Basic stepper motor control circuit

This stepper motor tutorial covers the basic final stage drive circuit for stepper motors. The circuit revolves around a core issue: switching the current switches in each motor winding and controlling their direction. The circuit discussed in this section is directly connected to the motor windings and the motor power supply, and it is controlled by a digital system that determines when the switches are turned on or off.

This section covers all types of motors, from the basic circuits needed to control variable reluctance motors to the H-bridge circuits required to control bipolar permanent magnet motors. Each type of drive circuit is illustrated with practical examples, but these examples are not intended as an exhaustive catalog of commercially available control circuits, and the information provided herein is not intended to replace the information about the components found in the manufacturer's component datasheet.