Trinamic TMC236 User manual

TMC236 and TMC239
Evaluation Kit
Manual
Version: 1.02
Date: January 24th, 2003
Deelbögenkamp 4c,
D - 22 297 Hamburg, Germany
Phone [phone] - 0,
FAX: [phone] - 60
http://www.trinamic.com

2TMC236 / TMC239 Evaluation Kit
Deelbögenkamp 4c,
D - 22 297 Hamburg, Germany
Phone [phone] - 0,
FAX: [phone] - 60
http://www.trinamic.com
Version
Version Date Author Comment
1.00 12-17-2002 OK Describes Version 1.0 of the evaluation board
1.01 16-01-2003 OK Description of R-VT jumper and TSlope potentiometer added
1.02 24-01-2003 OK Maximum coil current values changed
Contents
1Introduction............................................................................................................................................................3
2The Hardware........................................................................................................................................................4
2.1 Quick start......................................................................................................................................................4
2.2 Connectors and switches on the board..........................................................................................................5
2.3 LEDs on the board.........................................................................................................................................6
2.4 Technical data................................................................................................................................................6
3The PC Software...................................................................................................................................................7
3.1 Using the software .........................................................................................................................................7
3.2 The protocol between evaluation board and PC............................................................................................7

TMC236 / TMC239 Evaluation Kit 3
1Introduction
The TMC236 evaluation kit and the TMC239 evaluation kit make it possible to evaluate the features of the TMC236
and TMC239 stepper motor drivers. An evaluation kit contains the following things:
•An evaluation board equipped with either a TMC236 or a TMC239 stepper motor driver an an
AT90S2313 microcontroller.
•The TMC TechLibCD containing PC software as well as manuals, data sheets, schematics of the
evaluation board and many other documents.
•A null modem cable.
On the evaluation board the Atmel AT90S2313 microcontroller is used to control the TMC236 or TMC239 directly.
The microprocessor’s FlashROM contains a program which drives the motor using 4-bit microstepping and mixed
decay. The velocity and the direction of the motor can be controlled using either the three keys on the evaluation
board or the PC software supplied on the TechLibCD.
RS232
(PC)
Microcontroller
AT90S2313
RS232
Driver
8 MHz
SCK
CSN
SDI
SDO
M
Figure 1.1: The structure of the TMC236 evaluation board

4TMC236 / TMC239 Evaluation Kit
Deelbögenkamp 4c,
D - 22 297 Hamburg, Germany
Phone [phone] - 0,
FAX: [phone] - 60
http://www.trinamic.com
2The Hardware
2.1 Quick start
For a first quick start, just connect the motor and the power supply (between 7 and 28.5V DC) as shown in Figure
2.1. Make sure that the SPI jumpers (X301) are closed and that the enable switch (number 2 of the DIP switches)
is in its “On” position, as otherwise the motor will not run. Then, turn on the power supply and use the three keys to
let the motor run:
•LEFT: If the motor is standing or running in counterclockwise direction, it will be accelerated as long as
you hold down the key and the maximum velocity has not been reached. If the motor is running in
clockwise direction, it will be decelerated.
•STOP: The motor will be stopped immediately if you press this key.
•RIGHT: If the motor is standing or running in clockwise direction, it will be accelerated as long as you
hold down the key and the maximum velocity has not been reached. If the motor is running in
counterclockwise direction, it will be decelerated.
Please note that the direction of the motor also depends on the polarity of its coils. You can change the polarity of
one coil to reverse the directions. Always turn off the power supply before a motor is being connected or
disconnected, as otherwise the motor driver may be destroyed!
M
Power Supply
Connector
RS232
Figure 2.1: The TMC236/TMC239 evaluation board

TMC236 / TMC239 Evaluation Kit 5
2.2 Connectors and switches on the board
•Power supply connector (X101): Connect your power supply (between 7 and 28.5V DC) here. The board is
protected against wrong polarity by a diode.
•Motor connector (X401): Connect a two-phase bipolar stepper motor here. Always switch off the power
before connecting or disconnecting a motor, as otherwise the motor driver may be destroyed. The
pinout of the connector is as follows:
Pin Signal
1Phase A 1
2Phase A 2
3Phase B 1
4Phase B 2
•RS232 connector (X101): Use a null modem cable to connect the board to a PC.
•ISP connector (X201): This connector can be used to reprogram the microcontroller of the evaluation board,
using a programmer like the Atmel STK500 or STK200 or something compatible.
•SPI Jumpers (J201): These four jumpers have to be closed for normal operation. When they are open, the SPI
lines of the TMC236/TMC239 chip are separated from the microcontroller so that the external SPI or analogue
input can be used to control the motor driver chip.
•External SPI connector (X301): The SPI pins of the TMC236/TMC239 are connected here. So for example a
TMC428 evaluation board can be connected here to control the motor driver using a TMC428. The SPI
jumpers must be open to use this input. The pinout of the connector is as follows:
Pin Signal Pin Signal
1SDO 2GND
3SDI 4GND
5nCS 6GND
7SCK 8GND
9n.c. 10 n.c.
•External analogue input (X302): This connector can be used to control the TMC236/TMC239 via its analogue
inputs. So, for example, a TMC453 evaluation board can be connected here. The SPI jumpers must be open to
use this input. The pinout of the connector is as follows:
Pin Signal Pin Signal
1GND 2PHA
3GND 4INA
5GND 6PHB
7GND 8INB
9SCK 10 ANN
•Voltage selector (J101): When this jumper is open, the digital supply voltage is 5V. The digital supply voltage
will be 3.3V when it is closed.
•Analogue error LED jumper (J303): This jumper connects the analogue error LED to the SDO pin of the
TMC236/TMC239. Close it only when using the analogue mode, as otherwise the error LED will flicker
continuously.
•C-SRA, C-SRB: When these jumpers are closed, a low pass filter will be switched into the current
measurement circuit.
•R-VT: The overcurrent threshold will be doubled if this jumper is closed (to be used together with the RA2 and
RB2 jumpers).
•RA2, RB2: These jumpers set the maximum coil current for phase A and phase B. The current will be doubled
when these jumpers are closed. The R-VT jumper must then also be closed to double the overcurrent
threshold.
•DIP switches: These four switches have the following functions:

6TMC236 / TMC239 Evaluation Kit
Deelbögenkamp 4c,
D - 22 297 Hamburg, Germany
Phone [phone] - 0,
FAX: [phone] - 60
http://www.trinamic.com
•Switch #1 (SPE): This switch controls the SPE (SPI enable) pin of the TMC236/TMC239. It must be in its
OFF position to enable control via SPI. Switching it ON selects analogue control mode.
•Switch #2 (EN): This switch controls the ENABLE pin of the TMC236/TMC239. It must be in the ON
position to enable the motor power. Otherwise the motor will not be powered.
•Switch #3 and #4 (BL2 and BL1): These switches control the BL2 and BL1 pin of the TMC236/TMC239 and
so control the blank time. See the TMC236 or TMC239 data sheet for details.
•TSlope: This potentiometer is connected to the SLP pin of the motor driver chips and so controls the slope
time. Turn it left to achieve a faster slope resulting in a lower heat dissipation, or turn it right to get a slower
slope resulting in a higher heat dissipation. A slower slope requires a higher blank time setting (BL1 and BL2
switches). Please see the TMC236 or TMC239 data sheet for details.
2.3 LEDs on the board
The board is equipped with LEDs that show the error flags of the TMC236 or TMC239 stepper motor driver. Their
meanings are as follows:
•OC A: Overcurrent on output A: There is too much current on coil output A, maybe caused by a short circuit.
•OC B: Overcurrent on output B: There is too much current on coil output B, maybe caused by a short circuit.
•OL A: Open load on output A: The coil output A is not connected to a motor coil. This error also occurs when
the step frequency is high and the supply voltage too low.
•OL B: Open load on output B: The coil output B is not connected to a motor coil. This error also occurs when
the step frequency is high and the supply voltage too low.
•OC HS: Overcurrent on high side.
•UV: Undervoltage: The supply voltage is too low for the driver to operate properly.
•OT PW: Overtemperature pre-warning: The temperature of the driver is getting too high.
•OT: Overtemperature: The temperature of the driver is too high so that the driver has switched off and will
switch on again when the temperature is getting lower.
•Error: Error in analogue mode.
2.4 Technical data
•TMC236 evaluation board:
•Power supply: 7..28.5V DC
•Maximum coil current:
•with RA2 and RB2 jumpers open: 680mA
•with RA2 and RB2 jumpers closed: 1250mA
•Usable motors: two phase bipolar stepper motors
•RS232 interface: 9600 bps, 8 data bits, no parity bit, one stop bit
•TMC239 evaluation board:
•Power supply: 7..28.5V DC
•Maximum coil current:
•with RA2 and RB2 jumpers open: 950mA
•with RA2 and RB2 jumpers closed: 1700mA
•Usable motors: two phase bipolar stepper motors
•RS232 interface: 9600 bps, 8 data bits, no parity bit, one stop bit
Note: Due to the to the PCB trace resistance of about 0.02 Ohms there is a difference between the theoretical and
the real maximum coil current values. The values given above are the real values.

TMC236 / TMC239 Evaluation Kit 7
3The PC Software
A PC software to operate the demonstration board is supplied on the TMC TechLib CD or can be downloaded at
http://www.trinamic.com. The program can be used with all 32-bit versions of the Windows operating system
(Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP). To install it, just copy the file “EVAL23X.EXE” to the hard disk. To start it, just
double click on the file.
Use the null modem cable which is also included in the evaluation kit to connect the evaluation board to a COM
port of your PC.
3.1 Using the software
After you have made the connection to your PC, you can start using the software. Just start it by double clicking the
file. Its main window then appears.
First, select the appropriate COM port in the “Interface” section, then click open. Make sure that the TMC236
demonstration board is powered. If there is no error the text “TMC236 Evaluation board detected” will be displayed
in the status line.
In the “Control” section you can set the acceleration (1..255) and the velocity (-255..+255, negative values mean
opposite direction). Furthermore you can switch the “Mixed Decay” feature of the TMC236 on and off (please note
that mixed decay is always turned off when the motor is standing). Click the “Go!” button to send the new values to
the board and see what happens.
In the “Error Bits” section the error flags sent back by the TMC236 are shown. Please see the TMC236 data sheet
for an explanation of the error bits. The power supply voltage of the TMC236 evaluation board is too low if the
“Open load” error bits are flickering while the motor is running.
3.2 The protocol between evaluation board and PC
The communication protocol between the evaluation board and the PC is very simple. There is a set of simple
commands that can be sent to the evaluation board:
•Set acceleration: The acceleration can be set between 1 and 255. The following two-byte command is used for
this purpose: $41 <n> with <n> between 1 and 255.
•Set target velocity: The target velocity can be set by sending the following three-byte command: $56 <n> <m>
with:
•<n>: direction, where 0 means clockwise and 1 means counterclockwise,
•<m>: velocity between 0(stop) and 255 (maximum).
•Set “Mixed Decay” mode: “Mixed Decay” can be switched on or off using the following two-byte command: $4d
<n> where n=0 means off and n=1 means on. Mixed decay is always turned of when the motor is standing.
•Get error flags: After sending $65, one byte containing the error flags of the motor driver is sent back. The
meanings of the bits are as follows:
Bit Meaning Bit Meaning Bit Meaning
0Overcurrent A 3Open Load B 6Temp. Pre-Warning
1Overcurrent B 4Overcurrent High Side 7Overtemperature
2Open Load A 5Undervoltage