All I know is that 5-wire stepper motors aren't compatible with bipolar stepper drivers whereas a 6-wire motor can usually also be used as a 4-wire motor.
I have seen Threads here about using 5-wire steppers. I think they were generally low powered motors so I don't know if the drive mechanisms used would be suitable for your more powerful motors.
One issue to consider is that if you decide to replace the motors in future you will probably replace them with bipolar motors that will also need new driver boards and probably different software.
From a trade magazine by the looks of it, may help.
Also listed on ebay.
Tom......
Thanks, Tom. I read the article.
"The CT4 0195 009 is a four-phase unit that features 24 steps per
revolution, 7 inch-ounces holding torque,
and a maximum stepping rate of 500 steps per second."
Wow! 7 in-oz of torque! I hope it doesn't rip the equipment apart with all that power!
Sounds like I will need a 32 threads per inch leadscrew if I actually want to move anything with it.
24 steps per revolution, 500 steps per second, 32 tpi = god-awful slow.
But free!
Now if only a brilliant engineer can tell me about how big of a power supply I will need.
That is a four phase unipolar motor, which means that two windings are usually activated at the same time. The current per winding = 24 V/75 ohms = 0.3 A, power per winding = 24^2/75 = 8 watts (roughly). A very simple four transistor unipolar stepper driver will work fine. The motor will run on lower voltages but provide less torque.
You will have to determine the order of winding activation by experiment. For reference, see this Jones on Stepping Motors
jremington:
That is a four phase unipolar motor, which means that two windings are usually activated at the same time. The current per winding = 24 V/75 ohms = 0.3 A, power per winding = 24^2/75 = 8 watts (roughly). A very simple four transistor unipolar stepper driver will work fine. The motor will run on lower voltages but provide less torque.
Thanks for the link. It is very informative. I know just enough electronics to be dangerous to devices and this treatise is written well enough for me to understand it, mostly.
Based on all this, I am ordering:
1 - 24V DC 2A power Supply adapter (brick style)
5 - 5pcs ULN2003 Stepper Motor Driver Board (1 spare)
OldSalt1945:
Wow! 7 in-oz of torque! I hope it doesn't rip the equipment apart with all that power!
Sounds like I will need a 32 threads per inch leadscrew if I actually want to move anything with it.
24 steps per revolution, 500 steps per second, 32 tpi = god-awful slow.
But free!
Variable reluctance motors are pretty poor performers compared to modern
neodymium-magnet hybrid steppers. They are cheaper as only copper and iron
are needed, no permanent magnet materials. Rare-earth magnets didn't exist in
1981...
A good NEMA23 modern stepper has 200 steps/revolution and 3 N-m of holding torque.
