Compatible Controllers for StepperOnline's Driver Products

When selecting a motion control solution, ensuring perfect compatibility between the drive and the controller is crucial for stable and efficient system operation. To meet the needs of diverse application scenarios, our in-sale drive product lines are primarily divided into four main series: Pulse Series, Modbus RS485 Series, EtherCAT Series, and I/O Series. This article details the controller types compatible with each drive series to assist you in effortless product selection.

1. Pulse Series Drivers

Pulse Series Drives utilize the classic "Pulse + Direction" control mode, where the control logic is fully implemented by the upper-level controller.

Compatible Controller Types:

• Pulse-type Motion Control Cards/Controllers: The preferred choice for high-performance applications, such as PC-based PCI/PCIe motion control cards or embedded motion controllers, capable of providing high-frequency, stable pulse signals.
• PLCs with High-Speed Pulse Output (PTO): The vast majority of small and medium-sized PLCs from various brands (e.g., Mitsubishi FX series, Siemens S7-200 SMART) support this function, making it a common combination in the automation field.
• Microcontroller Units (MCUs): Such as STM32, Arduino, etc., suitable for developers, educational purposes, and low-cost projects.

Application Scenarios: Ideal for cost-sensitive applications with a low number of axes (1-3 axes) and requiring high real-time performance for point-to-point motion control, such as single-axis modules and feeding mechanisms in automated equipment.

For example, our ST-C01 and ST-V3 Controllers are specifically designed for such applications. They can stably output pulse and direction signals and can be directly used to drive our pulse-type stepper drives, providing customers with a simple, reliable, and economical integrated solution that significantly reduces system integration and development complexity.

However, please note that the ST-C01 Controller is not compatible with all of our pulse-type drives. Our ST-C01 product page explicitly states that it cannot be used with our DM320T, DM332T, DM422T, and DM420Y drives.

https://www.omc-stepperonline.com/stepper-controller-5-30vdc-for-single-axis-stepper-motor-st-c01

2. Modbus RS485 Series Drivers

This series of drives communicates via the Modbus RTU protocol using a master-slave architecture. Control commands (such as target position and speed) are issued by the master station, and the drives are responsible for execution.

Compatible Controller Types:

• PLCs Supporting Modbus Master Protocol: This is the most common and widely used combination, covering almost all major PLC brands (e.g., Siemens, Delta, Inovance).
• Industrial PCs (IPCs): With appropriate software and an RS485 bus card, an IPC can act as the master station, offering high flexibility.
• Embedded Gateways/Touch Panels (HMIs): Some advanced HMIs and embedded gateways can directly connect to and control the drives, enabling integrated control.

Application Scenarios: Ideal for multi-axis, distributed applications without stringent real-time synchronization requirements, such as conveyor lines, packaging machinery, and material handling. This solution significantly simplifies wiring and reduces costs.

3. EtherCAT Series Drivers

EtherCAT is a high-performance real-time industrial Ethernet protocol characterized by extremely low communication latency and high synchronization accuracy. The control logic is implemented by a powerful master controller.

Compatible Controller Types:

• Dedicated EtherCAT Master Controllers: Such as high-end motion controllers from Beckhoff, Googoltech, and Leadshine, which can fully utilize the performance limits of EtherCAT.
• High-end PLCs/PACs Supporting EtherCAT Master: Such as B&R, Omron NJ/NX series, and Mitsubishi iQ-R series, which integrate logic control with complex motion control.
• Soft PLC Platforms with Integrated EtherCAT Master: Such as Industrial PCs based on the Codesys runtime system.

Application Scenarios: Specifically designed for complex equipment requiring high speed, high precision, and strict multi-axis synchronization. It is the ideal choice for applications such as industrial robots, high-end CNC machine tools, and semiconductor packaging equipment.

4. I/O Series Drivers

I/O Series Drives control motor speed and direction by receiving analog voltage signals (e.g., ±10V), offering an intuitive and simple control method.

Compatible Controller Types:

• Universal PLCs: Any PLC equipped with an analog output module (e.g., Siemens S7-1200/1500) can directly control these drives, making this the most common combination.
• Analog Output Control Cards: Specialized DA cards installed in Industrial PCs.
• Process Controllers: Used in process industries where precise speed control is required.

Application Scenarios: Primarily used for applications requiring precise speed regulation without position control, such as conveyor belts, winding/unwinding systems, and fan/pump loads.

Updated on: 30/09/2025