I am building a pen plotter. I am using nema 17 stepper motors and A4988 driver. While running, the motors vibrate too much and shake the entire table. The motors do turn, but are very noisy and irritating.
Hi,
Can you pleased post your code?
Can you please post a schematic, including power supply, component names and pin labels?
What are you using to power your project?
Can you please post link to specs/data of your steppers?
NEMA17 tells us nothing about its important electrical parameters.
Thanks.. Tom... 
If I get excessive noise when controlling a stepper, it is usually because the delay between the high and low pulses is too short. I have run a series of tests with a nema 17 and have found the following delays give me quick and quiet operation.
if we consider a very simple but of code to give a pulse train:-
digitalWrite (pulse, HIGH);
delay
digitalWrite (pulse, LOW);
delay
number of microsteps delay in microseconds
1 microstep (200 steps per revolution) delay 475 microseconds
2 microstep (400 steps per revolution) delay 300 microseconds
4 microstep (800 steps per revolution) delay 100 microseconds
8 microstep (1600 steps per revolution) delay 50 microseconds
16 microstep (3200 steps per revolution) delay 25 microseconds
32 microstep (6400 steps per revolution) delay 7.5 microseconds
For drivers like the A4988 and DRV8825 the time that the step pulse needs to be high is on the order of 1us (microsecond). Read the data sheets. The time that the pulse is low is variable and will determine the speed of the stepper.
See also, Robin2's simple stepper program.
OP, steppers can be noisy. Have you tried microstepping? That can help. Microstepping will also mitigate the effects of resonance, which can be noisy as well as make the stepper miss steps.
There are drivers like the TMC2209 that will be quieter.
Thanks to everybody for responding.
Here are answers for some of your questions:
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Code is GitHub - robottini/grbl-servo: grbl 0.9i with Servo motor support
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I am using CNC shield V3 on Arduino Uno with A4988 drivers.
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I am powering it with USB from my laptop
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Stepper motors specs:
Nema 17 stepper motor
Dimensions: 42mm x 42 mm x 34 mm (L x W x W)
Movement angle: 1.8 degrees
Resistance / phase: 1.5Ω
Current / phase: 1.5 A
Holding torque: 0.22 Nm
Inductance / phase: 2.8 mH
Weight: 0.22 kg
Diameter of the shaft 5mm -
I tried micro stepping, but it doesn't help.
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TMC2209 are very expensive.
Does that include the stepper?
Hand drawn and photographed is perfectly acceptable.
Please include ALL hardware, component names and pin labels.
Thanks.. Tom..
You can power the Uno from your laptop, but not the stepper motors.
The A4988 need at least 8volt to work. A 12volt supply would be ok.
An old 19volt laptop supply would be better. Or 24volt if you want higher speed/torque.
Leo..
1 Like
Something for you to use as a reference for stepper motor noise. My ex electronic assembly company had a CNC selective soldering machine. It used 4 identical stepper motors. Three for X, Y, and Z axes. One for the solder pump.
At times the operator had to have the lid open to monitor the process and then the whine sound could be hear all over the 6,000 sq ft. area. Even in my office with the door closed! So, if you are not able to calm the noise, you may have to build a sound proof box for your printer.
It is quite amazing that anything works, and that the laptop still functions.
Steppers require relatively high voltage power supplies (12V to 40V) at substantial currents, and it is absolutely essential that you set the current limit on the stepper driver appropriately.
The A4988 can handle no more than 1 Ampere per motor winding.
Pololu's current limit setting video, valid only for a genuine Pololu A4988 driver.
Problem solved!
The power from laptop was causing the problem.
So I used a 12v 2.5A adapter, and now the stepper motor works quietly.
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