Actions
Forum Thread Details
  • State Not Answered
  • Replies 16 replies
  • Subscribers 289 subscribers
  • Views 4388 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Related

Linear or Switch Mode Power supply for PWM Driven Stepper Motors?

Catwell

I used to use linear power supplies for all my motor control applications. Stepper and servo drivers were all fed with raw linear power. However, recently I have switched to less expensive switching power supplies for the same application. Although I have not seen any performance drop in the motors, I am wondering if I should still stick with a linear supply.


So, to all the motor drive designers out there, is there any real problems with using a switching supply? Would I get smoother motor commutation going linear?


For those who want to know, I am driving 2.1 - 3A per phase stepper motors at 36V. The power supply I am now using supplies switch mode regulated power of 36V at up to 8.8A (350W).


Cabe

Parents
  • 0

    The way to go with a stepper motor is to use an un-regulated DC supply, then employ a chopping CCS on the motor coils.  Now you have the virtue of switching regulation, but retain the large filter cap to dump your spikes into.

     

    CCS drive has worked very well for me in using stepping motors.  Much less likely to experience output resonance, better torque.

Reply
  • 0

    The way to go with a stepper motor is to use an un-regulated DC supply, then employ a chopping CCS on the motor coils.  Now you have the virtue of switching regulation, but retain the large filter cap to dump your spikes into.

     

    CCS drive has worked very well for me in using stepping motors.  Much less likely to experience output resonance, better torque.

Children