STEPPERMOTOR|1

What is stepper motor? Mention the types of stepper motor.

Stepper motor: A stepper motor is a brushless DC electric motor that can
provide a fixed angular step in response to each current pulse received by its
controller. It divides a full rotation into a number of equal steps. A stepper motor
jumps over an angle after getting a proper current pulse.
Or, A stepper motor is a motor whose rotor rotates step by step.
Types: There are three basic types of stepper motor and they are as follows:
a) Permanent magnet stepper motor (PMSM)
b) Variable reluctance stepper motor (VRSN)
c) Hybrid stepper motor (HSM)
What are the special features of stepper motor? Write down the
applications/uses of stepper motor.
The special features of stepper motor are as follows:
1. The unique feature of stepper motor is that its output shaft
rotates in a series of discrete angular steps or intervals.
2. The number of pulses per unit time determines the motor
speed.
3. The step angles of the shaft are obtainable typically from
1.8° to 90° depending on the particular motor choice.
4. If more than one motor is driven from the same source then
they will maintain perfect synchronization.
5. It can sustain a holding torque with digital circuit directly.
6. Stepper motor can be interfaced with digital circuit directly.
7. It has a lower output and efficiency as compared to other
motors.
Application/Uses:
1. Type writer 6. Machine tools drive
2. Line printer 7. Computer industry
3. Floppy disk drive 8. Textile industry
4. Hard disk drive 9. Robotics
5. Tape drive 10.Mixing, cutting, blending
and striking etc.
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R
Describe the basic construction and working principle of PMSM.

Construction: Its stator is similar to variable reluctance

stepper motor (VRSM), but rotor is permanent magnet type of
ferrite rod. The stator poles are projected but rotor poles are
cylindrical.
The motor has two phases A-Aˊ and B-Bˊ. The two phases
constitute of 4 stator poles as shown in figure 1(a).
The stator core is laminated with silicon steel to reduce eddy
current loss.
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Working principle: The motor has a stator and a rotor. The stator has two
exciting windings A-Aˊ and B-Bˊ. The rotor is a permanent magnet that can
freely rotated by the effect of stator poles.

When a particular stator field (pole) is energized, the rotor magnetic field aligns
with the excited stator field.

i) When phase A-Aˊ is excited with positive current iA the θ=0°; form
figure 1(a).
ii) If excitation is given to phase B-Bˊ then the permanent magnet
takes position as shown in figure 1(b) with θ=90°.
iii) When phase A-Aˊ is excited with negative current iA, then rotor turns
through another 90° in the clockwise direction then θ=180° from figure
1(c).
iv) When phase B-Bˊ is excited with negative current iB, then θ=270°; from
figure 1(d).

Truth Table 1 Truth Table 2

A B θ A B θ
+ 0 0° + + 45°
0 + 90° - + 135°
- 0 180° - - 225°
0 - 270° + - 315°
+ 0 0° + + 45°
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Define step angle.
Step angle: The angle through which the motor shaft rotates for command
pulse is called step angle. It is denoted by β.

The step angle can be small as 0.72° or large as 90°. But the most
common step sizes are 1.8°, 2.5°, 7.5° and
15°
Describe the construction and operation of VRSM.
Construction: A variable reluctance motor is a switched reluctance
motor. It has salient poles which are made from or constructed from
ferromagnetic material.
The stator has 6 equally spaced projecting poles, each carries exciting
coil. The rotor has laminated poles. There are three independent phases
A, B and C. Also each one can be energized by dc pulse from drive
circuit not shown in figure 1(a).
Energized one or more stator coil causes forward or backward movement
of rotor to a position that forms least reluctance with magnetic stator
poles.
Operation: Let us consider a 3 phase, (6/4 pole) single stake variable
reluctance motor is shown in the figure below. The opposite poles are
connected in series forming a 3 phases. The rotor has four poles. Here
only phase A is considered to make the connection simple.
When the coil AAʹ is excited, the rotor teeth 1 and 2 are aligned along the
axis of the winding of the phase A. Thus the rotor occupies the position
as shown in figure (a).
Now the phase A is de-energized and the phase winding B is energized.
The rotor teeth 3 and 4 get aligned along the axis of phase B. The rotor
moves a step of phase angle of 30° in the clockwise direction. Further the
phase B is de- energized and the winding C is excited. The rotor moves
again 30° phase angle.
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Figure: Construction and operation of 3-phase, 4-pole, single-stake,

variable reluctance stepper motor
The sequence A, B, C, A is followed and the three steps of rotation are
completed and the rotor moves 90° in clockwise direction. For one complete
revolution of the rotor 12 steps are required. Thus any desired step angle can
be obtained by choosing different combinations of the number of rotor teeth
and stator exciting coils.
Use: It is used in recording devices, timers, signaling devices and photographs
etc.
Discuss Hybrid Stepper Motor.
This motor has axially oriented magnet sandwiched between
two sections of stator and rotor as shown in figure. The
magnetic flux distributes radially through the two sections of
stator and rotor which are toothed. Moreover the magnetic
flux distributes axially through the back iron of the stator and
the shaft. The stator has two phase winding each of which
creates alternate polarities of magnetic poles in both sections
of the stator.

The magnetic flux produced by the stator winding is

circumferential in each stator and rotor section and crosses
the air gap axially. The rotor magnet causes the stator and
rotor teeth to settle at the minimum reluctance position. The
stepping angle of a hybrid motor is 90°/p where p is the
number of rotor poles. Figure shows the axial view of
Hybrid stepper motor.