A Stepper Motor System consists of three basic elements, often combined with som e type of user interface (Host

Computer, PLC or Dumb Terminal): Indexers - The Indexer (or Controller) is a microprocessor capable of generating step pulses and direction signals for the driver. In addition, the indexer is t ypically required to perform many other sophisticated command functions. Drivers - The Driver (or Amplifier) converts the indexer command signals into th e power necessary to energize the motor windings. There are numerous types of dr ivers, with different voltage and current ratings and construction technology. N ot all drivers are suitable to run all motors, so when designing a Motion Contro l System the driver selection process is critical. Stepper Motors - The stepper motor is an electromagnetic device that converts di gital pulses into mechanical shaft rotation. Advantages of step motors are low c ost, high reliability, high torque at low speeds and a simple, rugged constructi on that operates in almost any environment. The main disadvantages in using a st epper motor is the resonance effect often exhibited at low speeds and decreasing torque with increasing speed.[

A stepper motor (or step motor) is a brushless DC electric motor that divides a full rotation into a number of equal steps. The motor's position can then be com manded to move and hold at one of these steps without any feedback sensor (an op en-loop controller), as long as the motor is carefully sized to the application

A DC motor is a mechanically commutated electric motor powered from direct curre nt (DC). The stator is stationary in space by definition and therefore its curre nt. The current in the rotor is switched by the commutator to also be stationary in space. This is how the relative angle between the stator and rotor magnetic flux is maintained near 90 degrees, which generates the maximum torque. DC motors have a rotating armature winding (winding in which a voltage is induce d) but non-rotating armature magnetic field and a static field winding (winding that produce the main magnetic flux) or permanent magnet. Different connections of the field and armature winding provide different inherent speed/torque regula tion characteristics. The speed of a DC motor can be controlled by changing the voltage applied to the armature or by changing the field current. The introducti on of variable resistance in the armature circuit or field circuit allowed speed control. Modern DC motors are often controlled by power electronics systems cal led DC drives. The introduction of DC motors to run machinery eliminated the need for local ste am or internal combustion engines, and line shaft drive systems. DC motors can o perate directly from rechargeable batteries, providing the motive power for the first electric vehicles. Today DC motors are still found in applications as smal l as toys and disk drives, or in large sizes to operate steel rolling mills and paper machines.

A servomotor is a rotary actuator that allows for precise control of angular pos ition.[1] It consists of a motor coupled to a sensor for position feedback, thro ugh a reduction gearbox. It also requires a relatively sophisticated controller,

often a dedicated module designed specifically for use with servomotors. Servomotors are used in applications such as robotics, CNC machinery or automate d manufacturing.

Servomotors are generally used as a high performance alternative to the stepper motor. Stepper motors have some inherent ability to control position, as they ha ve built-in output steps. This often allows them to be used as an open-loop posi tion control, without any feedback encoder, as their drive signal specifies the number of steps of movement to rotate. This lack of feedback though limits their performance, as the stepper motor can only drive a load that is well within its capacity, otherwise missed steps under load may lead to positioning errors. The encoder and controller of a servomotor are an additional cost, but they optimis e the performance of the overall system (for all of speed, power and accuracy) r elative to the capacity of the basic motor. With larger systems, where a powerfu l motor represents an increasing proportion of the system cost, servomotors have the advantage. Many applications, such as laser cutting machines, may be offered in two ranges, the low-priced range using stepper motors and the high-performance range using servomotors.[2]