Microstepping is driving a stepper motor at less the one full step per movement. Under usual operating conditions, a stepper motor operates by turning one full step with every pulse of current. Microstepping allows a motor to make far finer steps. This done by having the controller and drive send the proper kinds of current […]
Stepper Motors
FAQ: Why would shaft inertia cause extra steps, and how to prevent this problem?
Inertia affects how stepper motors turn. For example, extra steps and missed steps can happen when a system has inertia mismatch — as detailed in FAQ: How do stepper motors handle inertia mismatch? Another source of missed steps is the motor inertia itself. The motor-shaft inertia is one culprit. This shaft rotates and has a […]
FAQ: How to set a stepper motor’s current limit and why is it important?
Edited by Zak Khan || Stepper-motor current limiting serves a few functions. Stepper-motor overcurrent can cause overheating as detailed in FAQ: Aren’t heat and noise common stepper motor problems? At its most extreme, overcurrent can cause rotor demagnetization. Recall that current effects acceleration — as in FAQ: What are the requirements for stepper motor acceleration? So […]
FAQ: What are the requirements for stepper motor acceleration?
Edited by Zak Khan || Engineers should give thought to acceleration when starting a stepper motor. Simply programming the controller to advance the motor some steps isn’t sufficient for reliable operation. Programming must also account for stepper-motor construction and operation. As mentioned in FAQ: How do I prevent stepper motor stalls? and FAQ: How do stepper […]
Lin Engineering partners with CUI on efficient stepper-motor and encoder combo
CUI Inc. today announced a partnership with Lin Engineering, a leading manufacturer of stepper motors, to integrate CUI’s innovative AMT encoder technology with Lin’s latest, high performance motor series … … for a stepper-motor and encoder combo. Lin Engineering’s G3718V series is a NEMA 17 sized motor with a length of 0.90 inches (22.86 mm) that […]
Integrated IP65 stepper motors from Applied Motion Products
SWM integrated steppers from Applied Motion Products Inc. are IP65 rated drive+motor units, fusing step motor and drive components into a single splash proof and dustproof device. This space-saving design eliminates wiring and saves on cost over conventional motor and drive solutions. The SWM24 integrated steppers combine high torque NEMA 24 step motors with a […]
Applied Motion launches EtherCAT-enabled closed-loop stepper system
At PackExpo earlier this month, Applied Motion Products introduced its newest closed-loop stepper system, which comes with EtherCAT functionality. Its StepServo closed-loop motor and drive system for industrial Ethernet will be available soon. According to Eric Rice, Applied Motion Marketing Manager, the StepServo with EtherCAT “offers up to 50% more torque than traditional step motors […]
Applied Motion Products adds NEMA 34 size to StepSERVO Integrated Motors lineup
Applied Motion Products now offers NEMA 34 frame StepSERVO Integrated Motors. The addition of these larger frame sizes in the successful StepSERVO product offering represents a widening of the product range, which already included smaller frame sizes NEMA 11, 17, 23 and 24. With the larger NEMA 34 frame size, StepSERVO Integrated Motors can now […]
Minimizing stepper motor vibration with affordable technology
By Kazuki Into, Circuit Development Manager • Oriental Motor USA Corp. || Because stepper motors run and then stop at each step angle, they deliver high-accuracy position control. But the way they incrementally advance causes vibration and noise. Now, some drivers use advanced electronics to track and control current into motors as a way to achieve smooth […]
Open-loop stepper motor versus closed-loop stepper motor systems
By Jeff Kordik, CTO • Applied Motion Products Inc. || Step motor systems are a bedrock of the motion control industry. We’ll look at the differences between open-loop system vs. closed-loop system and also explain the latest developments making step motor systems even faster, quieter, and more energy efficient than ever before. Step motor systems have […]