Motor｜Basic

Stepping Motors – Summary

2023.04.12

table of contents

・Stepping Motor Driving Methods and Features
・Bipolar Stepping Motor Driving Waveforms
・Examples of Stepping Motor Advantages and Disadvantages
・Examples of Stepping Motor Applications

Up to this point, structures and methods for driving stepping motors have been explained. In this article, the features and applications of stepping motors are summarized concisely in tables.

Stepping Motor Driving Methods and Features

Bipolar Stepping Motor Driving Waveforms

Examples of Stepping Motor Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages
▶The motor rotation angle is proportional to the number of input pulses. ▶The torque is maximum in the stationary state (when current flows in the windings). ▶A good stepping motor has a step angle error of within ±3 to 5%; because this error does not accumulate between steps, such motors have high positioning precision and operation repeatability. ▶Stepping motors have excellent start/stop/reverse response. ▶Because there are no contact brushes within the motor, reliability is extremely high. Consequently the motor lifetime depends only on the lifetime of the bearings. ▶Stepping motors respond to digital input pulses for which open-loop control can be used, so that motor control is easier and cheaper. ▶A load directly linked to the shaft can be driven synchronously at ultra-low speeds. ▶Because the rotation speed is proportional to the frequency of input pulses, rotation speeds over a broad range are possible.
Disadvantages
▶When control is not appropriate, resonances may occur. ▶Operation at very high speeds is not easy. ▶Stepping motors are not suited to power conservation.

Examples of Stepping Motor Applications

ODD［Optical Disc Drive］（PCs/Game console DVD drives/Blu-ray drives） Blu-ray recorders/players	Thread motors: To move optical pickups from the disc center to the outer periphery Spherical aberration (SA) correction: To move a correction lens etc.
Ink-jet printers Multifunction printers	（Scanners）
Laser-beam printers （LBP）	Drum: Photosensitive drum transfer, movement of the entire mechanism to feed paper Paper feed
PPC［Plain Paper Copier］	Drum: Photosensitive drum transfer, movement of the entire mechanism to feed paper Scanners Paper feed, etc.
Digital still cameras	Autofocus （Zoom）（Iris (diaphragm)）
Mobile camera modules	Autofocus Zoom

Home appliances	Clocks: Needle rotation Air conditioners: Loopers, etc.
Automotive equipment	Headlamp AFS auto-levelers, motorized EGR valves, meter displays, etc.

Manufacturing apparatuses, entertainment equipment (pachinko, game devices), medical equipment, analytical equipment, ATMs, vending machines, ticket gate equipment, ticket vending machines, robots, etc.

【Download Documents】 Basics of Stepping Motors and Driving Methods

Stepping motors are used in various devices and equipment, and there are many types of equipment that cannot function without stepping motors. This handbook presents the fundamentals of stepping motors, explaining their structure, principles of operation, characteristics, and driving methods.

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