This application report describes in detail how to interface stepper motors with TI peripheral drivers. Primarily, this report discusses how to connect and drive stepper motors, including the stepper motor driving patterns. Advantages and disadvantages to each stepping pattern are discussed; and logic tables, timing diagrams, and pictorial representations of each driving pattern are provided.
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A peripheral driver is a type of integrated circuit (IC) that can be used to drive relays, solenoids, stepper motors, LEDs, and other peripherals. These peripheral driver ICs are typically described as high-voltage, high-current Darlington transistor arrays, multi-channel relay and inductive load sink drivers, or quadruple Half-H drivers.
Peripheral Drivers are useful for driving both low and high voltage peripherals within appliance, HVAC, automotive, telecom, and other applications.
The BOOSTXL-ULN2003 BoosterPack can be paired with an MSP430 Launchpad (ti.com/launchpad) to drive stepper motors and help understand stepper motor driving patterns. See http://www.ti.com/tool/boostxl-uln2003 for additional information including hardware evaluation and software examples.
There are two types of stepper motors: the unipolar stepper motor and the bipolar stepper motor. A unipolar stepper motor has current flowing through each of the coils in a single direction, and the bipolar stepper motor has current flowing in both directions of the coil.