Pololu High-Power Stepper Motor Driver 36v4

The Pololu High-Power Stepper Motor Driver 36v4 combines the DRV8711 stepper motor driver IC from Texas Instruments with external MOSFETs to enable control of large bipolar stepper motors at operating voltages from 8 V to 50 V. The DRV8711 has many configurable settings, so please see the DRV8711 datasheet for a detailed explanation of its features and how to use them (we also have an Arduino library that simplifies getting started by providing basic functions for configuring and operating the driver).

The driver?s power performance is a function of the external dual H-bridges, which allow the driver to deliver continuous currents up to 4 A per phase without any additional cooling such as heat sinks or forced air flow. (With sufficient additional cooling, the driver can support currents up to around 6 A per phase; see the Power dissipation considerations section below for more information, including important information about using this product safely.)

Key features:

• Wide 8 V to 50 V operating voltage range
• High-power: can deliver up to 4 A continuous per phase without extra cooling (6 A max with sufficient additional cooling)
• Highly configurable through SPI interface
• Optional STEP/DIR control pins (stepping can also be controlled through SPI interface alone)
• Nine different step resolutions down to 256 microsteps: full-step, half-step, 1/4-step, 1/8-step, 1/16-step, 1/32-step, 1/64-step, 1/128-step, and 1/256-step
• Adjustable current control lets you set the maximum current output, enabling the use of voltages above your stepper motor?s rated voltage to achieve higher step rates
• Adaptive blanking time, adjustable decay times, and various current decay modes enable the creation of ultra-smooth motion profiles through the SPI interface
• Optional STALL output enables stall detection when microstepping
• Optional BEMF output enables more advanced control and stall detection algorithms based on the back EMF of the stepper motor
• Driver supports alternate operating mode for controlling two brushed DC motors with PWM inputs instead of one bipolar stepper motor with STEP/DIR inputs
• Inputs compatible with 1.8 V, 3.3 V, and 5 V logic
• Digital outputs are all open drain with pull-ups to externally supplied IOREF voltage for use with non-5V systems (IOREF can be connected to neighboring 5V OUT pin for use with 5V systems)
• Under-voltage lockout, over-current protection, short circuit protection, and reverse-voltage protection (up to 40 V)
• Arduino library and example sketches are available that provide basic functions for configuring and operating the driver

Included Hardware:

• Two 1×12-pin breakaway 0.1? male header
• Three 2-pin, 3.5 mm terminal blocks (for board power and motor outputs)
• One 0.1? shorting block (for optionally connecting IOREF to neighboring V5 pin when using this driver in 5 V systems)

Power dissipation considerations:

The High-Power Stepper Motor Driver 36v4 can deliver up to 4 A continuous per phase under typical conditions, but the actual current it can deliver will depend on how well you can keep the module cool. The driver?s printed circuit board is designed to draw heat out of the MOSFETs, but performance can be improved by adding a heat sink or forced air flow. (Conversely, performance will be reduced in applications that limit heat dissipation, such as high ambient temperatures or operation in enclosures.) With sufficient additional cooling, the driver can deliver up to 6 A per phase before exceeding the 1 W power ratings of the 30 m? current sense resistors.

Warning:

This motor driver has no meaningful over-temperature shut-off (while the DRV8711 IC has over-temperature protection, it is the external MOSFETs that will overheat first). An over-temperature condition can cause permanent damage to the motor driver. We strongly recommend you do not increase the current limit setting beyond 4 A (or lower in applications with reduced heat dissipation) unless you can first confirm that the temperature of the MOSFETs will stay under 140°C.

Note:

When the driver powers up, the current limit setting defaults to the maximum (~18 A). Make sure you set it to something appropriate for both your stepper motor and the driver before activating the outputs! This product can get hot enough to burn you long before the chip overheats. Take care when handling this product and other components connected to it.