Opinion for stepper motor driver

General
1

Hi all,

I am looking for a good stepper motor driver for my projects, that can drive about 1 - 1.5amp per coil.

I am trying to standarize my usage so any good recommendation would be welcomed. I am currently looking at the pololu A4988 https://www.pololu.com/product/1183

2

I am using the Pololu - DRV8834 Low-Voltage Stepper Motor Driver Carrier stepper motor driver with the Pololu - Stepper Motor: Bipolar, 200 Steps/Rev, 20×30mm, 3.9V, 0.6 A/Phase stepper motor. Works fine. The calibration seems a bit confusing, but mine worked without having to set that.

I have a question about the software to control a stepper motor using a stepper motor driver. (I have done it directly, but just recently got a stepper motor driver)

Using this setup diagram:

pololu8834Driver08-use2.png1033×468 124 KB

Here is my code

// a12-stepper-motor
// By Jeremy Ellis
// MIT license

// Connect your stepper driver and run the program
// Change the direction and see if it works.
// Then wirte your own code to control the stepper

void setup() {
pinMode(D2, OUTPUT); // Direction
pinMode(D3, OUTPUT); // Step
}

void loop() {
digitalWrite(D2, 0); // pick a direction

digitalWrite(D3, 1);  // do a step
delay(3);             // wait 3 ms

digitalWrite(D3, 0);  // reset step or does it also step?
delay(3);             // wait 3 ms

}

@peekay123 @Moors7 The last digitalWrite(D3, 0) does it reset the step or does it cause another step??

The video is at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wl20CeagmU&feature=youtu.be&list=PL57Dnr1H_egsL0r4RXPA4PY2yZhOJk5Nr

3

You get one step/microstep per pulse and usually (in active HIGH logic) one pulse is starting with a LOW->HIGH transition and ends with the HIGH->LOW.
Consequently I’d expect you get one step with the first digitalWrite() and in order to produce a new pulse for a new step, you inevitably need to have the second digitalWrite() before writing HIGH again :wink:

I don’t quite understand what you mean with “reset step” once a step was made, it’s done, no resetting - unless you step back.

4

Thanks @ScruffR understanding it as a pulse instead of activation and reset makes much more sense. I will change the comment in my code.

1 Like
5

Thanks for the info. I went with the higher voltage brother.