In Part I of this series, we covered the bipolar stepper motor’s three control modes as well as its mechanical structure, including dual full-bridge drive. In Part II, we will discuss microstepping and how it controls the dual full-bridge drive. Previously, half-step stepping mode was introduced as a combination of single-phase stepping and full-step stepping to obtain more electrical angle pos...

In the intelligent era, stepper motors are widely used due to their unique open-loop position control performance. Each device has specific requirements that ensure there is a smooth output torque while the stepper motor rotates. Rotation stability is closely related to the motor’s physical construction as well as its control mode. This article introduces the bipolar stepper motor and discusses i...

Stepper motors are often used for positioning since they are cost-effective, easy to drive, and can be used in open-loop systems — meaning that they do not require position feedback like servo motors. Steppers are used in small industrial machines, such as laser engravers, 3D printers, and office equipment like laser printers. There is a wide array of options when it comes to stepper motors. For ...

When starting a DC motor, large currents can be required that place a burden on the motor driver and power supply. This article will discuss using the current regulation function integrated into many motor driver ICs, while using examples from Monolithic Power Systems (MPS) to address high-current conditions. In many cases, using current regulation can allow designers to use a smaller motor drive...

Many motion control applications use permanent magnet DC motors. Since it is easier to implement control systems using DC motors compared to AC motors, they are often used when speed, torque, or position needs to be controlled. There are two types of commonly used DC motors: Brushed motors, and brushless motors (or BLDC motors). As their names imply, DC brushed motors have brushes, which are used...

In this article, we will cover the basics of stepper motors. You will learn about the working principles, construction, control methods, uses, and types of stepper motors, as well as its advantages and disadvantages. A stepper motor is an electric motor whose main feature is that its shaft rotates by performing steps, that is, by moving by a fixed amount of degrees. This feature is obtained tha...

Solenoid drivers are used in many applications to provide linear or rotational actuation in mechanical systems. Although driving solenoids can be as simple as switching the current flow on and off, oftentimes better performance can be obtained using a dedicated IC to drive them. In this article, we will examine how drive circuitry affects the electromechanical performance of solenoids. Two differ...

When designing a motor control circuit, it is vital to determine how to deliver the high current required to drive the motor. Designers must choose whether to use monolithic integrated circuits that have internal power devices, or gate driver ICs and discrete external power MOSFETs. This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each approach and provides guidance on when to choose eit...

MPS recently released an integrated, compact gate driver circuit with six power MOSFETs. This article discusses the MP6540 series, including the MP6540A, MP6540H, and the MP6540HA. The MP6540 is a 3-phase, brushless DC (BLDC) motor driver that integrates three half-bridges consisting of six N-channel power MOSFETs. Conventional motor driver architecture combines a motor driver chip and the power ...