What Does Stepper Motor Mean?
A stepper motor is a type of DC motor that works in discrete steps. It is a synchronous brushless motor where a full rotation is divided into a number of steps. The two main components of a stepper motor are the rotor and the stator. The rotor is the rotating shaft and the stator consists of electromagnets that form the stationary part of the motor. When a discrete DC voltage is applied, the stepper motor rotates in a particular angle called the step angle; thus a stepper motor is manufactured with steps per revolution of 12, 24, 72, 144, 180 and 200, with a corresponding step angle of 30,15, 5, 2.5, 2 and 1.8. It can be operated with or without a feedback control.
Techopedia Explains Stepper Motor
A stepper motor is a particular type of DC motor that does not rotate continuously. Instead, a full rotation is divided into a number of equal steps. A stepper motor consists of phases, which are multiple coils that are organized into groups. By applying the energy from the input voltage to each phase in a sequence, the stepper motor rotates by taking one step at a time. Thus a stepper motor converts electrical energy or an input digital pulse into mechanical shaft rotation.
- Permanent magnet stepper Hybrid synchronous stepper Variable reluctance stepper Lavet-type stepping motor
A stepper motor is used in devices that need precise positioning and speed control. Because it moves in precise repeatable steps, the stepper motor is used in devices like 3D printers, camera platforms, plotters, scanners, etc. And because it has maximum torque at low speeds, the stepper motor is also used in devices that require a low speed.
