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I am using a microcontroller to control a bipolar stepper motor. Do you think this circuit will work?
I am going to use a Basic Stamp microcontroller to control 3 bipolar stepper motors. Tell me if you think this circuit will work. (all stepping signals will be handled with the microcontroller) This is just a modified h-bridge.
Comments
11 years ago
Correction: two ways, but this still isn't a good circuit
Answer 11 years ago
Why isn't it a good circuit?
Answer 11 years ago
It doesn't look quite right, but in trying to find something better, I'd say this search result is pretty good for you?
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=stepper+motor+controller&meta=&cts=&aq=2&oq=stepper+motor
L
Answer 11 years ago
The reason why those are so much more complicated is because the hardware handles the signal outputs. They use clock IC's and other components to go from a simple "on, off" input to a pulsing output. I am replacing all of those components with a microcontroller. It will generate the signals to drive the motor. Since I only need 1 motor running at a time, multitasking is not needed.
Answer 11 years ago
I was under the impression that steppers needed pulsed feeds, but I'm open to the possibility of being mistaken there. Does the circuit represent just one motor? There's a better way to flip polarities, but I still can't remember the right word for it - and I was hoping someone else would.... L
Answer 11 years ago
Yes, a bipolar stepper has 4 wires and two sets of coils. I'm just not sure of the sequence of turning the coils on and off.
Answer 11 years ago
Have you read "Jones" on Stepping Motors - it seems to be the internet's standard reference. I'd certainly use a driver chip for the high current bits , even if you sequence the stepper yourself.
Jones:
http://www.cs.uiowa.edu/~jones/step/
Answer 11 years ago
I just modified my circuit so that they can be reversed and turned off seperately. Here it is. I think I might switch one of the coils so that they are the same direction. That would allow for half stepping. Here's an article on how to control steppers. http://wolfstone.halloweenhost.com/Motors/stpint_StepperMotorIntro.html
One coil can be positive or negative, while the other is off, or both can be on with the same polarity.
Answer 11 years ago
A lot of transistors, but I still can't remember what it's called that I was thinking of. Still I'm sure you'll get it to work. L
11 years ago
I only see one way of energising the coils (image), only one transistor needed really. You want to re think this. How do you want to run the motors / what type of switching functions do you need? L