STEPPERCHINA

Circuit diagram to control Nema17 stepper motor with Arduino is given in the above image. As A4988 module has a built-in translator that means we only need to connect the Step and Direction pins to Arduino. Step pin is used for controlling the steps while the direction pin is used to control the direction. Stepper motor is powered using a 12V power source, and the A4988 module is powered via Arduino. Potentiometer is used to control the direction of the motor.

If you turn the potentiometer clockwise, then stepper will rotate clockwise, and if you turn potentiometer anticlockwise, then it will rotate anticlockwise. A 47 µf capacitor is used to protect the board from voltage spikes. MS1, MS2, and MS3 pins left disconnected, that means the driver will operate in full-step mode.

Complete connections for Arduino Nema 17 A4988 given in below table.

S.NO.	A4988 Pin	Connection
1	VMOT	+ve Of Battery
2	GND	-ve of Battery
3	VDD	5V of Arduino
4	GND	GND of Arduino
5	STP	Pin 3 of Arduino
6	DIR	Pin 2 of Arduino
7	1A, 1B, 2A, 2B	Stepper Motor

NEMA 17 is a hybrid stepping motor with a 1.8° step angle (200 steps/revolution). Each phase draws 1.2 A at 4 V, allowing for a holding torque of 3.2 kg-cm. NEMA 17 Stepper motor is generally used in Printers, CNC machines and Laser Cutters.

NEMA17 Stepper Motor is commonly used in CNC machines, Hard Drives and Linear Actuators. The motor have 6 lead wires and rated voltage is 12 volt. It can be operated at lower voltage but torque will drop. These motors has a step angle of 1.8 deg., this means that it has 200 steps per revolution for every step it will cover a 1.8° hence the level of control is also high. These motors run on 12V and hence can provide high torque. So if you are looking for a compact easy to use stepper motor with high torque then this motor is the right choice for you.

Operation of Nema17 is similar to normal Stepper Motors. NEMA 17 stepper motor has a 1.7 x 1.7-inch faceplate, and it usually has more torque than the smaller variants, such as NEMA 14. This motor has six lead wires, and the rated voltage is 12 volt. It can be operated at a lower voltage, but torque will drop. Stepper motors do not rotate they step, and NEMA17 motor has a step angle of 1.8 deg. means it covers 1.8 degrees in every step. Wiring diagram for NEMA17 is given below.

Stepper Motor Applications
CNC machines
Precise control machines
3D printer/prototyping machines (e.g. RepRap)
Laser cutters
Pick and place machines

NEMA17 Dimensions

NEMA 23 is a high torque hybrid bipolar stepper motor with a 2.3×2.3 inch faceplate. This motor has a step angle of 1.8 deg., this means that it has 200 steps per revolution and for every step it will cover 1.8°. The motor has four colour coded wires (Black, Green, Red & Blue) terminated with bare leads. Black and Green wire is connected with one coil; Red and Blue is connected with other. This motor can be controlled by two H-bridges but it is recommended to use a stepper motor driver.

 
How to use NEMA 23 Stepper Motor
As mentioned above this stepper motor draws high current so instead of controlling it directly using H-bridges, use an appropriately powerful stepper motor driver. To know how to make this motor rotate we should look into the coil diagram below.

As you can see from above diagram this motor has four wires in different colours. This motor can be made to rotate only if the coils are energized in a logical sequence. This logical sequence can be programmed using a microcontroller or by designing a digital circuit.

 

Stepper Motor Applications
CNC machines
Precise control machines
3D printer/prototyping machines (e.g. RepRap)
Laser cutters
Pick and place machines

NEMA 23 Stepper Motor Dimensions

The automation aspect of certain types of systems and equipment will depend on the type of stepper motor that you use. NEMA hybrid stepper motors are recommended if you want a versatile stepper motor that can work with most industrial automation requirements. The technology behind NEMA stepper motors, like the NEMA 23 stepper motors, is far advanced because of its precision and high-torque design.

Speed and torque are the two most crucial factors when choosing the right stepper motor for automation. NEMA hybrid stepper motors are preferred in industrial automation because they provide more power than the lower end models. NEMA 23, in particular, is a recommended hybrid stepper motor due to its powerful torque and speed, both of which are essential factors that can improve the performance and reliability of automated equipment and systems.

A NEMA hybrid stepper motor can be useful in making semiconductors. It can be complicated to manufacture semiconductors due to the high amount of output that is involved in the processes. Hence, it is important for the automation system to be reliable for robotics control, measurement, inspection, and quality assurance.

One feature of stepper motors that differentiates them from other motor types—particularly servo motors—is that they exhibit holding torque. This means that when the windings are energized but the rotor is stationary, the motor can hold the load in place. But a stepper motor can also hold a load in place when there is no current applied to the windings (for example, in a power-off condition). This is commonly known as the detent torque or residual torque.

Detent torque
Stated another way, detent torque is the amount of torque the motor produces when the windings are not energized. The effect of detent torque can be felt when moving the motor shaft by hand, in the form of torque pulsations or cogging.

Of the three types of best stepper motors from china—variable reluctance, permanent magnet, and hybrid—only variable reluctance motors do not exhibit detent torque. This is due to the difference in construction between variable reluctance motors versus permanent magnet and hybrid designs. Both permanent magnet and hybrid stepper motors use a permanent magnet rotor, which is attracted to the poles of the stator even when there is no power to the stator windings. Variable reluctance motors, on the other hand, use a passive (non-magnetized) rotor made of soft iron; therefore, there is no attraction between the rotor and the stator when the stator windings are not energized. Hybrid stepper motors incorporate teeth on the surface of the rotor, so they are able to better manage the magnetic flux between the stator and rotor, which gives them higher holding, dynamic, and detent torque values than permanent magnet steppers.

Holding torque
A nema 23 stepper motor’s holding torque is the amount of torque needed in order to move the motor one full step when the windings are energized but the rotor is stationary. Holding torque is one of the primary benefits that stepper motors offer versus servo motors and makes steppers a good choice for cases where a load needs to be held in place.

As mentioned in FAQ: How do I prevent stepper motor stalls? and FAQ: How do stepper motors handle inertia mismatch? inertia ratio is critical to stepper motor acceleration. Too great a difference in inertia ratio between system and motor limits rates of acceleration and deceleration … or risk missed steps. So when starting a stepper motor, acceleration and deceleration should happen through pulses to the motor that start slowly and gradually quicken in a process called ramping.

Another consideration when accelerating a stepper motor is current supply. Too little current and too high an acceleration means that the motor won’t have enough power to accelerate both itself and the load it is driving. It may stall if this condition persists. On the other hand, every system has an upper limit of maximum allowable current supply.

Both mean that engineers must consider how realistic a system’s positioning times are. If it requires a too high acceleration in too short a time, it wont be possible to run a stepper motor to a motion profile satisfying system’s requirements.

Algorithms for determining the proper ramping method and subsequent acceleration are complicated, but simplified algorithms exist to aid in design and implementation. Whatever algorithm the engineer uses, it should work well enough to ensure that there’s no lost steps or stalls. Tip: Always perform test runs at whatever conditions and loads your system has before finalizing any design.

How to Convert open loop to closed loop stepper control

Why do you use a stepper motor?

Easy to use: 34%
Inexpensive: 17%
Simple operations:16%
No need for tuning: 12%
Other: 21%

Key Points: Ease-of-Use, Simple Operations and Low Cost
According to the survey of stepper motors users, many favor stepper motors for their “ease-of-use,” “simple operations”, and “low cost stepper motor” derived from the structure and system configuration. It makes sense that many users find such positive aspects in stepper motors, thanks to the simple structure and system configuration. However, some readers may be skeptical about the actual performance of the motor in terms of its accuracy and torque. It is not easy to fully grasp the whole idea unless there are comparison examples against other control motors such as servo motors. By knowing the characteristics and taking on different approaches based on required operations, stepper motors certainly can reduce the cost of the equipment. The characteristics and technical information of stepper motors are explained below:

Impressive “Stopping Accuracy.” Moves Quickly in the “Low / Mid-Speed Range”
Stepper motors have remarkable stopping accuracy, and accurate control with open-loop is possible. For example, when using the RK II Series for positioning of a rotating table, its stopping accuracy is within ±0.05° (with no load). Because stopping position errors do not accumulate between steps, high accuracy positioning is possible. The structure of the stepper motor, which requires no encoder, allows for the simple drive system and low cost.

Step Modes

Stepper drivers for sale online come in a variety of step modes, which influence the rotation speed, size, and action of the drive shaft. A complete set of steps does not necessarily imply a full rotation of the drive shaft. In some instances, multiple complete step sequences are required to achieve a quarter of a turn of the drive shaft. The following sections discuss several different step modes and their characteristics.

Wave Step Mode

Wave step mode is found on a number of older stepper driver models. Wave step mode involves passing energy to one phase of the motor at a time. This creates fluctuating torque, which is unstable. It is also considerably less efficient than other step modes, because energy is lost in between energizing each phase. Because of the energy loss, less torque is produced than with other step modes.

Full Step Mode

With a full step mode driver, both phases of the motor are energized simultaneously and continuously. This produces full torque for all phases of the motor at all times. Full step motors are very stable, and one complete turn of the drive shaft is equal to one complete step sequence. For example, if there are 50 steps in the step sequence, 50 steps equals one 360-degree rotation of the drive shaft.

Half Step Mode

Half step mode is an alternating energy circuit. First, one coil phase is energized, swiftly followed by both coil phases being energized. This technique doubles the resolution of the step sequence. It creates varying degrees of torque because the single coil phase energy produces half the torque of the double coil phase energy. High end models decrease the torque differential by increasing the amount of current that passes through the single coil phase. This enables the single coil to increase torque output. Half step mode is very stable and doubles the possible resolution and number of step positions. A 50-step sequence step motor capable of operating in half step mode to allow for greater resolution has 100 step positions.

Micro Step Mode

Micro stepping mode is only available on high end cheap stepper motor drive models, and, as such, are more expensive than other kinds. Micro stepping energizes each coil to a set fraction, allowing fractional steps to occur. This creates very high resolution and precise stepping. Micro stepping creates a very smooth step motion, and some models can move at 1/256th of a step.

For design engineers in the process of selecting components for an application, the motor or gearmotor can be one of the more difficult components to source. There are so many types of motors and gearmotors all screaming for your attention and promising to be the “most efficient”, the “highest quality” or boasting about “high precision”. Groschopp uses 4 simple steps to lead designers to the best motor/gearmotor choice for a particular application. There are several key design parameters that should be considered when selecting a motor or gearmotor for a motion control application.

Table 1: Gear stepper motor Selection Process – steps to complete to ensure a gearmotor properly matches the application

As the motor or stepper motor planetary gearbox selection process begins, the designer must gather the relevant technical and commercial requirements. This first step is often overlooked, but it is a critical component in the design process. The gathered design inputs information will then be used in the selection process and will dictate the ideal motor for the application. Failure to gather the proper inputs can lead the designer down an untended path. For this reason, it is helpful to use the Application Checklist (Table 2) when developing the motor specification. These parameters, along with some project specific requirements, will be helpful when navigating the selection process.

Table 2: Application Checklist – use this checklist to help formulate the specific requirements to ensure the gearmotor vendor has the critical information necessary to achieve the best match between the gearmotor and the application

Next, the designer must consider what type of motor technology best suits the intended application. Using the design inputs, the Motors Quick Reference Guide (Table 3) can be used as a selection matrix in the first step of the decision process. This reference guide details four common motor types and provides general information to consider when selecting each stepper motor spur gear. Because each application has its own unique characteristics, it is important to determine which of the parameters (e.g. horsepower, efficiency, life, starting torque or noise ratings) are most important to the application under consideration. During the motor selection process, by looking at the required speed and torque of the application, it should become evident to the designer if the motor chosen requires a gearbox to meet the necessary requirements. If a gearmotor is necessary for the application, another level of complexity will be added and several additional criteria need to be evaluated.

Microstepping can improve stepper motor system performance in a number of applications, and it can reduce system cost and complexity relative to half- and full-step driving techniques. In addition, microstepping can help solve noise and resonance problems all while increasing step accuracy and resolution.

A stepper motor system’s natural frequency is determined by holding torque, rotor and load inertia, and the number of full-steps per revolution. When stepper motor system damping is low you risk generating noise or losing steps when the stepper motor operates at or near the resonant frequency depending on damping, total inertia, and the type of stepper motor. These issues can happen at or near integer multiples and fractions of the natural frequency. Typically the frequencies closest to the natural frequency cause the most problems.

The principal source of these resonances is that the stator flux moves in a discontinuous way when you use a non-microstepping stepper motor driver — forty-five or ninety degrees at a time — causing a pulsing energy flow to the rotor, and these pulsations excite the resonance. Using half-steps rather than full-steps reduces the excitation energy to roughly twenty-nine percent of the full-step energy. If we microstep the motor in 1/32-full-step mode only point one percent of the full-step energy remains. You can reduce the excitation energy to a low enough level that all resonances are completely eliminated by microstepping.

However, this is only true of an ideal stepper motor. In practical applications there are additional sources that excite system resonances. Regardless, microstepping improves movement in nearly all applications and, in many cases, microstepping alone will sufficiently reduce noise and vibrations for most applications.

When you run a stepper motor at low frequencies in half- or full-step mode the movement is discontinuous, noise and vibrations are generated, and there will be significant ringing. The frequencies where this occurs are below the stepper motor system’s natural frequency, which is why microstepping offers a safe, simple means of extending noiseless stepping frequencies approaching zero hertz.

You don’t usually need steps smaller than 1/32-full-step — electrical step angles this small are easily absorbed by the stepper motor’s internal friction, meaning the stepping doesn’t generate overshot or ringing. The microstepping positions will deviate from a straight line because of uncompensated sine/cosine profiles.