Wemacro stacking rail

Have questions about the equipment used for macro- or micro- photography? Post those questions in this forum.

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Ultima_Gaina
Posts: 108
Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2017 11:19 pm

Post by Ultima_Gaina »

The current is not delivered directly by the PSU, but through a stepper driver board. That driver board normally has a current limiter with a small potmeter meant to adjust the max current.

Since your PSU is able to deliver 2 amps, I suspect the max current adjustment on the driver to be set slightly under 2 amps.

This is why you can't go wrong with the bigger motor, if its dimensions are compatible with the stacker.

I also expect the smaller motor to work fine. It can get slightly hotter, but if you find that potmeter and limit just a little the maximum operating current (sacrificing a little torque) you will be fine as well.

Are you able to identify the type of your old motor?

lonepal
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Location: Turkey

Post by lonepal »

Thanks Ultima;

I use the original motor of Wemacro rail. I think it is a 200 step/rev Nema 17. But I dont know the current value thatswhy I asked to William. He is the responsible of Wemacro.
Regards.
Omer

GrayPlayer
Posts: 59
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2009 5:44 pm

Post by GrayPlayer »

Have attempted several stacks and Zerene complained about different size images. In the video where the entire rail is moved would this not alter the image size? Overcame the problem by moving the bellows.
Fred H.

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

GrayPlayer wrote:Have attempted several stacks and Zerene complained about different size images. In the video where the entire rail is moved would this not alter the image size? Overcame the problem by moving the bellows.
Zerene Stacker complains about different size images whenever it sees that the width and height in pixel counts do not match.

The scale of the image within the frame changes almost no matter how you focus, so that is handled automatically and definitely is not responsible for the problem.

The most common cause of "different size from the first image" is that the camera is set in auto-rotate mode and is used in a vertical setup. This combination often causes the camera to switch randomly between marking the images as portrait versus landscape orientation, which swaps the width and height.

The best solution for that is to make sure that your camera is not set in auto-rotate mode.

If you have an existing stack that has the problem of random orientations, then often it can be processed anyway by selecting Options > Preferences > Preprocessing > "Ignore EXIF orientation".

--Rik

williamG
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Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 7:06 am

Post by williamG »

lonepal wrote:Dear William;

I found two types of 400 steppers;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Reprap-3D-Print ... SwMmBVxEc7

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CNC-Nema17-for- ... SwZQRYfueU

One of them is 1.7A and the other is 2.4A
I know the PSU of the Wemacro rail is 2A.

Which one can I use? Using the 2.4A motor may damage the controller?

Could you advice me to use one of above 400 steppers and explain why?
Thanks.
Hi,lonepal
Both of them can be used if connect right.But we normally do not suggest user change the motor by themselves,it’s hard to disassemble and install.If anyone want rail with 400 step,can just leave a message in order's page.The minimum step length will be 0.5 micron when the software set 1 micron.All will be half of value in setting.
We use 400 step motor on other product with same controller,it's 48mm length type.

Thanks Ultima and Rik for your help.

ray_parkhurst
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Location: Santa Clara, CA, USA
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Post by ray_parkhurst »

William...do you have steppers with exposed/extended shafts available so that a knob can be installed for manually adjusting the position?

lonepal
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Location: Turkey

Post by lonepal »

William;
Thank you for the information.
But I dont know how the stability will change when using a 400 stepper instead of 200. Has anybody tried it?
Regards.
Omer

mawyatt
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Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 6:54 pm
Location: Clearwater, Florida

Post by mawyatt »

lonepal wrote:William;
Thank you for the information.
But I dont know how the stability will change when using a 400 stepper instead of 200. Has anybody tried it?
I would think a 400 step motor would be fundamentally more accurate and stable than a 200 step motor because the steps are finer and dictated by the motor and not interpreted as much with micro-stepping.

For example, a 200 step motor with a 1mm pitch thread yields 5 microns per step, whereas a 400 step motor yields 2.5 microns per step. So the 200 step motor would require half-microstepping, which is fundamentally fractional step interpolation, to get to 2.5 micron steps. And you go on from there to get around 1 micron stepping.

It may not be an issue in most cases as micro-stepping has proven to work very well.

I use William's rail with a 400 step motor, the silicon chip image you see on the WeMacro site was taken with his rail and 400 step motor.

Best,

Mike

lonepal
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Location: Turkey

Post by lonepal »

Thanks Mike!
I will also use the Wemacro rail with 400 stepper.
I red your explanations about microstepping.
Do we need to modify the controller or software when using a 400 stepper instead of 200? Are they both compatible with same microstepping?
Did you make any modifications for 400 stepper?

Regards.
Omercan
Regards.
Omer

anvancy
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Post by anvancy »

ELIM5 question alert.

With the software upgrade, we are able to choose the start point and the end point of our stack. When we input the step size, the software is now going to calculate the number of steps as the start and end points are now defined?
www.anvancy.com

Raynox 150|Raynox 250|Raynox MSN 202|Canon MPE 65mm|Canon 100mm.|Wemacro Rail

JohnyM
Posts: 463
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2013 7:02 am

Post by JohnyM »

Just received mine a few hours ago. Everything was nicely packed, secured with bubble foil and compartments with styrofoam. Sadly it was sent via UPS, which have outrageous customs brokerages fees.
I always belived, that chineese products are low quality, i was proved wrong. It's a beatiful piece of equipment, everything is quality made. Nothing wobbles, time will tell how durable it is, but i dont expect any problems soon. Precision is good enough to drive Mp-e 65 and Plan 10x on rail, and PA 100x/1.4 on microscope. In fact, i belive it could even drive a nipkov confocal microscope, but it is still to be tested (and im using 200step motor, althrough was provided with choice of 400step on request).
Installation process was fast and eazy, I just did what was writen on printed instruction (only tricky part was to persuade anti-virus program, that it's ok to run the program).
I can confirm that it works flawlessly on Sony A6000 and A7, suddenly it's again a pleasure to make huge focus stacks. Also i've received a lot of extras with the package, that would help me with tasks that i said im gonna complete with the rail. Consumer support is very helpful and know-how.
Only things that bothers me, is that when you have a huge stack in "slow + start to end mode" you need to sit there with LMB pressed untill it reach "end position". And after the stack is done, you have to wait untill rail is back in "start position" which also happens in slow mode. Would be really nice, if we could set start and end in fast mode, then stack in slow, and after stack is done, rail would recover in fast mode.

IMO money well spend.

mawyatt
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Location: Clearwater, Florida

Post by mawyatt »

Johny,

Agree, the WeMacro focus rails are very well done and great value. Hopefully we'll see some updates on the software to include the features you mention as well as being able to "Go To" the Start and End points which will allow verification before you begin the stack.

William at WeMacro has just introduced a Vertical Stand which is another nice product for us macro and micro photographers.

Best,

Mike

williamG
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Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 7:06 am

Post by williamG »

Hi
Glad to inform that WeMacro rail can be controlled by Helicon Remote now.But the operation is a little different from our control software.It support Liveview in Helicon Remote and trigger the shutter in the same time.
The symbol ">"is one step move
">>"is five steps move
">>>"is 25 steps move
You can set step length in "File-preference page"and control the rail via USB cable.
Here is the link for download and evaluate
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_uKr ... FI5Q0t0T1E

Please notice this can only work with firmware14 on packing list page (From the middle of 2017 May).
If you need update your firmware,please download the guide for it(The tools is windows only)
http://www.wemacro.com/wp/wp-content/up ... idev14.pdf
Please send email to me if there is any problem about updating wemacro1@gmail.com

If there is any problem about Helicon Remote,please "report a bug"in Helicon Remote help
:D

lonepal
Posts: 322
Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2017 12:26 pm
Location: Turkey

Post by lonepal »

Hi William;

Thanks for the info.

Could you inform us about the changelog of the firmware?

Is there any upgrade or it is just for Helicon Remote support?

Thanks.
Regards.
Omer

ray_parkhurst
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Location: Santa Clara, CA, USA
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Post by ray_parkhurst »

William...this is great news! I will give it a try and report back my findings.

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