Stepper Motor Control: Replicating Rotation at Point A at Point B

In summary, you would need a quadrature shaft encoder to help you read the motion of the control knob (like the encoders used in computer mice to read rotation). A microcontroller (uC) evaluation board would be the easiest way to take that as input and drive a stepper motor as outputs.
  • #1
pavadrin
156
0
To the viewer of this post,

I wish to create a device which can replicate a rotation at point A at point B. What I was thinking was using a stepper motor to replicate the rotation at point B through the use of a controller and have some sort of mechanical-to-digital device which could incode the rotation at point A. I also need this system to be able to operate at different speeds, so that the rotation at point A is replicated at point B.

What would I need for the mechanical-to-digital encoder? Could I use another stepper motor?
What sort of controller would I need to use for the stepper motor to mimic the rotation at point A?

Many thanks for your advice and time,
pavadrin
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
  • #2
PS: Not quite sure if it is the correct section of physics forums, if so sorry
 
  • #3
EE is a good place to ask this. You would use a quadrature shaft encoder to help you read the motion of the control knob (like the encoders used in computer mice to read rotation). The easiest way to take that as input, and drive a stepper motor as outputs, is to use a microcontroller (uC) evaluation board. You can look into the "Basic Stamp" series, and also the PIC series of uCs by Microchip.
 
Last edited:
  • #4
Another good place to start is http://www.arduino.cc/
It's cheaper and more capable than a stamp (there are also a lot of cheap clones)

The software is free and has a good community behind it, there are examples of stepper motor and PWM control
 
  • #5
Maybe a different method would be to use a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servo" [Broken]. Probably depends on what angles you need to duplicate.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #6
Thanks for all the replies. Basically I need to replicate a rotation of >180 degrees, so maybe even a servo might work. How would I go about controlling a servo? The same way as a stepper motor?

Thanks,
pavadrin
 
  • #7
Normally a PWM, - easy to generate from most micros or you can build a little circuit with a 555 and a trigger
 
  • #8
There are several ways for this.
 
  • #9
EnergyChina said:
There are several ways for this.
Yes indeed and here is a site with lots of info.
http://www.educypedia.be/electronics/motorservo.htm" [Broken]

Regards
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #10
thanks, wealth of knowledge from this place is amazing
 
  • #11
There used to be devices called SELSYN motors which did exactly this.

You just rotate one of them and the other one, connected by wires, rotates to the same position. They need an AC power supply for excitation.

They were used so that you could sit at a transmitter and see which way your directional antenna was pointing.

They were used in WW2 to see which way a gun was pointing from inside a tank.
Apparently they are also used in the Panama Canal to tell if the gates are open or not.

No idea if you can still get them though. None on Ebay at present but a lot of hams would have them.

There is a good article in Wikipedia about them.
 
Last edited:

1. How does a stepper motor work?

A stepper motor is a type of motor that uses electromagnets to rotate in small, precise increments. It works by receiving electrical pulses from a controller, which causes the motor to move and stop at specific positions.

2. What are the benefits of using a stepper motor for rotation control?

Stepper motors offer high precision and accuracy in controlling rotation, making them useful for applications that require precise positioning. They also have a high torque-to-size ratio, meaning they can provide a lot of power in a compact size.

3. How do I control the speed of a stepper motor?

The speed of a stepper motor can be controlled by adjusting the frequency and number of electrical pulses sent to the motor. The higher the frequency, the faster the motor will rotate.

4. Can a stepper motor be used for continuous rotation?

No, a stepper motor is designed for incremental movements and cannot rotate continuously like a traditional motor. However, by controlling the frequency and number of pulses, the motor can rotate continuously at a slower speed.

5. What are some common applications of stepper motor control?

Stepper motor control is commonly used in robotics, 3D printing, CNC machines, and other precision equipment that require accurate and controlled rotation. They are also used in consumer electronics such as printers and scanners.

Similar threads

Replies
17
Views
1K
Replies
17
Views
540
  • Electrical Engineering
Replies
12
Views
1K
Replies
5
Views
3K
Replies
13
Views
2K
  • Electrical Engineering
Replies
11
Views
936
  • Electrical Engineering
Replies
5
Views
1K
  • Electrical Engineering
Replies
1
Views
634
  • Electrical Engineering
Replies
9
Views
608
Replies
5
Views
1K
Back
Top