Two Scalable Driver Solutions for High-Power Stepper Motors

TRINAMIC Motion Control GmbH & Co. KG has announced two new drivers for high-power stepper motors. The TMCM-1278 combines a motion controller and driver in a single module designed for NEMA 23/24 motors. The PD60/86-1278 PANdrive is a full mechatronic solution that mounts the module on a NEMA 24/34 PANdrive motor. Controlled by a CAN bus interface, both products support Trinamic’s own TMCL firmware and CANopen for ease of use.

Encased in a special housing, the products are designed for lab automation, manufacturing and factory automation, robotics, and CNC machines, which require high-power stepper motors providing up to 9A RMS with a supply voltage of 12- to 48-Vdc. The PANdrive versions (PD86-3-1278) offer up to 7.0Nm torque.

“Because they require a minimum amount of assembly and programming, the TMCM-1278 module and the PD60/86-1278 PANdrive enable developers to easily scale systems. Either product can quickly be added or swapped without changing the system design,” explains Michael Randt, Founder and CEO of Trinamic. “Connect a cable, and you’re ready to go.”

To ensure that even the larger NEMA 34 motors can operate as quietly and precisely as possible, each product features StealthChop™ for silent operation at low speeds and standstill, and uses SpreadCycle™ for operation at higher speeds. Together with the integrated SixPoint™ ramp generator and microstepping, the TMCM-1278 and PD60/86-1278 PANdrive bring industry-leading motor and motion control to powerful stepper motors.

Engineers can choose to use CANopen, the industry standard protocol, or opt for the TMCL version for standalone operation using the TMCL mini-PLC, which is programmable with the free and easy-to-use TMCL-IDE™. For additional monitoring of the drive, the I/Os can be used as general-purpose inputs or ABN encoder inputs.

The TMCM-1278 standalone module and the PD60-4H-1278 and PD86-3-1278 PANdrive smart motor solutions are available now from Trinamic’s distribution channels.

Features and benefits:

• Supply Voltage: 12- to 48-Vdc
• Current per motor phase: 9A RMS
• CAN bus interface with TMCL or CANopen protocol
• Integrated SixPoint™ ramp generator
• Trinamic’s unique feature set including StealthChop, SpreadCycle, Coolstep, and StallGuard