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How to Determine the RPM on Stepper Motors

Stepper motors convert electrical pulses into rotational motion. They only take one step per pulse, where each step is the same and rotates at the same precise angle. This angle is normally 1.8 degrees. Most stepper motors take 200 steps to perform one rotation or revolution.

RPM is short for revolution per minute. It is the number of rotations the stepper motor completes when it is not under a load. To determine the RPM on stepper motors, use an equation to convert pulse per second to revolutions per minute.

Things You'll Need

Calculator

Instructions

- 1
  Study the formula to convert pulse per second or PPS to RPM. It is RPM = (PPS / Number of steps per minute) x 60. The 60 is used as a multiplier because there are 60 seconds in a minute.
- 2
  Perform a conversion for a typical stepper motor that uses 200 electrical pulses per second. The answer is (200 pulses / second )(1 rev / 200 pulses)(60 seconds / minute) = 60 RPM.
- 3
  Calculate the RPM for a motor that is driven at 500 electrical pulses per second. The answer is (500 pulses / second)(1 rev / 200 pulses)(60 seconds / minute) = 150 RPM.
- 4
  Calculate the RPM for a motor that has a 15-degree stepper angle and takes 24 steps to perform one revolution. If the motor is driven with 260 pulses, the answer is (260 pulses / 1 second)(1 rev / 24 pulses) (60 seconds / minute) = 650 RPM.

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