MCTE3210 Electromechanical Systems and Actuators

Dr. Ashraf Saleem

Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
Mechatronics Engineering Program
Sultan Qaboos University
MCTE3210 Electromechanical Systems and Actuators

Principle of operation
SM types
Torque-speed characteristics
Driver and controller
Unipolar and Bipolar SM
Typical applications

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MCTE3210 Electromechanical Systems and Actuators

Stepper motors are highly accurate pulse-

driven motors that change their angular
position in steps, in response to input pulses
from digitally controlled systems.
The stepper motor makes a step for each
applied pulse. The size of the step (step angle)
depends on the type and design of the stepper
motor. The input pulses to the stepper motor
must be in a proper sequence with acceptable
frequency and must provide the phase
windings with sufficient current.

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MCTE3210 Electromechanical Systems and Actuators

There are three basic types

of stepper motors:
Variable-reluctance (VR)
stepper motors, which
have soft-iron rotors
Permanent-magnet (PM)
stepper motors,
magnatized rotors.
Hybrid stepper motors,
which have two stacks of
rotor teeth forming the
two poles of a
permanent magnet
located along the rotor
axis
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Stepping sequence

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MCTE3210 Electromechanical Systems and Actuators

Double-coil excitation Single-coil excitation

100% nominal torque 50% nominal torque

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MCTE3210 Electromechanical Systems and Actuators

Double-coil excitation Single-coil excitation

100% nominal torque 50% nominal torque

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MCTE3210 Electromechanical Systems and Actuators

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MCTE3210 Electromechanical Systems and Actuators

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MCTE3210 Electromechanical Systems and Actuators

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MCTE3210 Electromechanical Systems and Actuators

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MCTE3210 Electromechanical Systems and Actuators

As the motor speed increases, the available torque decreases.

Experimental data are measured under steady operating
conditions (averaged and interpolated).
The given torque is called the pull-out torque and the
corresponding speed is the pullout speed.
In industry, this curve is known as the pull-out curve.

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MCTE3210 Electromechanical Systems and Actuators

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MCTE3210 Electromechanical Systems and Actuators

The driver hardware consists of the following basic

components:

Translator: Digital (logic) hardware to interpret the

information carried by the stepping pulse signal and
the direction pulse signal. It provides appropriate
signals to the switches that actuate the phase
windings.
The drive circuit for phase windings with switching
transistors to actuate the phases.
Power supply to power the phase winding.

These three components are commercially available as

a single package

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 A stepper motor with bifilar windings (two coil segments for
each phase) has to be used.
The has five leads, one of which is the motor common or
ground (G) and the other four are the terminals of the two
bifilar coil segments (A+,A-,B+,B-).

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 For motors with
unifilar-winding (two
phase stepper) that
based on the change in
the phase winding
current direction.
It should have three
leads- a ground wire
and two power leads
for the two phases.

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 MCTE3210 Electromechanical Systems and Actuators

Stepper motors are particularly suitable for

positioning, ramping (constant acceleration and
deceleration), and slewing (constant speed) at
relatively low speeds.
Typically they are suitable for short and repetitive
motions at speeds lower than 2,000 rpm.
They are not the best choice for servoing or
trajectory following applications.
The stepper motor is a low-speed actuator that may
be used in applications that require torques as high as
15 N.m.
They are ideally suited for digital control
applications.
High precision open loop operations is possible,
provided that the operating conditions are well within
the motor capacity

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MCTE3210 Electromechanical Systems and Actuators

Since brushes are not used in stepper motors, there

is no danger in spark generation. Hence, they are
suitable in hazardous environments. However, heat
generation and associated thermal problems can be
significant at high speeds.
Because of heat generator, stepper motors are not
suitable for applications that require operation over
long periods without stopping.

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MCTE3210 Electromechanical Systems and Actuators

Stepper motors are particularly suitable in printing

applications because the print characters are
changed in steps and the printed lines (or paper
feed) are also advanced in steps.
Stepper motors are commonly used in x-y tables.
In automated manufacturing applications, stepper
motors are found as joint actuators and end
effecter (gripper) actuators of robotic manipulators
and as drive unit in parts-positioning tables, and
tool holders of machine tools (milling machines,
laths, etc..).
In automotive applications, pulse wind shield
wipers, power window drives, power seat
mechanism, process control applications, and parts-
handling systems.

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