MD-2 Stepper Motor Control Systems
Poste in Robotics_Research on August 6th, 2010 by admin
Would you like to automate a task but don’t know how? Have you looked through some motion control catalogs and been shocked by the complexity? Most vendors expect you to select and match motors, drivers, power supplies, and cables, then write your own software. We’ve cut through the confusion and created the complete motion control solution for those who don’t want to design their own. The MD-2 Dual Stepper Motor System contains everything you need to accomplish motion control with an IBM style personal computer.
No cards to install, no cables to build and no components to match. Simply connect to the parallel port on your computer just like a printer, load the software, and GO! Within minutes you’ll have complete control over the direction, position, and speed of each motor. Up to 6 motors (3 MD-2 systems) can be connected to your computer for those multi-axis projects.
Programming is simple with our interactive motion control programs and DOS command-line interpreter. Custom programs are easy to create using our subroutine libraries. There are 3 MD-2 models to choose from to fill a variety of torque and resolution requirements. Each MD-2 system includes 2 stepper motors, 2 10′ motor cables, printer port cable, 2 home switches, drive/power supply box, software and extensive documentation. The MD-2 system can be operated from an AC outlet or from a battery. You must have an IBM compatible personal computer with a parallel printer port. Need assistance? – give us a call, we’ll be glad to help.
This short article describes the differences between stepper motors and servo motors. Use the MD-2 system to control our XY positioning tables. Increse the torque and resolution of a stepper motor using our PR23 Pulley Reducers.
MD-2 System Features
- Operates with a standard IBM-style PC
- Includes motors, cables, driver, software, documentation
- Easy to install and program
- Interactive Motion control software included
- Up to 6 motors on a single PC
- Operates with data acquisition boards
- Subroutine libraries in C, Basic, VB, Pascal source
- Powerful multi-axis coordinated motion
- General purpose Digital I/O signals provided
- 3 sizes to choose from
- No motion control experience needed
- Cost effective
What is a Stepper Motor?
A stepper motor is a special kind of motor that moves in individual steps which are usually .9 degrees each. Each step is controlled by energizing one or more of the coils inside the motor which then interacts with the permanent magnets attached to the shaft. Turning these coils on and off in sequence will cause the motor to rotate forward or reverse. The time delay between each step determines the motor’s speed. Steppers can be moved to any desired position reliably by sending them the proper number of step pulses. Unlike servo motors, steppers can be used “open-loop” without the need for expensive encoders to check their position. Stepper motors are much more cost-effective than servo systems due to their simplified control and drive circuitry. There are no brushes to replace in a stepper motor, eliminating the need for maintenance. Even though a stepper motor system can not achieve the speed of a servo motor system, their ease of use allows them to be the preferred solution for many of today’s computerized motion control systems.
