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Introduction to Stepper Motors

EE 448 Lab 2
Due Wednesday April 13, 2016
Purpose
The purpose of this lab is to provide and introduction to Stepper Motors. Stepper motors provide very precise
control for a wide variety of applications ranging from robotics to assembly lines to precision positioning.
Given the prevalence of microcontrollers, stepper motors are becoming prevalent in a wide variety of
applications.

Unlike the other motors considered in this class, stepper motors move by taking a series of steps. The stepping
sequence is generated by sending precisely timed waveforms to the different motor leads. If you want the motor
to spin faster, you simply send the sequence faster. As a result, the speed/torque curve serves a slightly different
purpose for stepper motors. Rather than specifying the torque for any given speed (or vice versa), the curve
specifies an upper bound on the speed torque characteristics. As long as the speed is less than the speed on the
speed/torque curve for a given torque, the motor can operate at that speed. Most designers, however, elect to
operate with a safety margin of at least 25% away from the torque/speed curve to allow for manufacturing
variability, errors in predicting the torque, variability in inertia and friction estimates, etc.

Another unique feature of stepper motors is that they have a very high holding torque. As soon as the motor
starts to turn even a little bit, the torque available drops significantly. However, if the motor is not turning, it
can hold a considerable weight.

INSTRUMENTS and COMPONENTS:

Stepper Motor Assembly
Computer with Stepper Motor Control Software Installed
Tape Measure

Procedures (80 points – Based on doing the experiment and answering the questions below) ____________
Part I:
The purpose of the first part of the lab is to help you get familiar with how the stepper motor is controlled.
1. Attach the COM connector from the stepper motor to the computer and turn on the stepper motor.
2. Go to “Local Disk (C:)->Temp->Applied Motion.” Double click to install “QProg1.4.33.”
3. Open the Q-Programmer software and select the COM1 port.
4. In the Q-Programmer software, open the “Return_home.qpr” program file. Then, click on download
program followed by execute program.
5. The stepper motor platform should move to the top of the slide, pause, move to the bottom of the slide,
pause, and then move up approximately 1 inch. You are now ready to operate the stepper motor.
6. At the top of the program screen, click on “Show->Data Monitor.” Click on the right side of the top row
of the “Data Register” column and select “Encoder Position.” A table like the one shown below should
 be visible. Many stepper motors come with an encoder that keeps track of the position of the stepper
motor during operation.

7. Now we are ready to move the motor a specified distance. For our stepper motor, the stage will move 6
mm for every revolution of the motor. In addition, the motor has 20,000 counts per revolution while the
encoder has 4,000 counts per revolution. (6mm is equivalent to 20.000 counts for motor)
8. If you want to move the platform 3 in, how many counts are needed for the motor? ______254000_____
9. What should be the resulting change in the encoder position? _______________________50800______
10. Now go to “Show->Move Profile.” A screen like the one shown below should appear. This screen
allows you to specify the speed and distance the motor moves. In actual practice, you would write a
software program to control the motor speed. However, directly entering the values into the test profile
is simpler and adequate for our applications.
11. Type the distance corresponding to 3 in to move the stage in Cnts. A negative number will move the
stage up while a positive number will move the stage down. Make sure your number is negative because
you want to move the motor up away from the home position.
12. After entering the distance, enter an acceleration time and a deceleration time of 0.8 seconds as well as a
total time of 5 seconds. After entering the time values, click on “Convert Time to Rev Values.” Your
selected speed profile should now be visible to the left.
13. Now make a note of the following values.
a. Distance from table top to bottom of platform in inches = ______________2.5_____________
b. Value of encoder position = __________________________________68525_______________
14. Now click on “Test Profile” to run your velocity profile. After the motor finishes moving record the
following:
a. Distance from table top to bottom of platform in inches = ___________5.5________________
b. Value of encoder position = _______________________________17724__________________
15. Did your motor move the distance expected (i.e. 3 inches)? Was the change in encoder position what
you predicted? ____Total counts moved is 50802, which is close to the expected value 50800 ________
16. If your stage did not move as expected find your error and repeat until the stage moves as expected.
Demonstrate that you can correctly move the stage to the TA.
17. Now return to the home position by making your distance in Cnts positive. Move back and forth 5 times
and record the encoder position each time in the following table.
Table 1: Accuracy of Encoder Position
Bottom Change in Accuracy of
Top Encoder Accuracy of
Encoder Encoder Value Movement
Value (Cnts) Movement (m)
Value (Cnts) (Cnts) (Cnts)
68524 17724 50800 0 0
68524 17725 50800 1 3
68526 17725 50801 1 3
68526 17725 50801 1 3
68526 17725 50801 1 3
Average Accuracy of Movement in m 2.4
Standard Deviation of Accuracy of Movement in m
 18. How accurate in positioning is our stepper motor? What might be an application where you would need
a stepper motor with this degree of accuracy? ___The value show the accuracy of the stepper motor.
There are some applications: printer, robotics and any application which requires the high accuracy.__
19. When you are finished you can leave the “Move Profile” screen by clicking on “Close Chart.”
Part II:
The goal of this part of the lab is to explore the dependence of motor operation on the torque/speed curve for the
stepper motor.
1. Begin by running the “Return_home.qpr” program to return to the home position.
2. Place one of the 2.5 lb weights on the motor stage and go to the “Show->Move Profile” screen. Once
you are on this screen, set the Distance in Cnts so that the motor will move up 250 mm. You should
then set the acceleration and deceleration times to 0.8 seconds and the total move time to 2 seconds.
3. Now click on “Test Profile” and confirm that the motor moves as expected.
4. In modern motor design applications, it is common to model the motor to insure that it will perform as
desired in a particular application. A modeling program was used to calculate the torque/speed values
for various speeds and compare it to the torque/speed curve. The results are provided below. For each
case predict whether the motor will WORK as intended or STALL and circle the appropriate word.
Weight on Stage = 2.5 lb, Acceleration/Deceleration Time =0.8 sec, and Distance = 250 mm

5. Now test each case and record the maximum speed as indicated in the velocity profile of the “Q
programmer,” whether the motor stalled, and the distance the motor moved according to the encoder. If
the motor stalls, you will need to click “Close Chart” and rerun the “Return_home.qpr” in order to
return to the home position. Otherwise, you can just change the sign on the “Distance” parameter to
move down to the home position.
 Table 2: Stalling Characteristics with 2.5 lb Weight
Stall Distance Moved
Case Expected Maximum Velocity (rpm)
(Yes or No) (mm)
Case A 2600 Yes 32.5
2460 (Rps*60)
Case B Rps in Move Profile = rev per sec or No 250
from the Figure above)
Case C 2040 No 250
6. Does the motor perform as expected? Why or why not? ____Yes, case B and C show the motor spesed
can reach to the expected value. Case A shows the line below the peak speed, which will make motor
stall __________________________________________________________________________
7. Now repeat the above experiment with 10 lb of weight on the stage using the NEW total time values
indicated.
Weight on Stage = 10 lb, Acceleration/Deceleration Time =0.8 sec, and Distance = 250 mm

Remember to predict whether the motor will stall prior to performing the experiment and indicate your
prediction by circling the appropriate word. Be sure to demonstrate one of these cases to the TA.
 Table 3: Stalling Characteristics with 10 lb Weight
Expected
Stall Distance Moved
Case Maximum
(Yes or No) (mm)
Velocity (rpm)
Case D 1560 No 250
Case E 1800 No 250
Case F 2040 Yes 76.8
Case G 2500 Yes 62.5
8. Does the motor perform as expected? Why or why not? ___________It performs as
expected____________________________________________________________________________
9. What happens to the maximum allowed speed as the load increases? __The maximum speed decreases_
Demo (20 points – Based on showing the TA how you made the measurements)____________________