Stepper Motor Driver

Anaheim Automation's Stepper Motor Driver product line is offered in a wide range of voltages, current and steps per revolution. Customers are impressed with Anaheim Automation's designs, in that they provide outstanding motor performance. Offered in High-Performance Bilevel (Half-Step), Microstep and Line-Powered designs, Anaheim Automation has the most fitting Stepper Motor Driver for your automation requirements. Taking a system design budget into consideration, Anaheim Automation manufactures its Stepper Motor Driver products in several packaging styles, making them the most cost-effective Stepper Motor Driver choice in the industry!

The Stepper Motor Driver line offers products that are available in three different inputs (model dependent): 110 VAC or 220 VAC Input, DC Input and AC Input (with transformer). Anaheim Automation manufactures a large variety of Stepper Motor Driver Packs for customers requiring a 110VAC or 220VAC input. These units contain a Stepper Motor Driver or multiple Stepper Motor Drivers, with a matched power supply, and are packaged on an open-frame chassis or in an enclosure. Available in one, two, three or four-axis configurations, with bilevel or micro-Stepper Motor Driver(s) in current ranges of 0.5 to 12.5Amps, with a power supply capacity of up to 800 watts (model dependent). Also included in this product offering is a 10Amp Line-Powered Stepper Motor Driver. Most popular and typically in stock at all times are the MLA10641 Stepper Motor Driver and the DPS32001, DPD72001XCE, and DPY50001 Stepper Motor Driver Packs.

In the 110VAC and 220VAC Input type Stepper Motor Driver product line, there are two current ranges to choose from: 2.6-7.0 Amp and the 7.1-12.5 Amp range. Anaheim Automation manufactures a large variety of Stepper Motor Driver Packs for customers requiring a 110VAC or 220VAC input. This unit contains a Stepper Motor Driver with a matched power supply, and is packaged in an enclosure. Available in one, two, three or four-axis configurations, with a bilevel or microstep Stepper Motor Driver in current ranges of 0.5 to 12.5Amps, with a power supply capacity of up to 800 watts. Also including in this product offering is a 10Amp Line-Powered Stepper Motor Driver.

A Stepper Motor Driver can be manufactured by Anaheim Automation for a variety of applications requiring a DC input. This Stepper Motor Driver product line is offered as single-axis units in open-frame and enclosed modular sheet metal packaging styles. Bilevel, micro-stepper and L/R drive types are available, making them compatible with a wide range of stepper motors. Most popular and typically in stock at all times are the MBC15081, MBC25081TB, MBC05641, MBC121010, and MBC082561 Stepper Motor Driver products. If the application requires a compact Stepper Motor Driver for a small stepper motor in the 0-2.5 Amp range, look at Stepper Motor Driver models such as the MBC158, MBC15181, MBC25081 and MBC25081TB. This series of Stepper Motor Driver use microstep drive technology. All but the MBC15181 Stepper Motor Driver is assembled in a small sheet metal package. The low-cost MBC15181 Stepper Motor Driver model is a printed circuit board style.

If an application requires a Stepper Motor Driver in the 2.6-7.0Amp range, look at the MBC05641, MBL536, MBL600, M6R7, and the MBD45021-75 models. A Stepper Motor Driver in this series is modular, meaning they are assembled in small sheet metal enclosures. Featured in this series is the popular divide-by-64 microstep, 1-5Amp Stepper Motor Driver model MBC05641. A bilevel Stepper Motor Driver such as the MBL536, MBL600 and L/R-type Stepper Motor Driver, model M6R7, which are our older "legacy" products are also offered. The MBD45021-75 is an "award winning" specialty Stepper Motor Driver specifically designed to dramatically enhance torque/speed output in 24 to 40 volt systems.

Anaheim Automation offers a Stepper Motor Driver that is economical and is designed to cover a wide range of stepper motors. When an application requires a Stepper Motor Driver in the 7.1-12.5 Amp range, look at the MBC12101, MBC082651, and the BLHP101 Stepper Motor Driver models. The MBC12101 Stepper Motor Driver is a fixed divide-by-10 micro-Stepper Motor Driver with an output capacity of 1.5 to 10 Amps. The MBC082561 Stepper Motor Driver uses selectable divisors of up to 256 which allows for a very wide range of microstepping options. The older "legacy" high-performance bilevel Stepper Motor Driver, model BLHP101, is a board-level product more commonly used in electrical panels or other similar enclosures.

A Stepper Motor Driver manufactured by Anaheim Automation is also available for applications requiring an AC input. These Stepper Motor Driver models require a transformer (purchased separately), and are available in printed circuit board and modular Stepper Motor Driver styles. Offered in two current ranges of 2.6 to 7.0Amps and 7.1 to 12.5Amps, these Stepper Motor Driver models are compatible with a wide range of 4, 6 and 8-lead stepper motors. Some models utilize the bilevel drive technique, which does not create EMI, RFI, and motor heating that is associated with a chopper Stepper Motor Driver. Also in this product line is the popular micro-Stepper Motor Driver, MBC10641 that offers eight selectable divisors: 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 16, 32, and 64. Most popular and typically in stock at all times are the BLD75-1, TM4500, and MBC10641 Stepper Motor Driver models.

Anaheim Automation manufactures a variety of Stepper Motor Driver models for customers requiring AC inputs, in the 2.6-7.0 Amp current range. The economical board-level TM4500 and TM4500-80 Stepper Motor Driver series has an output capacity of 1 to 4.5 Amps. The TM4500-80 doubles the voltages, thus creating better performance at higher speed ranges. The very popular BLD75 and BLD75-1 Stepper Motor Driver series has an output capacity of 1 to 7 Amps, covering a wide range of stepper motors. The BLD75-1 Stepper Motor Driver is a standalone Stepper Motor Driver, while the BLD75 Stepper Motor Driver is sold as a replacement Stepper Motor Driver in Stepper Motor Driver Packs. All models in this series utilize the bilevel drive technique, they do not create EMI, RFI, and motor heating that is associated with a chopper Stepper Motor Driver. These Stepper Motor Driver series require a transformer, which is purchased separately. Additionally, Anaheim Automation's popular and cost-effective MBC10641 Stepper Motor Driver is perfect for customers requiring AC inputs, operating in current ranges of 1.5 to 10 Amps. This single-axis microstep Stepper Motor Driver requires a transformer, which is purchased separately. The MBC10641 Stepper Motor Driver offers eight selectable divisors: 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 16, 32, and 64. It is compatible with a wide range of 4, 6 and 8-lead stepper motors.

Please Note: If you're looking for matched components for your Stepper Motor Driver system, look at Anaheim Automation's integrated Stepper Motor Driver/motor/controller models, or Stepper Motor Driver Packs.

The following environmental and safety considerations must be observed during all phases of operation, service and repair of a Stepper Motor Driver system. Failure to comply with these precautions violates safety standards of design, manufacture and intended use of the Stepper Motor Driver and motor. Please note that even a well-built Stepper Motor Driver products operated and installed improperly, can be hazardous. Precaution must be observed by the user with respect to the load and operating environment. The customer is ultimately responsible for the proper selection, installation, and operation of the Stepper Motor Driver and motor system.

The atmosphere in which a Stepper Motor Driver is used must be conducive to good general practices of electrical/electronic equipment. Do not operate the Stepper Motor Driver in the presence of flammable gases, dust, oil, vapor or moisture. For outdoor use, the Stepper Motor Driver and motor must be protected from the elements by an adequate cover, while still providing adequate air flow and cooling. Moisture may cause an electrical shock hazard and/or induce system breakdown. Due consideration should be given to the avoidance of liquids and vapors of any kind. Contact the factory should your application require specific IP ratings. It is wise to install the Stepper Motor Driver and motor in an environment which is free from condensation, electrical noise, vibration and shock.

Additionally, it is preferable to work with the Stepper Motor Driver/motor /controller system in a non-static protective environment. Exposed circuitry should always be properly guarded and/or enclosed to prevent unauthorized human contact with live circuitry. No work should be performed while power is applied to the Stepper Motor Driver. Don't plug in or unplug the connectors when power is ON. Wait for at least 5 minutes before doing inspection work on the Stepper Motor Driver and motor system after turning power OFF, because even after the power is turned off, there will still be some electrical energy remaining in the capacitors of the internal circuit of the Stepper Motor Driver.

Plan the installation of the Stepper Motor Driver and motor in a system design that is free from debris, such as metal debris from cutting, drilling, tapping, and welding, or any other foreign material that could come in contact with circuitry. Failure to prevent debris from entering the Stepper Motor Driver/motor system can result in damage and/or shock.

The following information is intended as a general guideline for wiring of the Anaheim Automation Stepper Motor Driver and motor product lines. Be aware that when you route power and signal wiring on a machine or system, radiated noise from the nearby relays, transformers, and other electronic devices can be induced into the Stepper Motor Driver and motor, and encoder signals, input/output communications, and other sensitive low voltage signals. This can cause systems faults and communication errors. WARNING - Dangerous voltages capable of causing injury or death, may be present in the Stepper Motor Driver motor system. Use extreme caution when handling, wiring, testing, and adjusting during installation, set-up and operation. Don't make extreme adjustments or changes to the Stepper Motor Driver and motor system parameters, which can cause mechanical vibration and result in failure and/or loss. Once the Stepper Motor Driver and motor are wired, do not run the Stepper Motor Driver by switching On/Off the power supply directly. Frequent power On/Off switching will cause fast aging of the internal components, which will reduce the lifetime of Stepper Motor Driver system.

Strictly comply with the following rules:
• Follow the Wiring Diagram with each stepper motor and Stepper Motor Driver combination. NOTE: Manufacturers vary in their color code wiring schemes
• Route high-voltage power cables separately from low-voltage power c cables.
• Segregate input power wiring and Stepper Motor Driver/motor power cables from control wiring and motor feedback cables as they leave the Stepper Motor Driver and motor. Maintain this separation throughout the wire run.
• Use shielded cable for power wiring and provide a grounded 360 degree clamp termination to the enclosure wall. Allow room on the sub-panel for wire bends.
• Make all cable routes as short as possiblee.
NOTE: Factory made cables are recommended for use in our Stepper Motor Driver and motor systems. These cables are purchased separately, and are designed to minimize EMI. These cables are recommended over customer-built cables to optimize system performance and to provide additional safety for the Stepper Motor Driver/motor system and the user.

WARNING - To avoid the possibility of electrical shock, perform all mounting and wiring of the Stepper Motor Driver system prior to applying power. Once power is applied, connection terminals may have voltage present.

Anaheim Automation's cost-effective Stepper Motor Driver and motor product lines are the wise choice for both OEM and user accounts. Anaheim Automation's customers for the Stepper Motor Driver and motor product lines are diverse: industrial companies operating or designing automated machinery or processes that involve food, cosmetics or medical packaging, labeling or tamper-evident requirements, cut-to-length applications, assembly, conveyor, material handling, robotics, special filming and projection effects, medical diagnostics, inspection and security devices, pump flow control, metal fabrication (CNC machinery), and equipment upgrades. A Stepper Motor Driver and motor is most often found in motion systems that require position control.

Anaheim Automation also offers a Stepper Motor Driver product line that integrates a matched stepper motor, Stepper Motor Driver and controller in one unit. This design concept makes selection easy, thus reducing errors and wiring time. With friendly customer service and professional application assistance, Anaheim Automation often surpasses the customer's expectations for fulfilling specific Stepper Motor Driver and motor requirements, as well as other motion control needs.

NOTE: Technical assistance regarding the Stepper Motor Driver product line is available at no charge. This assistance is offered to help the customer in choosing Anaheim Automation products for a specific application. However, any selection, quotation, or application suggestion for a Stepper Motor Driver, or any other product, offered from Anaheim Automation's staff, its' representatives or distributors, are only to assist the customer. In all cases, determination of fitness of the Stepper Motor Driver in a specific system application is solely the customers' responsibility. While every effort is made to offer solid advice regarding the Stepper Motor Driver in a specific application, and to produce technical data and illustrations accurately, such advice and documents are for reference only, and subject to change without notice. Anaheim Automation is in no event responsible or liable for indirect or consequential damages resulting from the use or application of the Stepper Motor Driver. Improper use of a Stepper Motor Driver in an application can result in personal injury or death, property damage, and/or economic loss.

The following information is intended as a general guideline for the installation and mounting of the Stepper Motor Driver and motor system. WARNING - Dangerous voltages capable of causing injury or death may be present in the Stepper Motor Driver and motor system. Use extreme caution when handling, testing, and adjusting during installation, set-up, and operation. It is very important that the wiring of the Stepper Motor Driver and motor be taken into consideration upon installation and mounting.

Subpanels installed inside the enclosure for mounting Stepper Motor Driver, motor and system components, must be a flat, rigid surface that will be free from shock, vibration, moisture, oil, vapors, or dust. Remember that the Stepper Motor Driver and motor will produce heat during work, therefore, heat dissipation should be considered in designing the system layout. Size the enclosure so as not to exceed the maximum ambient temperature rating. It is recommended that the Stepper Motor Driver be mounted in position as to provide adequate airflow. The Stepper Motor Driver, as well as the motor, should be mounted in a stable fashion, secured tightly. NOTE: There should be a minimum of 10mm between the Stepper Motor Driver, motor, and any other devices mounted in the system/electric panel or cabinet.

NOTE: In order to comply with UL and CE requirements, the Stepper Motor Driver and motor system must be grounded in a grounded conducive enclosure offering protection as defined in standard EN 60529 (IEC 529) to IP55 such that they are not accessible to the operator or unskilled person. As with any moving part in a system, the stepper motor should be kept out of the reach of the operator. A NEMA 4X enclosure exceeds those requirements providing protection to IP66. To improve the bond between the power rail and the subpanel, construct your subpanel out of a zinc-plated (paint-free) steel. Additionally, it is strongly recommended that the Stepper Motor Driver be protected against electrical noise interferences. Noise from signal wires can cause mechanical vibration and malfunctions.

Anaheim Automation was established in 1966 as a manufacturer of "turnkey" motion control systems. Its' emphasis on R&D has insured the continued introduction of advanced Stepper Motor Driver, motor and controller products. Today, Anaheim Automation ranks among the leading manufacturers and distributor of motion control products, a position enhanced by its excellent reputation for quality products at competitive prices. The Stepper Motor Driver and motor product lines are no exception to the Company's goal.

Anaheim Automation offers a wide variety of standard Stepper Motor Driver and motor products. Occasionally, OEM customers with mid to large quantity requirements prefer to have a Stepper Motor Driver that is custom or modified to meet their exact design or packaging requirements. Sometimes the customization is as simple as mounting dimensions sheet metal, colors, or a label with their name and part number. Other times, a customer might require that a Stepper Motor Driver meet an ideal specification such as, speed, torque, and/or voltage.

Engineers appreciate that Anaheim Automation's Stepper Motor Driver product line can answer their desire for creativity, flexibility and system efficiency. Buyers appreciate the simplicity of the "one-stop shop," and the cost savings of a custom Stepper Motor Driver design, while engineers are pleased with Anaheim Automation's dedicated involvement in their specific Stepper Motor Driver and motor system.

Anaheim Automation's standard Stepper Motor Driver product line is a cost-effective solution, in that they are known for their rugged construction and excellent performance. A considerable size of its sales growth has resulted from dedicated engineering, friendly customer service and professional application assistance, often surpassing the customer's expectations for fulfilling their custom requirements. While a good portion of Anaheim Automation's Stepper Motor Driver sales involves special, custom, or private-labeling requirements, the company takes pride in its standard stock base located in Anaheim, California, USA. To make customization of a Stepper Motor Driver affordable, a minimum quantity and/or a Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) fee is required. Contact the factory for details, should you require a custom Stepper Motor Driver in your design. All Sales for a customized or modified Stepper Motor Driver are Non-Cancelable-Non-Returnable, and a NCNR Agreement must be signed by the customer, per each request. All Sales, including a customized Stepper Motor Driver, are made pursuant to Anaheim Automation's standard Terms and Conditions, and are in lieu of any other expressed or implied terms, including but not limited to any implied warranties. Anaheim Automation's customers for the Stepper Motor Driver product line is diverse: companies operating or designing automated machinery or processes that involve food, cosmetics or medical packaging, labeling or tamper-evident requirements, cut-to-length applications, assembly, conveyor, material handling, robotics, special filming and projection effects, medical diagnostics, inspection and security devices, pump flow control, metal fabrication (CNC machinery), and equipment upgrades. Many OEM customers request that we "private-label" the Stepper Motor Driver, so that their customers stay loyal to them for servicing, replacements and repairs. PLEASE NOTE: Technical assistance regarding its Stepper Motor Driver and motor product lines, as well as all the products manufactured or distributed by Anaheim Automation, is available at no charge. This assistance is offered to help the customer in choosing Anaheim Automation products for a specific application. However, any selection, quotation, or application suggestion for a servo motor, or any other product, offered from Anaheim Automation's staff, its' representatives or distributors, are only to assist the customer. In all cases, determination of fitness of the custom Stepper Motor Driver in a specific system design is solely the customers' responsibility. While every effort is made to offer solid advice regarding the Stepper Motor Driver product line, as well as other motion control products, and to produce technical data and illustrations accurately, such advice and documents are for reference only, and subject to change without notice.

Take control of your motion requirements with Anaheim Automation's low-cost Stepper Motor Driver and motor packaged with controllers, indexers or pulse generators. With several options to choose from, you can select the right stepper motor, Stepper Motor Driver and controller for your project. A Stepper Motor Driver can be matched with Programmable Stepper Motor Controllers, and include their own software at no additional charge, making it a great package at an economical price. Also offered are Stepper Motor Driver products matched with Manual Preset Indexers and simple Ramping Pulse Generators. Additionally, a Stepper Motor Driver can be affixed to the back side of the stepper motor. Controllers can be added as an option as well. Controllers, indexers and pulse generators can be purchased separately from the Stepper Motor Driver, as an accessory. Also available to complete your Stepper Motor Driver system requirements are motors, cables, power supplies, transformers, encoders, and gearboxes which are purchased separately as or as an "add-on". For details contact Anaheim Automation directly.

Steppers Synchronize Projection

Synchronizing sound and film has been a major challenge facing the entertainment industry, because most motors do not simultaneously start and stop. The problem was amplified with the increase in multi-projector presentations, such as rock shows, amusement parks, and stage shows. The introduction of stepper motor, driver and controller systems has made this task easier to execute.

In many instances, Anaheim Automation's Stepper motion control products can drive several of the multi-image backgrounds you may see in motion pictures, a sound show, or perhaps in an amusement park. Before stepper motors, sometimes referred to as, stepping motors, motor stepper, and step motors, became available, only mediocre synchronization between sound and image could occur. The systems were expensive and unreliable, especially after they were in transit between events. Drastically different, stepper motors, along with a Stepper Motor Driver, provided the ability to program a specific start, run, and stop speed, as well as the rate of speed. This gave the projectors the capacity to operate at different speeds for special applications. With Stepper Motor Driver and driver advances, not only are these speeds exact, but with an effortless input to the stepper motor controller system, they are easy and straightforward to change.

Along with the customer, Anaheim Automation researched the requirements to drive the required functions, and produced custom bipolar Stepper Motor Driver Packs that could offer five times the flexibility of their previous systems, cutting their costs in half. With Anaheim Automation's vast stepper motor, Stepper Motor Driver, and stepper controller product lines, the customer also substantially reduced the bulk of controls and overall weight of their system. Even with improved performance, the projection systems were compact; they are small enough to travel within four road cases and they only take one person to set them up and operate them.

These types of advanced Stepper Motor Driver Packs opened the door for many other opportunities in the filming and projection industry, not just projector synchronization. There is also great potential use for Anaheim Automation's step motor, step motor controller and both unipolar Stepper Motor Driver and bipolar Stepper Motor Driver product lines in the areas of film editing, theater operation, special effects, and more.

Computer Controlled Special Effects
When it comes to photography, effects like burring, streaking, and smearing are difficult to achieve and nearly impossible to duplicate if done manually. Many frustrating retakes have to be performed, due to the fact that they rely on physically moving the camera.

A photography studio, which had a good reputation for creating images that showed objects streaking across a skyline, and multiple images evenly spaced through a scene, and objects that appear to be dissolving into other objects, and other special camera effects, contacted Anaheim Automation, Inc. for design assistance. To obtain the desired images it was crucial to understand that there are three main factors involved, all of which made it difficult to control: The first obstacle is direction. The direction in which the camera moves determines the orientation of the special effect in the finished image. Second is the speed; the speed at which the camera moves determines the lightness or darkness (light exposure) of the desired effect. Finally, how smooth in which the camera is moved affects how even the special effect will turn out. To alleviate the difficulties involved with creating these special effects seemed to be a costly endeavor. The photo studio had already researched automated camera systems, only to find mounting motors and gear trains to a camera tripod made it difficult to control. Additionally, the studio was disappointed that the systems marketed at the time, could not perform all the necessary functions they wanted.

After evaluating the studio's application, Anaheim Automation determined that a special dual stepper motor Driver Pack (using microstep drivers), complete with a PC controlled system, would satisfy their requirements. The next step was to develop a program with all the parameters the studio need to be met, which could then convert specific motions into instructions needed for the desired camera shot and subsequent effects.

There was a matter of relating the relative speed of each stepper motor to specific directions. A large drawing containing a line to represent every one of the 360 degrees within a circle was placed on a wall. Next, a projector was mounted with a cross-hair slide on the tripod and centered the cross hairs on the center of the circle on the wall. Through experimentation with direction commands, we were able to develop routines that converted simple direction commands into specific motor instructions.

Controlling the distance that the tripod head moved was a relatively easy task. However, working out speed control presented a challenge. We needed to relate the changes in speed to the geometric progression of the f stops on the camera lens, since photographers think of exposure in those terms. Perseverance paid off and Anaheim Automation was able to provide a stepper motor, driver and controller system that performed better than those on the market, at a fraction of their costs!

Most impressive was the fact the finished system provided precision movements, exact control, and total repeatability, which are all critical elements to special effects photography. The system Anaheim Automation helped to automate allowed customers to pick an effect, shoot test images, and repeat the movements precisely, so the desired effects could be placed on film. Later improvements came when Anaheim Automation changed the program to accommodate more complicated camera movements, such as speed and curve changes during an exposure. Ultimately, the finished stepper motor product gave this photography studio, and all other small studios, control on a higher performance level, at a much lower cost.