08. Wiring

This procedure can be found on the OpenBuilds Documentation, for further information click here.

Follow this step if you don't have access to a multimeter. Otherwise, Skip to Step 2.

If the two wires you joined together belong to the same coil, the shaft will become significantly harder to turn by hand.

If that shaft still spins easily, you have not identified a coil yet, and you must try a different combination of wires.

If you join together two wires that do result in the motor presenting resistance against turning, you can label these two wires as belonging to the same coil.

This procedure can be found on the OpenBuilds Documentation, for further information click here.

Set your multimeter to Continuity / Diode Test mode.

Start with any random wire, and touch that to the Black/Negative probe on your multimeter.

Select any remaining wire and touch it with the Red/Positive probe of your multimeter:

If the multimeter shows [1 or 0L] it means “no connection” - indicating we did not find a coil between these two wires. Some multimeters also “beep” when it does find a connection, so if there is no beep noise, it also could indicate the coil is not between these two wires.

If you see a reading on the multimeter. The actual number does not matter too much, it's more important that it has some low value reading, and that the multimeter no longer displays [1] on the display. Some multimeters may “beep” when you have continuity between the wires (circuit completed by the coil in between).

Segment off these two wires and label them as belonging to a coil. It's important to not lose track of the coil pairs.

Xtension Connector - 4 Pin

Insert an Xtension connector (male) onto the stepper wires. The previously identified coil pairs must be next to each other. They are now designated as A pair and B pair. The + and - don't really matter at this point as long as the coil ends are together.

Your stepper wire colours might be different, please proceed with the correct coil pairs for your set-up.

Repeat the coil identification step and this step for the remaining stepper motors.

Prepare the 4 wire cable for the Z stepper motor.

4 Wire cable - [Entire length] (don't cut it)

Insert an Xtension (female) connector on to the cable end.

Connect the extension to the stepper motor.

Make sure to follow the wire colour scheme to preserve the motor coil pairs.

Should the integrity of the motor coil pairs not be maintained, the motor will experience impaired operational functionality.

Route the Z-stepper wires as shown in the picture.

Use a zip tie to constrain it to the mill_stepper_cable_managment printed part, then through the mill_z_tower_top printed part and inside the Z tower. Finally exit at the rear, above the Y stepper and into the electronics enclosure or your desired location. Leave an extra 300mm (at least) to route it to the controller and crimp the connector.

Cut the cables to the final length, double check if the cable has the appropriate length to reach the final position of your electronics enclosure before cutting.

Label the cable at the end, with a piece of duct tape for example.

Prepare the 4 wire cable for the X stepper motor.

4 Wire cable - [Entire length] (don't cut it)

Insert an Xtension (female) connector on the cable end.

Connect the extension to the stepper motor.

Make sure to follow the wire colour scheme to preserve the motor coil pairs.

Should the integrity of the motor coil pairs not be maintained, the motor will experience impaired operational functionality.

Route the X-stepper wires as shown in the picture.

Use a zip tie to constrain it to the mill_stepper_cable_managment printed part, through the 4016 X gantry using the mill_4040_t_slot_clip to secure them. Exit at the mill_x_umbilical_mount printed part, and into the electronics enclosure or your desired location. Leave an extra 300mm (at least) to route it to the controller and crimp the connector.

Cut the cables to the final length, double check if the cable has the appropriate length to reach the final position of your electronics enclosure before cutting.

Label the cable at the end, with a piece of duct tape for example.

Prepare the 4 wire cable for the Y stepper motor.

4 Wire cable

Insert an Xtension (female) connector on the cable end.

Connect the extension to the stepper motor.

Make sure to follow the wire colour scheme to preserve the motor coil pairs.

Should the integrity of the motor coil pairs not be maintained, the motor will experience impaired operational functionality.

Route the Y-steppers cables as shown in the picture.

Use a zip tie to constrain it to the mill_stepper_cable_managment printed part, and into the electronics enclosure or your desired location. Leave an extra 300mm (at least) to route it to the controller and crimp the connector.

Cut the cables to the final length, double check if the cable has the appropriate length to reach the final position of your electronics enclosure before cutting.

Label the cable at the end, with a piece of duct tape for example.

Route the X endstop cable as shown in the picture.

Use a zip tie to constrain it to the mill_stepper_cable_managment printed part, through the 4016 X gantry using the mill_4040_t_slot_clip to secure them. Exit at the mill_x_umbilical_mount printed part, and into the electronics enclosure or your desired location. Leave an extra 300mm (at least) to route it to the controller and crimp the connector.

Cut the cables to the final length, double check if the cable has the appropriate length to reach the final position of your electronics enclosure before cutting.

Label the cable at the end, with a piece of duct tape for example.

Route the Y endstop cable as shown in the picture.

Cut the cables to the final length, double check if the cable has the appropriate length to reach the final position of your electronics enclosure before cutting.

Label the cable at the end, with a piece of duct tape for example.

Route the X endstop cable as shown in the picture.

Use a zip tie to constrain it to the mill_z_endstop_mount printed part, then through the extrusion slot. Finally exit at the rear, above the Y stepper and into the electronics enclosure or your desired location. Leave an extra 300mm (at least) to route it to the controller and crimp the connector.

Cut the cables to the final length, double check if the cable has the appropriate length to reach the final position of your electronics enclosure before cutting.

Label the cable at the end, with a piece of duct tape for example.