A stepper motor is a digitally controlled motor that receives a control pulse signal and rotates a certain angle accordingly. In practical application, the stepping motor and the controller are an inseparable whole. The control pulse signal generated by microcontrollers such as single-chip microcomputer and DSP is a weak current signal, which can only be applied to the winding of the motor after the power of the driving circuit is amplified. Power on in a certain order. As long as the windings of each phase are energized in turn in a predetermined order, the stepper motor can produce the required stepping motion.
A stepper motor is an electric motor that allows very precise position and speed control. Their rotation is achieved by controlling the current. Stepper motors generally come in two types: single-step and multi-step. A single-step motor turns only one step angle at a time, while a multi-step motor can turn multiple step angles.
The step angle of stepper motors depends on their design, usually between 1.8 degrees or 0.9 degrees. Each step angle corresponds to a rotational position, which makes stepper motors ideal for applications that require precise position control, such as printers, plotters, CNC machine tools, etc.
The stator of the reactive stepper motor is made of silicon steel sheets, and the opposite two magnetic poles are wound with the same winding with different winding directions. When energized, a pair of N and S poles are formed, and there is no winding in the motor rotor. The rotor of the motor is made of soft magnetic material. There are many small teeth with the same size and the same spacing on the outer surface of the rotor pole and the inner surface of the stator pole. Electromagnetic force is the driving force for the reactive stepper motor to move. Under the action of electromagnetic force, the rotor will move to the position of maximum magnetic permeability (or minimum magnetic resistance) and be in a balanced state.
The material of the rotor of the permanent magnet stepper motor is permanent magnetism, the number of poles of the rotor and the stator is the same, the output torque of the motor is large, and the step angle is relatively large, but the working performance is good.
The structure of the hybrid stepper motor stator is the same as that of the reactive stepper motor. The rotor is divided into two sections in the axial direction. The same number and size of small teeth are evenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the iron core of the two sections, but they are misplaced by half the tooth pitch. A permanent magnet is embedded in the middle of the two iron cores, so that the iron core at one end of the rotor is N pole and the iron core at the other end is S pole, as shown in Figure 1.1. The N and S polarities of the rotor remain unchanged, and the sequential change of the N and S polarities of the stator magnetic poles is realized by controlling the stator winding current, and a corresponding force is generated on the N and S poles of the rotor to push the rotor to rotate as required. Because the permanent magnetic field of the rotor of the hybrid stepper motor also generates part of the torque, it is larger than the torque generated by the stator magnetic field of the reactive stepper motor.
The best stepper motor will be capable of delivering your required torque while also being fast enough.I tell you my best picks depending on the category of the stepper motor:
The driver is the circuit that controls the rotation of the stepper motor. They receive instructions from the controller and send current to each phase of the stepper motor. The main function of the driver is to convert the control signal into electric current in order to drive the stepper motor to rotate. A driver typically consists of a power supply and an output stage to drive each phase of a stepper motor. In the driver, power transistors such as MOSFET or BJT are usually used to control the current to drive the stepper motor.
Stepper motors and drives are often used together for precise position and speed control. Rotation of a stepper motor is accomplished by sending a sequence of pulses whose frequency and direction are generated by the controller. The driver converts these pulses into electrical current and sends it to each phase of the stepper motor, which drives the motor to rotate.
Stepper motors and drivers are used in a wide range of applications, including robotics, 3D printers, medical equipment, automation equipment, and more. When selecting a stepper motor and driver, factors such as the size, torque and step angle of the motor, as well as the control method, current and voltage range of the driver need to be considered. In addition, factors such as the working environment and load characteristics of the motor need to be considered. For example, in high temperature or high humidity environments, it is necessary to choose a stepper motor and driver that can adapt to these environments.
When selecting a stepper motor and driver, there are some key parameters to be aware of. Here are some common parameters:
The step angle of a stepper motor is usually between 1.8 degrees or 0.9 degrees, which means that each step angle corresponds to a rotated position.
The torque of a stepper motor is the torque output by the motor, usually in N m or oz-in (ounce-in).
The current range of the driver determines the maximum drive capability of the stepper motor. Typically, a motor's current is directly proportional to its torque.
The voltage range of the driver needs to match the rated voltage of the stepper motor to ensure proper operation of the motor.
Stepper motors can use a variety of control methods, including pulse and direction signals, four-phase signals, and serial communication.
The resolution of a stepper motor is the smallest amount of movement the motor can achieve, usually in steps or linear distance.
The size of the stepper motor needs to match the application scenario to ensure that the motor can be installed in the desired location.
In summary, stepper motors and drives are a very common motor system for applications that require precise position and speed control. When selecting a stepper motor and driver, several factors need to be considered, including step angle, torque, current, voltage, control method, resolution, and motor size.
