Single IC for controlling stepper motor.  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: kushal4269
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 10, 2020, 03:57:19 pm
content: Hello guys,I am looking a single IC that provides oscillation and counter logic to drive stepper motor. I have already used many popular option like:--> microcontroller(for signal logic)+ driver ic(got amplifying signal).--> NE-555(for oscillation) + counter IC(for driving logic)As these all methods has two ICs, I was trying to find single IC that can drive the motor.If any one has any solution or website where can research please guide.Thanks in advance.And I apologize if similar kind of question is asked before.I searched for a bit in this forum but didn't find what I am looking for.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2020, 04:39:08 pm
content: A4988DRV8825TB6600

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2020, 06:32:35 pm
content: Check out ON Semiconductor. They bought AMI and Sanyo, who both make very good stepper controllers.No affiliation.https://www.onsemi.com/products/power-management/motor-drivers/motor-drivers-stepper

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 10, 2020, 06:53:34 pm
content: There is no one chip solution. You will need provide pulses (steps) and direction as minimum. Otherwise there is no point in using stepper motor and thus there is no such solution.

author: mawyatt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2020, 06:59:11 pm
content: If you looking towards higher performance in micro-stepping, with motor profiling, then Trinamic has some really good controllers/drivers. We've developed a few stepper controllers around the TMC5130, 5160, & 5072 for precision camera/lens positioning for macro stacking, and know how good they perform.If you are interested in precision micro-stepping stay away from the TI DRV controllers, they have some bad non-linear behavior when micro-stepping.Best,

author: mawyatt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2020, 07:06:42 pm
content: Quote from: wraper on November 10, 2020, 06:53:34 pmIf you check the Trinamic controllers/drivers mentioned you will find that they do pretty much everything for you. Things like position, velocity profiles, motor parameters, timing and so on are all within the single chip which includes a micro-controller and H bridge motor driver as well as multiple interfaces. They can even directly support feedback encoders and operate with a switchmode type capability that is very energy efficient. Also can do simple Step and Direction control.Best,

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 10, 2020, 07:14:25 pm
content: Quote from: mawyatt on November 10, 2020, 07:06:42 pmAs i understand, OP wants basically no external controls. Something like enable/disable and maybe potentiometer input for speed.. And not accept step/direction like normal stepper driver:Quote from: kushal4269 on November 10, 2020, 03:57:19 pmAlso there is nothing special about Trinamic in their operation that makes them a "one chip solution" in context of what OP wants.

author: mawyatt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2020, 07:43:13 pm
content: Quote from: wraper on November 10, 2020, 07:14:25 pmHere's the OP question.I am looking asingle IC that provides oscillation and counter logic to drive stepper motor. I have already used many popular option like:--> microcontroller(for signal logic)+ driver ic(got amplifying signal).--> NE-555(for oscillation) + counter IC(for driving logic)As these all methods has two ICs, I was trying to find single IC that can drive the motor.If any one has any solution or website where can research please guide.Thanks in advance.And I apologize if similar kind of question is asked before.I searched for a bit in this forum but didn't find what I am looking for.Seems the OP is asking for asingle IC that provides oscillation and counter logic to drive stepper motor. Many sources provide this capability as mentioned, including the TrinamicBest,

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 10, 2020, 08:07:26 pm
content: Quote from: mawyatt on November 10, 2020, 07:43:13 pmI doubt very much it's oscillation for PWM. Otherwise OP would not mention NE555. In my understanding this "oscillation" meant to be step signal.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2020, 09:08:06 pm
content: Quote from: mawyatt on November 10, 2020, 06:59:11 pmlook like good ICs (esp encoder feedback feature) but TMC5130 is a $6 IC. TMC5160 is even cooler we can use our own power bridgeshould be good for some serious stepper control project.

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2020, 09:08:50 pm
content: Quote from: wraper on November 10, 2020, 06:53:34 pmif one insist on making thing more complicated by requiring a single chiphttps://www.nxp.com/docs/en/data-sheet/MM908E626.pdf

author: pwlps
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2020, 09:09:38 pm
content: Quote from: kushal4269 on November 10, 2020, 03:57:19 pmYou still need to precise the kind of input you want to drive this IC with.STM (for example) makes motor driver ICs with integrated motion engine ("oscillation" as you say is generated on chip indeed) e.g.https://www.st.com/resource/en/datasheet/l6482.pdfStill, the motion profiles are programmed by SPI and will need a microcontroller somewhere anyway.

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2020, 09:11:44 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on November 10, 2020, 09:08:06 pmthey are nice, but abs. max. 60V so a bit limited

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2020, 09:19:39 pm
content: Quote from: langwadt on November 10, 2020, 09:11:44 pmmaybe there is workaround to level shift power bridge using TMC5160, thats why i prefer a driver with external power elements, IC with built-in fets is even more limiting such as the 2A TMC5130. 60V is a big motor already, beyond that i guess is mains powered motor territory.

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2020, 10:22:33 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on November 10, 2020, 09:19:39 pmthere's powerSTEP01 10A/85V or L6480 which is the same without integrated FETs

author: mawyatt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2020, 11:53:10 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on November 10, 2020, 09:08:06 pmWe use the TMC5160 for higher current motors. The TMC5072 has two independent controllers on a single chip, very usefully for lower power motors like the types we use for focus stacking rails (NEMA 17 and 23 types). Here's an example of a Quad controller for controlling X, Y, Z and Rotation axis all from 2 TMC5072 BOBs sitting on top a RPi that is programmed in Python.Anyway, lots of options for controllers/drivers from various sources as shown.Best,

author: mawyatt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2020, 11:59:20 pm
content: Here's a controller based upon the TMC5160 (the small PCB under the TMC5160 BOB is a PS for powering the RPi from the motor supply), and a few other controller/drivers all based upon the Trinamic devices.Best,

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2020, 12:03:59 am
content: funny i just saw that module in lcsc for$28. for 1 motor project maybe, but for 3-5 axis project i maybe make my own pcb.

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2020, 01:00:06 am
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on November 11, 2020, 12:03:59 amyou can get TMC5160-SILENTSTEPSTICK for ~$15 from digikey, they chip alone is ~half of that

author: mawyatt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2020, 01:04:00 am
content: I got the various Trinamic BOB from DigiKey, think they were ~$20.We also developed a Hall Effect sensor to allow monitoring the Sine and Cosine motor currents, you can review the details here:https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=39689&hilit=Hall+EffectThis proved valuable in optimizing each motor, controller, and linear rail with various parameters utilized by the Trinamic devices.Best,

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2020, 01:07:05 am
content: its not like i'm going to order it soon. i have bunch of TB6600 and A4988s waiting for the long halted projects. i hope i will not forget the name "Trinamic" when i have new and bigger project.

author: mawyatt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2020, 01:39:18 am
content: We have a bunch of other controllers laying around also, all because of the Trinamic. A Pololu engineer told me a few years back that someone had discovered a dead zone near the current zero crossing in the Toshiba controllers, you could feel the slight "jerk" in shaft rotation at very slow speeds, this was why we never tried the Toshiba chips.We needed ultra-precison performance down to sub-micron levels, so were always looking for a higher performance controller. The Trinamic are very difficult to get setup and working right, and the CS is worthless unless you want to buy a few thousand. If you study the data sheet you'll see they are extremely complex devices, but after you get them working & parameters optimized and experience the ultra-smooth and precise operation utilizing the velocity and positioning profiles, you'll soon forget how trying it was to get them working. They also produced the least amount of noise for a given performance level of any controller we tested, and noise was a concern because of the pervious controllers we had evaluated.Anyway if you go over to the PM site mentioned and wander around you'll find a few folks utilizing these controllers and producing some stunning images like these.https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=42549Best,

author: kushal4269
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 11, 2020, 06:48:43 am
content: Thanks guys for your suggestions(from precision ICs to SPI enabled ICs).I thinkQuote from: wraper on November 10, 2020, 06:53:34 pmis accurate. Because after the post I searched further and couldn't find any solution. And I realise that single IC solution is not that practical.This newbie learned something from you guys thnaks..

author: fmkit
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2020, 07:13:32 am
content: I used single chip SOIC-8 cy8c24123a to drive a small stepper as explained here:http://antiradio.narod.ru/psoc/projects/step_motor/index.htm