sound is unconfigurable. Copared to that the static sound DRV8825 make with theese motors is almost unnoticable. I did try theese drivers with some short (~35mm) NEMA 17 and the sound was a lot quieter and not much different from what DRV8825 or A4988 makes. I think most reprap users run on 48mm NEMA 17 and zou didn|t die from
Also, why the hell does it have 2 regular pinholes unconnected while using @#$% tiny solder jumpers for CFG4 and CFG5 and no config option for CFG0? The point of this board should be making the QFN-36 more human friendly...
Other than that, they are nice drivers... I was able to get more than 2 times more acceleration without loosing steps than with DRV8825.
Can't edit the post... The squeeling motors are theese: files.amperka.ru/datasheets/LDO-42STH60-1206A.pdf on half winding
Gragagrogog Got the same problem on 12V with powerfull NEMA17 rated for 55Ncm, 1.5A, 4.8mH. It is whining a lot even if it doesn't move.
I search for documentation about the jumper on the board, which one to solder to configure it better. What software to use to open .sch and .brd files?
Thanks
upside-down mounting with thermal vias is as old als cheap desktop 3d printers and was in makerbot replicator 1 open hardware design on the a4982 stepsticks on mightyboard. so all the cheap chinese makerbot1 clones have the right thermal design on the stepper drivers too.
next thing: whining on the steppers may be reduced alot by using a 24v PSU for the stepper motors.
What is wrong with the suspiciously cheap generic Chinese stepper motor drivers?
***** These implement thermals pretty well too : www.panucatt.com/product_p/sd82b.htm