Types of stepper motors What is the step angle of a stepper motor?

The stepper motor has a simple structure and consists of two parts: the stator and the rotor. The stator includes coils and magnets, and the rotor is a multi-pole magnetic rotor, usually made of magnetic materials. When current flows into the stator coil, an electromagnetic field is generated, causing the magnetic poles on the rotor to align and cause the rotor to rotate to a new position.

Stepper motors can be classified according to different classification methods. The following are several common classification methods:

Classification by rotor structure:

(1) Single-rotor stepper motor: There is only one set of magnetic poles on the rotor, which is suitable for low-speed, high-precision applications.

(2) Double-blocked rotor stepper motor: There are two sets of magnetic poles on the rotor, which can achieve high-speed and high-torque output, and is suitable for some applications with high speed and torque requirements.

Classification by control method:

(1) Full stepper motor: moves according to a preset number of steps. It is easy to control but has relatively low accuracy.

(2) Microstepping motor: Subdividing each step into multiple microsteps can improve accuracy and control performance, but the control is relatively complex.

Classification by output torque:

(1) Permanent magnet stepper motor: has a certain output torque and is suitable for some applications that require low speed and medium to low torque.

(2) Hybrid stepper motor: It has higher output torque and better control performance and is widely used in the field of automatic control.

In short, there are many ways to classify stepper motors, and they can be selected according to different characteristics and application requirements.

The step angle of a stepper motor refers to the angle that the motor rotates at each step, generally expressed in degrees (°). Common step angles of stepper motors include 1.8 degrees, 0.9 degrees, 0.45 degrees, 0.36 degrees, etc. Among them, 1.8 degrees is the most common step angle of stepper motors and is also the most common one.

Taking a 1.8-degree stepper motor as an example, each rotation of the motor is divided into 200 steps (360° ÷ 1.8° = 200), so it is called a 200-step motor. 1.8-degree stepper motors are generally used in applications that require higher control accuracy and lower speeds, such as printers, CNC machine tools, looms, etc.

Stepper motors with smaller step angles such as 0.9 degrees, 0.45 degrees, and 0.36 degrees can achieve higher control accuracy, but usually have lower speeds. They are suitable for applications that require higher position control accuracy, such as precision instruments, medical devices, etc.

In short, the smaller the step angle of the stepper motor, the higher the resolution and control accuracy, but the output torque and speed will also be affected to a certain extent. When selecting a stepper motor, you need to choose a motor with different step angles according to the specific application requirements.