Understanding Stepper Motor Parameters

Stepper motors are widely used in applications requiring precise control over movement, such as 3D printers, CNC machines, and robotics. This calculator helps you determine critical parameters for operating a stepper motor effectively, including the total steps per revolution, steps per second, and step delay based on the given motor specifications and target RPM.

Key Parameters:

• Steps per Revolution: The number of discrete steps the motor completes for one full revolution.
• Microstepping Factor: A method of dividing each step into smaller steps to achieve smoother and more precise motion.
• Target RPM: The desired rotational speed of the motor in revolutions per minute.

How It Works:

The calculator computes the following values:

• Total Steps per Revolution: The effective steps after applying the microstepping factor, calculated as: \[ \text{Total Steps per Revolution} = \text{Steps per Revolution} \times \text{Microstepping Factor} \]
• Steps per Second: The rate of steps required to achieve the target RPM, calculated as: \[ \text{Steps per Second} = \frac{\text{Total Steps per Revolution} \times \text{Target RPM}}{60} \]
• Step Delay: The interval between steps, useful for programming motor controllers, calculated as: \[ \text{Step Delay (µs)} = \frac{1}{\text{Steps per Second}} \times 1,000,000 \]

Example Calculation

Consider a stepper motor with the following specifications:

• Steps per Revolution: 200
• Microstepping Factor: 16
• Target RPM: 120

Step-by-Step Solution:

1. Calculate Total Steps per Revolution:
   \( 200 \, \text{steps/rev} \times 16 \, \text{microsteps} = 3,200 \, \text{total steps/rev} \)
2. Calculate Steps per Second:
   \( (3,200 \, \text{steps/rev} \times 120 \, \text{RPM}) / 60 \, \text{s/min} = 6,400 \, \text{steps/s} \)
3. Calculate Step Delay:
   \( (1 / 6,400 \, \text{steps/s}) \times 1,000,000 = 156.25 \, \mu\text{s} \)

Final Results:

• Total Steps per Revolution: 3,200 steps
• Steps per Second: 6,400 steps/s
• Step Delay: 156.25 µs