Speedstepper (2024)

FAQs

What is a stepper motor used for? ›

Commercially, stepper motors are used in floppy disk drives, flatbed scanners, computer printers, plotters, slot machines, image scanners, compact disc drives, intelligent lighting, camera lenses, CNC machines, and 3D printers.

AccelStepper is an excellent library when you want to move a stepper motor shaft at a specific angle (for example, in a 3D printer), but it doesn't support applications that need continuous rotations. AccelStepper provides a runSpeed() function for continuous motion, but it doesn't accelerate smoothly.

Stepper motors are high pole count DC motors that are driven with a DC pulse train. Mechanical designers frequently create systems designed to use stepper motors at relatively high rpm based on the maximum motor speed rating (often 3000 rpm) and the motor torque vs. speed curves.

if the step rate is too high for the motors they will just stop and whine. max speed is always a tradeoff between max speed and max acceleration.

A stepper motor can be a good choice whenever controlled movement is required. They can be used in applications where you need to control rotation angle, speed, position and synchronism. Because of the inherent advantages listed previously, stepper motors have found their place in many different applications.

Two-phase stepper motors are the most commonly used, while three-phase and five-phase motors are less common (see Figure 5 and Figure 6). Figure 6: Two-Phase, Single-Pole Pair Stator (Left) and Two-Phase, Dipole Pair Stator (Right).

Hybrid stepper motors are produced exclusively with ball bearings. They are the only movable element in the motor and determine its service life. Systems that have a proper mechanical design reach a service life > 20,000 hours provided that the maximum permissible axial and radial forces are not constantly exceeded.

Servo motors are more efficient than stepper motors, with efficiencies between 80-90%. In overall performance, servo motors are best for high speed, high torque applications while stepper motors are better suited for lower acceleration, high holding torque applications.

Can you use a stepper motor as a normal motor? ›

A stepper motor can be used as a “normal motor” but if you're looking to run a fan or another continuous, constant motion application it's not a good solution because of the noise and requirement of a controller. Stepper motors are made for precise positioning, not to power fans, pumps etc.

Steppers are actually quite happy stalled, they work by moving from one stalled position to another. Axial load on the shaft is a good way to kill them, spinning the motor quickly when the controller is powered off is a good way to kill a stepper driver with weak protection circuits.

Normally, you can easily turn a stepper motor shaft by hand, and you can feel each of the 200 'detents' as you rotate the shaft.

The typical lifetime of a stepper motor is 10,000 operating hours. This approximates to 4.8 years given that the motor operates one eight-hour shift per day. Motor lifetime may vary in regards to user application and how rigorously the motor is run.

Noise & Vibration - Step motors are noisy during motion for a few reasons. If a full step or half step drive scheme is used the abrupt advancement of the commanded phase excites resonances (read that noise) in the rotor.

Other uses include operating air conditioning louvers, turning pipe valves on or off, driving electrically operated drapes, and the autofocus and zoom mechanisms in digital or phone cameras. Stepper motors are also used in home printers or the copier machines found at convenience stores.

Stepper motors are highly precise motors that operate in discrete, highly reliable steps, and DC motors are flexibly controlled by voltage and current, and convert electrical energy into mechanical motion. While stepper motors are highly accurate, they are not as efficient as DC motors.

The stepper machine offers a multitude of benefits, encompassing enhanced heart health, increased lower body strength and muscle tone, reduced risk of injury, calorie burning, as well as convenience and accessibility.