Noise from stepper motors when standing still?
 

Hi all,

After I jog the mechmate my motors give off a slight feed back sound. It is almost like a humming. If I tap the keyboard to jog in the opposite direction I can get them to go silent. Is this sound at holding normal? I just don't know what they are supposed to sound like.

Thanks,
Justin

Justin, I have never been aware of any noise while the motors hold, but then I am hard of hearing. Just for clarity, can you say that each of your 4 motors can be making a noise individually, or do you just perceive it as a general hum from the machine?

Each motor will hum. I can put my ear to each motor and they all hum. I can get it to stop if I jog just slightly in the opposite direction. Could it be grounding? The motors seem to perform normally so I don't know if it is even a problem.

I have a similar effect. I attribute it to stopping at a micro-step, as opposed to a "natural" step. It's a high frequency whine, and it happens at some rest positions.

I think you'll find that if you just kept jogging in the same direction, some times you'll have the whine, and sometimes not.

Thanks, that sound just like what I am hearing. I was worried about having a good ground.

I don't believe that it is anything bad at all, and definitely not anything to do with grounds.

I suspect that you are hearing the motor resonate, in certain step holding positions, as Brad suggested. It is a given that stepper motors have a natural resonant frequency.

I had it on occasion as well with my Motion King steppers...so far no problem at all that I can see.

Korbus,
Are you using Gecko's or the Motion King controllers?
Are you using the geared or non-geared Motion King motors?
... Thanks ... Jack

I use Gecko 202's with ungeared MK steppers...still going strong after a year