What is Torque for a Stepper Motor?

When you’re looking for a stepper motor china, you’ll often see statistics related to torque. Torque information isn’t the only thing you’ll be looking at when it comes to selecting your motor, but it is important. Generally, you’ll be looking at information regarding how much torque the stepper produces under certain conditions. Before you start examining the different types of torque and the relationship of torque to stepper motor speed, it’s important to understand exactly what torque is.

Torque / Speed Curves

It is very important to know how to read a torque/speed curve because it describes what a stepper motor can and cannot do. It is also important to keep in mind that a torque/speed curve is for a given motor (nema 8 and nema 11) and a given driver. Torque is dependent on the driver type and voltage. The same motor can have a very different torque/speed curve when used with a different driver. 

Torque/speed curves have torque on the Y-axis, measured in N-m (in this catalog), and speed on the X-axis, measured in PPS (pulses per seconds) or Hz.

Holding Torque

amount of torque that the motor produces when it has rated current flowing through the windings but the motor is at rest.

Detent Torque

amount of torque that the motor produces when it is not energized. No current is flowing through the windings.

Pull-in Torque Curve

Shows the maximum value of torque at given speeds that the motor can start, stop or reverse in synchronism with the input pulses. The motor cannot start at a speed that is beyond this curve. It also cannot instantly reverse or stop with any accuracy at a point beyond this curve.

Stop / Start Region

area on and underneath the pull-in curve. For any load value in this region, the motor can start, stop, or reverse “instantly” (no ramping required)  at the corresponding speed value.

Pull-out Torque Curve

Shows the maximum value of torque at given speeds that the motor can generate while running in synchronism. If the motor is run outside of this curve, it will stall.

Slew Range

the area between the pull-in and the pull-out curves, where to maintain synchronism, the motor speed must be ramped (adjusted gradually).