Introduction

Ruitech Solutions introduces the T86 Closed Loop Stepper Driver, a powerful and versatile solution for controlling stepper motors and servos. This driver is designed to provide precise motor control, making it ideal for various applications, including CNC machines, 3D printers, and robotic systems. The T86 is competitively priced, with an estimated price range of $50 to $60, and is currently available for purchase. Its expected launch date is in mid-April 2023.

Detailed Specifications

The Ruitech Solutions T86 Closed Loop Stepper Driver the following key features:

Compatible with both stepper motors and servos
Supports various motor control modes, such as step/direction, pulse width modulation (PWM), and quadrature encoder
Up to 4A per phase current rating
Built-in thermal protection to prevent overheating
Communication interfaces: UART, I2C, and SPI
Protection features: overvoltage, undervoltage, overcurrent, and short-circuit
Expansion port for connecting additional drivers or accessories
Compact size and lightweight for easy integration

Product overview

Stepper servo is a stepper motor scheme formed based on the common open-loop stepper motor in combination with position feedback and servo algorithm, which features high speed, high torque, high precision, low vibration, low heating and no loss of step. Based on TI’s new 32-bit DSP processing chip platform, T series stepper servo driver uses the field-oriented control (FOC) and vector field-weakening control algorithm in the servo driver, which has the performance of surpassing the ordinary stepper in all aspects.

The built-in PID parameter adjustment function makes the motor better meet the application of different kinds of loads.
The built-in field-weakening control algorithm makes the motor to reduce the magnetic field characteristics and keep the power at high speed.
The built-in current vector control function makes the motor have the current characteristic of servo and low heating.
The built-in micro-stepping command algorithm makes the motor can run while maintaining a stable and low vibration at various speeds.
The encoder feedback with the built-in 4000 pulse resolution makes the positioning precision increase and never loses the step.

In conclusion, the servo control scheme combined with the characteristics of the stepper motor enables the T series stepper servo driver to better exert the performance of the stepper motor, which can replace the servo application of the same power. It is a new choice of optimal cost performance for automation equipment.

T86-IO driver can set subdivision and other parameters through DIP switch and debugging software. It has protection functions such as voltage, current, and position, and adds alarm output interface. Its input and output control signals are optically isolated.

Power supply	20 - 80 VAC / 24 – 100VDC
Control precision	4000 Pulse/r
Pulse mode	Direction &pulse, CW/CCW doublepulse
Current control	Servo vectorcontrol algorithm
Micro-stepping settings	DIP switch setting, or debugging software setting
Speed range	Conventional 1200 ~ 1500rpm, up to 4000rpm
Resonance suppression	Automatically calculate the resonance pointand inhibit the IF vibration
PID parameter adjustment	Test software to adjustmotor PID characteristics
Pulse filtering	2MHz digital signal filter
Alarm output	Alarm outputof over-current, over-voltage, position error, etc

We hope that our products with excellent performance can help you to complete the sports control program successfully.

Application environment and installation

Environmental requirement

Item	Rtelligent T86
Installation environment	Avoid dust,oil and corrosive environment
Vibration	0.5G（4.9m/s²） Max
Operating temperature/humidity	0℃ ~ 45℃ / 90% RH or less (no condensation)
Storage and transportation temperature:	-10℃ ~ 70℃
Cooling	Natural cooling/ away fromthe heat source
Waterproof grade	IP54

Driver installation dimensions

Driver installation requirements

Please install the driver vertically or horizontally, with its front-facing forward, top facing upward to facilitate cooling.
During assembly, avoid drillings and other foreign matters falling inside the driver
During assembly, please use M3 screw to fix.
When there is vibration source (such as a driller) close to the installation position, please use a vibrating absorber or a vibration-resistant rubber gasket.
When multiple drivers are installed in the control cabinet, please pay attention to reserve enough space for sufficient heat dissipation. If necessary, you can configure cooling fans to ensure good heat dissipation conditions in the control cabinet.

Description

The Ruitech Solutions T86 Closed Loop Stepper Driver is a high-performance motor driver specifically designed to meet the demands of modern automation systems. It offers a wide range of features, including multiple control modes, high current capacity, and advanced protection mechanisms. The driver's compatibility with both stepper motors and servos adds to its versatility, making it an excellent choice for various applications. The T86's compact size and lightweight design make it easy to integrate into existing systems or new projects. Its robust communication interfaces, such as UART, I2C, and SPI, ensure seamless connectivity with various microcontrollers and single-board computers.

Driver port and connection

Port function description

Function	Grade	Definition	Remarks
Power supply input	AC	Input AC power supply	AC 20~80V DC 24~100V
Power supply input	AC	Input AC power supply	AC 20~80V DC 24~100V
Motor connection	A+	Positive terminal of phase-A winding	Red
	A-	Negative terminal of phase-A winding	Yellow
	B+	Positive terminal of phase-B winding	Black
	B-	Negative terminal of phase-B winding	Green
Encoder connection	EB+	Positive terminal of Encoder phaseB	Green
	EB-	Negative terminal of Encoder phaseB	Yellow
	EA+	Positive terminal of Encoder phaseA	Brown
	EA-	Negative terminal of Encoder phaseA	White
	VCC	Encoder workingpower 5V positive	Red
	GND	Encoder workingpower 5V groundterminal	Blue
Pulse connection	PUL+	Pulse input interface	3.3 ~ 24V level compatible
	PUL-	Pulse input interface
	DIR+	Direction inputinterface
	DIR-	Direction inputinterface
Enable terminal	ENA+	Enable control interface
Enable terminal	ENA-	Enable control interface
Alarm output	ALM+	Alarm output interface	24V, below 40mA
Alarm output	ALM-	Alarm output interface
In place output	Pend+	In place output interface
In place output	Pend-	In place output interface

Power supply input

The power supply of the driver can be both AC power and DC power, and the input voltage range is 20V~80VAC or 24V~100VDC. Please do not connect to commercial electricity(220VAC) directly!

Power selection reference

Voltage
Stepper motor has the characteristics of torque decrease with the increase of motor speed, and the input voltage will affect the amplitude of high-speed torque reduction. Properly increasing the voltage of the input power supply can increase the output torque of the motor at high speed.
Stepper servo has a higher speed and torque output than ordinary stepper. Therefore, if you want to get better high-speed performance, you need to increase the power supply voltage of the driver.

Current
The working process of the driver is to convert the input high-voltage and low-current power supply into the low-voltage and high-current at both ends of the motor winding. In actual use, the appropriate power supply should be selected according to the motor model, load torque, and other factors.

The effects of regeneration voltage
When the stepper motor is working, it also retains the characteristics of the generator. When decelerating, the kinetic energy accumulated by the load will be converted into electrical energy and superimposed on the driver circuit and input power supply.
Pay attention to the setting of acceleration and deceleration time to protect the driver or power supply.
When the driver is powered off, you will see the driver’s LED indicator on when the load is pulled to make the motor move, which is also affected by this.

Encoder connection

The T86-IO encoder is A/B differential output and is connected in the corresponding order when used.

EB+	EB-	EA+	EA-	VCC	GND
Green	Yellow	Brown	White	Red	Blue

Rtelligent is equipped with a certain length of encoder cable, Please purchase extension cables of different lengths according to the installation needs.

Motor connection

The matching motor of the T86-IO driver is the corresponding T series stepper servo motor, and its corresponding motor connection order is fixed and unique.

A+	Red
A-	Yellow
B+	Black
B-	Green

Control signal connection

PUL, DIR Port: connection for start and stop command

ENA port: enable/disable

When the internal optocoupler is off, the driver outputs current to the motor;
When the internal optocoupler is on, the driver will cut off the current of each phase of the motor to make the motor free, and the step pulse will not be responded.
When the motor is in an error state, it is automatically turned off. The level logic of the enable signal can be set to the opposite.

ALM, Pend port: used for alarm and in place output.

The ALM port is used to output the operating status of the driver to an external control circuit. When the driver is in the error state and the normal working state, ALM outputs different optocoupler levels.
The Pend port is used to output the driver in-place signal. When the difference(position deviation) between the pulse command position sent by the upper computer and the current position of the stepper servo motor is less than the set value, the in-place signal is output. The upper computer receives the signal and confirms that the positioning is complete.
In addition, ALM and Pend ports can be reused as brake control (break) signal through software adjustment, which is used to control the brake switch of stepper servo motor with brake. Since the brake coil is an inductive load, and the coil heating is serious when the motor is running, customers can select special brake controller according to their needs to reduce the brake heating and improve life and reliability.

OUT is ALM or Pend, pay attention to connecting current limiting resistor in series

Rtelligent provides solutions for dedicated brake controllers, examples are as follows:

Examples for control signal connection

RS232 serial port

RTELLIGENT T60 IO Closed Loop Stepper Driver - Control signal connection 4

S/N	Symbol	Description
1	NC
2	+5V	Positive terminal of power supply
3	TxD	RS232 transmitting terminal
4	GND	Ground terminal of power supply
5	RxD	RS232 receiving terminal
6	NC

RS232 serial port is used to connect T86-IO testing software and change other related operating parameters of driver.

Setup Guide

To operate the Ruitech Solutions T86 Closed Loop Stepper Driver, follow these steps:

Connect the driver to the motor and power supply, ensuring proper polarity.
Configure the communication settings between the driver and your microcontroller or single-board computer.
Use the appropriate software libraries and example codes to control the motor's motion and speed.
Monitor and adjust the driver's settings and parameters through the available interfaces.

The setting of DIP switches and operating parameters

The setting of speed

Steps/revolution	SW1	SW2	SW3	SW4	Remarks
3600	on	on	on	on	The DIP switch is turned to the “Default” state and the testing software can freely change other subdivisions.
800	off	on	on	on
1600	on	off	on	on
3200	off	off	on	on
6400	on	on	off	on
12800	off	on	off	on
25600	on	off	off	on
51200	off	off	off	on
1000	on	on	on	off
2000	off	on	on	off
4000	on	off	on	off
5000	off	off	on	off
8000	on	on	off	off
10000	off	on	off	off
20000	on	off	off	off
40000	off	off	off	off

DIP SW1, SW2, SW3, SW4 are used to set the pulse per revolution required by the motor.

Motor speed = command pulse frequency ÷ pulse per revolution
Motor stroke = number of command pulses ÷ pulse per revolution

Motor direction selection
DIP SW5 is used to set the running direction of the motor under the initial pulse.

The “off” means that the motor direction is counterclockwise when inputting the initial pulse;
The “on” means that the motor direction is clockwise when inputting the initial pulse.

The initial pulse is the testing pulse used when developing the driver software; Please refer to the actual running direction of the motor

Pulse filtering function selection
DIP SW6 is used to set the pulse filtering function of driver.

The “off” means the pulse filtering function is off;
The “on” means the pulse filtering function is on.

The pulse filtering function is the filtering action by the driver upon the input commands. When the filtering function is on, the driver will smoothen the input pulse command, which can make the motor operation acceleration and deceleration softer, but this will also cause certain delay of the pulse command.
Filtering time setting: The default time of filtering function is 6.4ms, and the software can change the time below the 25.6ms. The set value x50us is equal to the actual time.
Pulse mode selection
DIP SW7 is used to set the pulse command mode of drivers.

The “off” means pulse + direction (monopulse) mode;
The “on” means double pulse mode.

Open/closed loop selection
DIP SW8 is used to set the driver control mode.

The “off” means the closed loop control mode;
The “on” means the open loop control mode and can be used to test the motor.

Driver working status LED indication

LED status		Driver status
	Green indicator is on for long time	Driver not enabled
	Green indicator is flickering	Driver working normally
	One green indicator and one red indicator	Driver overcurrent
	One green indicator and two red indicators	Driver input power overvoltage
	One green indicator and three red indicators	The internal voltage of the driver is wrong
	One green and four red indicators	Tracking error exceeds limits
	One green and five red indicators	Encoder phase error

Common faults and troubleshooting

Phenomenon	Possible situations	Solutions
Motor does not work	Power indicator is off	Check the power supplycircuit for normal power supply
	The motorrotor is lockedbut the motor does not work	Pulse signal is weak; increase the signal current to 7-16mA
	The speed is too slow	Select the rightmicro-stepping
	Driver is protected	Solve the alarmand re-power
	Enable signalproblem	Pull up or disconnect the enable signal
	Command pulse is incorrect	Check whether the uppercomputer has pulse output
The steering of motor is wrong	The rotarydirection of motoris reverse	Adjust the DIP SW5
	The motor cable is disconnected	Check the connection
	The motor has onlyone direction	Pulse mode erroror DIR portdamaged
Alarm indicator is on	The motor connection is wrong	Check the motorconnection
	The motorconnection and encoder connection are wrong	Check the sequence of encoder connection
	The voltage is too high or too low	Check the powersupply
The position or speed is wrong	The signal is disturbed	Eliminate interference for reliable grounding
	The command input is incorrect	Check the upper computer instructions to ensure the output is correct
	The settingof Pulse per revolution is wrong	Check the DIP switchstatus and correctly connect the switches
	Encoder signal is abnormal	Replace the motor and contact the manufacturer
The driver terminal	Short circuit between terminals	Check power polarity or external short circuit

burned up	Internal resistance between terminals is too large	Check whether there is any solder ball due to excessive addition of solderon the wire connections
The motor is out of tolerance	Acceleration and deceleration time is too short	Reduce command acceleration or increase driver filtering parameters
	Motor torqueis too low	Select the motorwith high torque
	The load is too heavy	Check the load weightand quality and adjust the mechanical structure
	The currentof power supplyis too low	Replace the appropriate powersupply

Guarantee Clause

Warranty period: 12 months
We provide quality assurance for one year from the date of delivery and free maintenance service for our products during the warranty period.
Exclude the following:

Improper connection, such as the polarity of the power supply is reversed and insert/pull the motor connection when the power supply is connected.
Beyond electrical and environmental requirements.
Change the internal device without permission.

Maintenance process
For maintenance of products, please follow the procedures shown below:

Contact our customer service staff to get the rework permission.
The written document of the driver failure phenomenon is attached to the goods, as well as the contact information and mailing methods of the sender.

Ruitech Solutions T86 Closed Loop Stepper Driver Pros & Cons

Pros

Compatible with stepper motors and servos
Multiple control modes and robust communication interfaces
Advanced protection features
Expansion port for connecting additional drivers or accessories

Cons

Limited to 4A per phase current rating, which may not be sufficient for high-power applications
Requires a separate power supply

Customer Reviews

Customers generally praise the Ruitech Solutions T86 Closed Loop Stepper Driver for its versatility, ease of use, and robust feature set. The majority of users appreciate its compatibility with both stepper motors and servos, as well as its multiple control modes and communication interfaces. Some users mention that the T86's 4A current rating per phase is sufficient for most of their projects, although those requiring higher current may need to consider alternative solutions.

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