I have a stepper motor (M061-CE08) here, and I am a bit disturbed: The manual tells me that it has eight connections, and winding specifications for bipolar parallel connection are 0.89V and 5.4 Amperes. The total current should be between 7.5 A and 8.5 A. Does that mean that the total current through all coils should be between 7.5 A and 8.5 A? If I want to control it, which parameter should I choose for driving it, i.e. should my design be able to deliver 8.5 A max. for all connections, or for each connection? Which is the highest voltage level I can expect when the resistance is at 0.16 ohms?
You can find the manual I get my information from here: http://www.techkits.com/SuperiorM06.pdf
Problems understanding stepper motor data
stepper motor
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The datasheet you cite is for a linear actuator, which is the combination of a stepper motor and a leadscrew. In order to convert from linear to angular measure, you would need to know the thread pitch (how far it moves in one rotation) of the leadscrew.
I like using the closed-loop Hall effect LEM current transducers for this sort of application. They're a lot cheaper than a genuine current probe for a scope (only about $20 or $25), have excellent accuracy and bandwidth from DC up to a couple hundred kHz.
The particular one I've linked has a +/-6A range, but you can put a couple loops through to get +/-3A full scale. Just feed it a reasonably clean +5V and Robert's your uncle.
If you want to make more of a project of it, you can offset the output with differential output between the LEM and a 2.5V reference, or actually subtract it with an op-amp and bipolar supplies, but for most purposes, just adjusting the scope zero will do the trick.
Best Answer
When driving a stepper motor, you should be using a current controller. When the motor is not stationary, the winding inductance has most effect on the current, since inductive reactance quickly outpaces the winding resistance. The winding resistance is, for the most part, inconsequential other than due to thermal constraints.
A stepper motor driven with constant-voltage source is thermally constrained at standstill, and will underperform as soon as it starts turning. You shouldn't be driving your motor that way.