Capability:Stepper Motors
| Stepper Motors | |
|---|---|
| Type | Actuation |
| Measures/Controls | Rotational position (open-loop step counting) |
| Common Hardware | NEMA 17, 28BYJ-48, A4988/DRV8825 driver boards |
| Enables Activities | Precise positioning, 3D printing motion, CNC control |
| Status | Stub - Not yet implemented in BRS robots |
Stepper Motors is a actuation capability that rotates in precise angular steps without feedback sensors.
Overview
This is a stub page. This capability is not yet implemented in any BRS robot. This page exists to:
- Document the concept for future implementation
- Invite community members to add it to their robots
- Provide a starting point for hardware selection
What It Controls
Rotational position (open-loop step counting)
Common Hardware
NEMA 17, 28BYJ-48, A4988/DRV8825 driver boards
Enables Activities
Adding this capability to your robot would enable:
Technical Considerations
- **Advantages**: Precise step-based control, no feedback needed, holds position without power (some types)
- **Disadvantages**: Can skip steps under load, requires driver board, higher power consumption
- **Typical cost**: $5-20 per motor + $3-10 for driver
- **Interface**: Step/direction signals to driver board
- **Resolution**: 200-400 steps per revolution (1.8° or 0.9° per step), microstepping increases resolution
- **Torque**: High holding torque, varies by size
Contributing
Want to add this capability to your robot? Here's how:
- Select appropriate hardware (see "Common Hardware" above)
- Mount the hardware to your robot chassis
- Wire to your microcontroller
- Write driver code or use existing libraries
- Test and calibrate
- Document your implementation
- Update this page with your findings
- Share on Discord
See Also
- Capabilities - All capabilities
- Activities - What this capability enables
- Robotics Ontology - How capabilities fit into BRS knowledge structure