Gear backlash on stepper motor
Gear backlash on stepper motor
(OP)
I purchase a stepper motor with a coupled gearbox. The gearbox have a backlash of 1 degree. I wonder how I can reduce the backlash.
If I run the motor only on 1 direction, will the backlash be eliminated?
If I run the motor only on 1 direction, will the backlash be eliminated?





RE: Gear backlash on stepper motor
Running the motor in only one direction might help if your system has enough damping to minimize the stepper's natural ringing. Electronic damping in the drivers is sometimes used instead of or in addition to friction damping.
But the general answer to your question is 'no'.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Gear backlash on stepper motor
Thanks for the comments. I am planning to put a rotary encoder at the end so as to provide a closed loop feedback to the stepper motor to do some adjustment. I wonder whether this eliminates the backlash problem?
RE: Gear backlash on stepper motor
RE: Gear backlash on stepper motor
Based on my understanding, if we run the motor at uni-direction, the backlash can be eliminated unless we drive it at bi-direction. However, seems that this is not the case
RE: Gear backlash on stepper motor
RE: Gear backlash on stepper motor
Most gear meshes must have a small amount of backlash in order to transfer power with a minimum of loss. If a gear mesh has no backlash at assembly, the tooth-to-tooth interference due to index and profile errors during running will result in high friction losses.
If you're only driving in one direction, then backlash should not be an issue. The only time backlash is an issue is when the gear train experiences reversing loads. The only way I know of to eliminate backlash in a gear train driving in both directions is to use dual gear paths, with each one preloaded in opposite directions. The drawback is that this doubles the number of gears in the system.
Regards,
Terry