What You Need to Know About Stepper Motor Holding Torque

Stepper motors are motors that move a little bit at a time. They are utilized for a variety of machines and devices including 3D printers, CNC machines, and robots. One very important aspect about stepper motors is holding torque. Holding torque is the amount of torque a motor can exert when it is stationary.

Let’s make Stepper Motor Holding Torque simple with this easy guide.

For higher-holding torque is better because it means a motor can hold more weight or force without moving. For instance, from my example above, if you have a stepper motor with a holding torque of 1 Nm, then it can hold a weight of 1 Newton without moving. The greater the holding torque of a stepper motor, the heavier the load it can drive.

Things that influence your stepper motor's holding torque

There are multiple factors influencing the holding torque of a stepper motor. The size of the motor is one of them. With the same current, the bigger the motor, the higher the latching torque is. One more is the motor winding type. Generally, the greater the number of coils in the windings of the motor higher is the holding torque.

Why it’s so crucial to choose the proper stepper motor for your project

Choosing the right stepper motor for your machine or device is important as they have to be capable of handling the weight and force the machine needs so consider the purpose of your project. If the motor lacks sufficient holding torque, it may fail to support the weight and cause a machine malfunction. Conversely, if the motor has excessive holding torque, it may be more costly and larger than needed.

How to get the most holding torque from a stepper motor

Stepper motor holding torque can be increased by simply increasing the current. The holding torque of the motor may be increased by increasing the current in the motor. One of the tips is to increase the voltage power supply. More voltage could potentially allow the motor to produce more torque. Also, employing a microstepping driver can assist in obtaining a higher holding torque by making the motor move in smaller steps.

How to compute and improve the hold torque for stepper motor best performance

Holding torque of a stepper motor can be calculated as follows: Holding Torque = Motor Current x Motor Torque Constant. After you have the holding torque, you can refine it by getting the motor current, voltage, and microstepping settings right. It is necessary that these settings be balanced so that the motor is capable of the weight and force demands of the application as well as to being efficient and low cost.