• Stepper Motor Online
• Nema 34 Stepper Motor
• Small Stepper Motor
• Nema 17 Stepper Motors
• Stepper Motor Wiki

Networked - I/ O, RS-485 / Modbus (RTU) and Factory Automation Conveyor Applications

I am building an XY table that is BRX controlled and moved with Stepper motors. Using AXCONFIG and Etc I have the stepper motor doing exactly what I want. Here is where I run into a problem. I need the 'program' to run certain patterns depending on what the user is doing at the time. The stepper motor used in this example is just a PC CD-ROM (or DVD-ROM) drive which has 4 wires. Proteus simulation of the example is provided at the end of the topic. Basically there are two types of stepper motors: bipolar and unipolar. The bipolar stepper motor is a two-phase brushless motor which has two coils (windings), this motor has 4. 4 Axis Nema 23 Stepper Motor 270oz-in 76mm 3A+TB6560 Driver Board 12-36V/DC+350W 24V DC Switching Power Supply with Parallel Cable CNC Controller Kit for CNC Router/Engraver Milling Machine/3D Printer. 5.0 out of 5 stars 1. The CNC XY-table on MGN12 linear guides and 2080 aluminum profiles. Universal mounts fits for the Nema17 or Nema23 stepper motors or manual operation without motors and CNC function. Nema 34 Stepper motor - Ebay. Aluminum plates 8 X 4.5 X 3/4 and 8 X 5.625 X 3/4 inch - brother donated. Lovejoy coupling to fix gearbox shaft and motor shaft - Surplus. Gearbox with high gear reduction like 60 to 1 - Surplus ( I would like to upgrade to an actual milling rotary table.

Oriental Motor offers Network products under the FLEX concept, meaning each product is equipped with an interface that connects to various master controllers featuring I/O, RS-485 / Modbus (RTU) or Factory Automation. Networked products enable operating data and parameters for each motor to be set at a Master Controller and sent to each driver. In addition, operation commands can be input send set using various communication methods to meet the need of a wide range of available Network Solutions.

Available Network Solutions

1. I/O - Allows the driver to be connected directly to a controller or PLC to configure the operating system with I/O.

2. RS-485 / Modbus (RTU) - Operating data and parameters can be set and operation commands can be input using RS-485 communication. Up to 31 drivers can be connected to each serial communication module. Also there is a function that enables the simultaneous start of multiple axes. The protocol supports Modbus (RTU), enable connection with devices such as a touch screen (HMI) or PCs.

3. Factory Automation Network - Use of a network converter (sold separately) enables support with CC-Link, MECHATROLINK or EtherCAT communication. Operating data and parameters can be set and operation commands can be input using various communication methods.

For Connecting to Factory Automation (FA) Networks

Velmex offers a variety of motor configurations and sizes to power Velmex positioning slides, stages and tables.

• Features
• Specifications
• Downloads
• Troubleshooting / FAQs

Motors That Power Velmex Slides and Stages

Velmex Stages including UnSlides®, BiSlides®, XSlides™ and Rotary Tables can be powered by electric motors. Velmex products are built motor-ready. Motors are an adder to the product. Customers may purchase the motors needed direct from Velmex or they can add their own. Most commonly used is a DC step motor although, gear motors, servo motors and high resolution step motors in AC and DC can run Velmex products.

Step motors are preferred for incremental position or scanning when computer controlled motion is desired. They are beneficial for complex motion requirements of more than one distance interval and/or speed, for very fast or slow starts/stops and fast reversing.
Velmex offers a variety of sizes and configurations of Step Motors all at fractional horsepower. Motors should be selected with sufficient minimum torque to reach the top speed required. Review the Step Motor Speed and Torque Charts under the specification section, review the attached pdf chart on Steps, Distance, Speed Calculations or consult with a Velmex Application Engineer to select the appropriate motor for the application.

Motor Features

An electric stepper motor transfers rotational power into linear or rotary movement with the help of a driver/controller. Stepper motors control how far and how fast the movement. They are very accurate. One pulse of electricity to the motor turns it one step, thus the name.
Stepper motors are ideal for short, quick moves which are used in many positioning and motion applications. They can:
• Respond and accelerate quickly.
• They have low rotor inertia that can get to speed quickly.
The standard PK 2-phase stepping motor offers balanced performance enhanced by high torque, low vibration and low noise.
Control step motors with a Velmex VXM™ Motor Controller.

See Limits for more information on the use of limit switches on the Velmex stages with step motors.

Motors

Velmex uses primarily 2-phase stepper motors on its products. Additional motor types including servos are available for custom systems. Please discuss your needs with one of our Application Engineers.

Standard Steppers are 1.8° motors running half-step mode or 400 steps per revolution. We also offer 0.9° motors, which offer twice the resolution at half the speed.

Servo Motors and others available for custom systems. Please contact an Application Engineer so that your requirements can be met with a system designed to deliver optimal performance for the specific application.
Control step motors with a Velmex VXM™ Motor Controller.

Motor Specifications

The standard stepper motors Velmex uses have an accuracy of ± 3 arc minutes (0.05°). (This error does not accumulate from step to step.)
Please see the Motor Specification Sheets for details on each motor.

The torque charts display step motor torque versus shaft speed for the different Vexta stepper motor used on Velmex products. All charts are rated using the VXM™ Controller to drive the motor on the positioning equipment.
*Note: motor performance with the VXM control may not be identical to that shown in the data. Payload, length of linear slide, lead screw pitch and other factors influence the ratings.

Dimensions of the Vexta Motors

(Click image to enlarge)

Motor Wiring

Motor Model Number

The model number for the stepper motors can be found on the end of the motor.

Options/Accessories for Motors

Additional options / accessories can be purchased that will optimize motor performance or facilitate connecting the Velmex stage to the customer's own motor or motor controller. They include:

Motor Specification Charts

Other Technical Documentation

Velmex Motorized Examples

Product and accessory offering is subject to change and availability.

The following images are examples of Velmex products with stepper and servo motors. For information about the Velmex product, please refer to the specific brand/model page.

Stepper Motors

Servo Motors

Stepper Motors

Stepper Motor Online

Examples of other Velmex products can be found on the Examples page or in the Examples section for each product.

Many questions can be answered by reviewing the 'Features', 'Model / Series', 'Specifications', 'Options / Accessories' and 'Technical Documentation' sections for each product line. Additional FAQs about product comparisons, product construction, purchasing and shipping can be found on the company FAQ page.

Motor FAQs

When should I use a step motor?

Nema 34 Stepper Motor

• For incremental positioning or scanning when computer-controlled motion is desired.
• For complex motion requirements of more than one distance and/or speed; fast or slow starts/stops, and fast reversing.
• When accurate speeds are required.
• For speed range requirements as high as 1 to 8000 steps/sec.
• When a brushless motor is required.

Small Stepper Motor

Why use step motors with Velmex stages as opposed to other types of motors?

Step motors are very common in linear positioning because of their ability to operate within very precisely defined increments. They work efficiently when there is frictional load to dampen them. Velmex assemblies have friction, and a polymer lead screw drive nut which absorbs step vibration. Velmex lead screws have low inertia relative to the motor inertia, making very fast accelerations and decelerations possible. Step motors reach full torque in just one step.

Will the motor miss/lose steps occasionally?

Step motors, when controlled with Velmex Controllers, do not miss or lose steps. Step motors run synchronously to their phase switching speed. When an external motor load exceeds the running torque of the motor, the motor may stall and lose a position greater than one step.
Velmex step motor controllers remove the problems of low speed motor resonance by utilizing half-stepping and controlling the current. The VXM™ Controller switches the motor drive amplifiers directly, eliminating the sensitive pulse to motor translator link.

How do I insure the motor will not stall?

Proper motor sizing and operating the motor in a range that provides a torque reserve will ensure reliable operation. Review the motor speed/torque curves to determine the maximum reliable operating speed. Our Sales Application Engineers can help you determine the right motor size to operate the Velmex slide efficiently and effectively.

Will a stalled motor damage the motor?

No. When the motor stalls (loses synchronicity) the motor output torque drops very low, and the motor current drops slightly. No mechanical components slip, only the magnetic field. A step motor is a good solution for torque limiting applications.

Does the stepper motor and/or VXM Controller give any indication it is not running properly?

Nema 17 Stepper Motors

Depending on the situation, the system may sound different than it does under normal operation. The following are some sound bytes to help troubleshoot motor and controller operation.

Stepper Motor Wiki