Stepper Motor Controller

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I found this circuit in my files. I don't know where it came from, but it looks like I photocopied it from somewhere years ago. I have been told that it came from "The Robot Builder's Bonanza", by Gordan McComb. Anyway, I thought that it should be fairly useful, so I decided to post it here. The circuit is very simple and inexpensive. This is good thing because most commercial stepper motor controller ICs are quite expensive. This circuit is built from standard components and can easily be adapted to be controlled by a computer. If you use cheap surplus transistors and stepper motor, the price of the circuit can be kept to under $10.

Schematic

Parts

Part	Total Qty.	Description	Substitutions
R1, R2 ,R3, R4	4	1K 1/4W Resistor
D1, D2, D3, D4	4	1N4002 Silicon Diode
Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4	4	TIP31 NPN Transistor (See Notes)	TIP41, 2N3055
U1	1	4070 CMOS XOR Integrated Circuit
U2	1	4027 CMOS Flip-Flop
S1	1	SPDT Switch
MISC	1	Case, Board, Wire, Stepper Motor

Notes

You should be able to substitute any standard (2N3055, etc.) power transistor for Q1-Q4.

Every time the STEP line is pulsed, the motor moves one step.

S1 changes the motors direction.

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Comments

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Paul Stepper Motor Controller Saturday, August 28, 2010 2:11:06 PM

Brilliant demonstration schematic for logic commutated motor driving. Now while everyone is pushing their motor drivers here I might as well throw mine into the ring. It is built with a Toshiba TB6560AHQ and costs about $10 or so to make depending on where you get your parts from. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgbeyNNBZ68 Schematic: http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/5841/tb6560ahqa.png Board Art: http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/4452/tb6560ahqac.png

anonymous Stepper Motor Controller Wednesday, August 25, 2010 12:13:40 AM

Thank you for posting this circuit. The simplicity is beautiful, and it's exactly what I was looking for. I hope the "engineering students" posting previously for help were joking, because it would be sad if they were serious. If you don't know how a Flip-flop or an XOR works, look it up! If you don't know the difference between Unipolar and Bipolar motors, look it up! The guy has spoonfed us enough.

James Newton Stepper Motor Controller Thursday, August 19, 2010 2:07:53 PM

The controller on this page is a full step half phase controller only. For (much) better performance, consider a microstepping controller. A good, open source (schematic, code, instructions, etc...) example is the Linistepper. It has full power half step and up to 18th over stepping modes for smooth operation with less chance of a missed step under load. http://www.piclist.com/techref/io/stepper/linistep/index.htm

Lee Stepper Motor Controller Thursday, February 25, 2010 10:30:26 PM

What exactly the step mean?is it binary?HEX?

shonex Stepper Motor Controller Wednesday, December 16, 2009 2:56:24 AM

Perfectly working schematic. Think no one mentioned that controller works in full step - high torque mode.

anonymous Stepper Motor Controller Monday, October 19, 2009 6:06:33 AM

this is a very useful article about stepper motor. i just want to point out an italian tutorial about stepper motor: http://it.emcelettronica.com/motori-passo-passo-stepper-motor thank you!

alperen Stepper Motor Controller Sunday, October 18, 2009 2:47:24 PM

i dont understand all that commnets 'cause there's alot question but no answer ?_?. this circuit needs more explaination. i'm answering as i know, 1- this circuit can drive directly UNIPOLAR stepper but not BIPOLAR. 2- if you want to drive bipolar u need a "H bridge" circuit. and my question; how sould i wire the unipolar stepper to continuously, step by step move. ( when i wired it randomly it started to turn freakly)
(Editor's notes: As the comments form says, comments really aren't for asking questions. Try posting in the forum.)

anant Stepper Motor Controller Tuesday, April 21, 2009 4:06:31 AM

Hii i am using the inkjet printer stepper motor(12V and 0.9A) for controlling my robot. But recently my two motors are damaged. I am using Programmable Logic Controller(PLC) to control the this motor and giving the 12 V supply. is it because i give 2A current. Thanks in advance

Shurovik Stepper Motor Controller Friday, April 17, 2009 10:36:58 AM

Please, correct page name - this circuit is for unipolar stepper only. For bipolar stepper you will need H-bridge circuit.

abdul mughni Stepper Motor Controller Saturday, April 11, 2009 2:44:13 PM

can anyone plz tell me how to connect a 4-phase motor to the above circuit.that circuit is currently not working properly it is kind of dancing.Its funny but its true.plz reply fast with a wire configuration.Ineed to submit this project within 2 WEEKS time.The one who solves this problem will get my blessings.INSHA ALLAH!!!

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Paul	Stepper Motor Controller	Saturday, August 28, 2010 2:11:06 PM
Brilliant demonstration schematic for logic commutated motor driving. Now while everyone is pushing their motor drivers here I might as well throw mine into the ring. It is built with a Toshiba TB6560AHQ and costs about $10 or so to make depending on where you get your parts from. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgbeyNNBZ68 Schematic: http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/5841/tb6560ahqa.png Board Art: http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/4452/tb6560ahqac.png
anonymous	Stepper Motor Controller	Wednesday, August 25, 2010 12:13:40 AM
Thank you for posting this circuit. The simplicity is beautiful, and it's exactly what I was looking for. I hope the "engineering students" posting previously for help were joking, because it would be sad if they were serious. If you don't know how a Flip-flop or an XOR works, look it up! If you don't know the difference between Unipolar and Bipolar motors, look it up! The guy has spoonfed us enough.
James Newton	Stepper Motor Controller	Thursday, August 19, 2010 2:07:53 PM
The controller on this page is a full step half phase controller only. For (much) better performance, consider a microstepping controller. A good, open source (schematic, code, instructions, etc...) example is the Linistepper. It has full power half step and up to 18th over stepping modes for smooth operation with less chance of a missed step under load. http://www.piclist.com/techref/io/stepper/linistep/index.htm
Lee	Stepper Motor Controller	Thursday, February 25, 2010 10:30:26 PM
What exactly the step mean?is it binary?HEX?
shonex	Stepper Motor Controller	Wednesday, December 16, 2009 2:56:24 AM
Perfectly working schematic. Think no one mentioned that controller works in full step - high torque mode.
anonymous	Stepper Motor Controller	Monday, October 19, 2009 6:06:33 AM
this is a very useful article about stepper motor. i just want to point out an italian tutorial about stepper motor: http://it.emcelettronica.com/motori-passo-passo-stepper-motor thank you!
alperen	Stepper Motor Controller	Sunday, October 18, 2009 2:47:24 PM
i dont understand all that commnets 'cause there's alot question but no answer ?_?. this circuit needs more explaination. i'm answering as i know, 1- this circuit can drive directly UNIPOLAR stepper but not BIPOLAR. 2- if you want to drive bipolar u need a "H bridge" circuit. and my question; how sould i wire the unipolar stepper to continuously, step by step move. ( when i wired it randomly it started to turn freakly) (Editor's notes: As the comments form says, comments really aren't for asking questions. Try posting in the forum.)
anant	Stepper Motor Controller	Tuesday, April 21, 2009 4:06:31 AM
Hii i am using the inkjet printer stepper motor(12V and 0.9A) for controlling my robot. But recently my two motors are damaged. I am using Programmable Logic Controller(PLC) to control the this motor and giving the 12 V supply. is it because i give 2A current. Thanks in advance
Shurovik	Stepper Motor Controller	Friday, April 17, 2009 10:36:58 AM
Please, correct page name - this circuit is for unipolar stepper only. For bipolar stepper you will need H-bridge circuit.
abdul mughni	Stepper Motor Controller	Saturday, April 11, 2009 2:44:13 PM
can anyone plz tell me how to connect a 4-phase motor to the above circuit.that circuit is currently not working properly it is kind of dancing.Its funny but its true.plz reply fast with a wire configuration.Ineed to submit this project within 2 WEEKS time.The one who solves this problem will get my blessings.INSHA ALLAH!!!