Stepper Motor in Cllosed Loop Mode

Due to the limitations of open loop contorl, a closed loop control of stepper motors is used in practice. In a closed loop control, the input controller gets the information about the output through the feedback element. Hence the driver circuit receives the control signal which is based on the feedback information. So switching of the motor takes place by means of train of input pulses, which is generated on the basis of feedback from rotor. Such a switching of the motor is called as closed loop mode of operation of the stepper motor. The block diagram shown in the Fig.A.17 illustrates the closed loop operation of the stepper motor.

Let us consider a closed loop temperature control system. The temperature of the tank is required to be kept constant with the help of controlling the steam flow. There exists a valve whose position is controlled by a stepper motor, to control the steam flow. The actual temperature is sensed by using temperature sensor and feedback is given to the input controller. The input contorller has the reference information corresponding to the desired ideal temperature. It compare the feedback with this reference to generate the appropriate contorl signal. This control signal inturn is given to the driver circuit. The driver circuit control the excitation and logical sequence of the excitation of the phases. This drives the stepper motor and hence valve opening gets controlled appropriately so that steam flow gets controlled. This maintains the temperature of the tank constant. The logical operation of the system is illustrated in the block diagram shown in the Fig. A.18.

In a speed and position control systems, optical encoders coupled to the rotor shaft are used. Simlarly use of microprocessors as an input controller for better accuracy is very commen now a days. The Fig. A.19 shows the use of microprocessor in the closed loop control of the stepper motor.

What are the functionalities of these closed-loop stepper systems?

Closed-loop stepper with step-loss compensation will be the most typical kind of closed-loop stepper manage. The stepper drive operates as a micro-stepping drive and usually receives pulse and path commands to move towards the preferred position. An encoder tracks shaft or load position. If lost actions are detected, a compensation algorithm inserts extra actions to ensure that the motor shaft (or load) arrives in the preferred position. Usually, the stepper-motor drive has settings for two currents: The motor gets operating present when in motion and gets resting present when stopped.

In closed-loop stepper with load-position manage, the stepper drive operates as a typical microstepping drive and usually receives pulse and path commands to move towards the preferred position. The encoder (usually mounted around the load) monitors the load's position. The closed-loop algorithm dynamically tracks the load position and compensates all through the move profile. Usually, the motor gets operating present when in motion and gets resting present when stopped.

Closed-loop stepper servo manage treats the stepper motor like a high-pole-count brushless motor, turning it into a servomotor. A shaft-mounted encoder detects shaft position to figure out the correct present vector. A pulse and path interface might be provided within this kind of drive, however the position controller does not use actions to obtain towards the preferred position. Rather, closed-loop algorithms manage motor torque to servo the shaft into position utilizing a position manage loop (a PID loop for instance). Within this mode, the present setting is dynamic. The stepper drive delivers only the quantity of present required to move the motor shaft and load into position.