Articles on: Trouble Shooting

Resonance of a Stepper Motor

Stepper motors are known to vibrate or resonate at certain speeds, especially at low speeds. At low speeds, the motor's motion is more like a stepper, with the motor's rotor tending to oscillate back and forth between each step. This oscillation causes mechanical resonance in the motor components such as the rotor, shaft and bearings. Resonance can cause the motor to vibrate, resulting in loss of torque and precision.

For a given stepper motor, its resonance problem is difficult to eliminate, but there are some methods to reduce the vibration to a certain extent.

1. Stay away from the resonance zone

Since the motor only exists in a certain resonance area, the motor should be avoided to run near the resonance area. When the motor accelerates from a lower resonance area, it should accelerate as fast as possible, away from the resonance area, and reduce vibration.

2. Increase the subdivision of the driver

The larger the subdivision, the smaller each step of the motor will be, and the range of motion of the motor will become more delicate, so that the motor will move more smoothly, thereby reducing vibration.

3. Reduce the driving current

In the case of ensuring that the stepper motor has sufficient torque, reduce the drive current as much as possible. The smaller the current, the smaller the change in the coil current in the motor.

4. Install dampers or shock absorbers

Add a shock absorber between the motor and the mounting part, such as a rubber or silicone coupling or a tuned mass damper, which absorb the motor's vibration and reduce the resulting vibration.

If the above methods still cannot meet your vibration requirements, you need to replace a motor. You can contact the technical team of STEPPERONLINE and tell us the speed range that needs to work, and we will help you choose a motor whose resonance area is not in this speed range.

Updated on: 31/10/2023

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