R356 motor controller

Lin Engineering has introduced the R356 microstepping driver and controller.

Not only is the device capable of outputting up to 3 A, it can also handle from 12 to 40 input volts.

The device has microstepping resolutions ranging from 2x to 256x. This gives up to 51,200 miniature steps for every 1.8° on a bipolar, 1.8° stepper motor.

Other features include: fully programmable ramps and speeds, software-selectable hold and move currents, four user-configurable digital I/Os; and two dedicated inputs — one optical sensor for homing and one switch closure to ground.

For applications requiring intelligence, the driver has RS485 communication (RS232 and USB converter cards available), commands can be issued from the Windows-based HyperTerminal program or from the Lin Control graphical user interface.

With the ability to start up to 16 different programs at once using the built-in 4 KB of memory, the device can be used as a standalone unit with no PC connection required.