Can one drive control multiple stepper motors

Often engineers in the selection of stepper motors, will ask you how many stepper motors can a drive? Here is how to explain it to you.

Theoretically speaking, a driver can take several stepper motors, and the practical application is divided into two cases, time-sharing work and synchronous work.

Two or more motors can share a stepper motor driver, the power selection of the stepper driver and the drive power can be configured according to the requirements of a stepper motor, and the respective actions of the two stepper motors are switched by relays.

However, this scheme has two drawbacks, one is the loss of accuracy, the phase of the stepper motor will be lost in the process of relay switching, especially repeated switching will lead to cumulative errors. After the switch is enabled, the location on the device may be lost. Another disadvantage is that it is easy to damage, if the relay is damaged, or the program is wrong, it may cause damage to the stepper motor driver, or even the power supply.

Two or more stepper motors work synchronously, can share a driver, first requires that the maximum output current of the stepper motor driver is greater than or equal to the sum of the rated current of several stepper motors. Secondly, because the reverse electromotive force is higher when the stepper motor starts and stops synchronically, it will cause a certain impact on the driver, resulting in a shortened service life of the driver in this application state.

Can one drive carry more than one stepper motor? Yes, but a reasonable solution is a stepper motor corresponding to a stepper driver.