MP6500 stepper motor controler

MP6500, a bipolar stepper motor controler with some micro-stepping (1/8 step max)

The MPS MP6500 breakout board can be used to control bipolar stepper motor with microstepping. The pinout and interface is very similar to the popular A4988, so the MP6500 can be used as a drop-in replacement for many applications. The MP6500 offer the microstepping support up to 1/8-step and work with voltage from 4.5 V to 35 V with a current of ~1.5 A per phase continuously (2.5 A peak). The board has a potentiometer to set the current limit.

Technical details

• Simple step and direction control interface
• Four different step resolutions: full-step, half-step, 1/4-step, and 1/8-step
• Adjustable current control lets you set the maximum current output, which lets you use voltages above your stepper motor’s rated voltage to achieve higher step rates
• Two current limit control options available:
  
  • This version own a Potentiometer Current Control — this carrier version uses an on-board trimmer potentiometer to set the current limit up to 2.5 A
  • It also exists a version with Digital Current Control (available on request) — this carrier version allows a microcontroller to dynamically adjust the current limit up to around 2 A
• Internal current sensing allows the driver to automatically adjust the decay mode as necessary to provide the smoothest current waveform
• 4.5 V to 35 V supply voltage range
• Can deliver 1.5 A per phase continuously without additional cooling
• Built-in regulator (no external logic voltage supply needed)
• Can interface directly with 3.3 V and 5 V systems
• Over-temperature thermal shutdown, over-current shutdown, short circuit protection, and under-voltage lockout
• 4-layer copper PCB for improved heat dissipation
• Exposed solderable ground pad below the driver IC on the bottom of the PCB
• Module size, pinout, and interface match those of our A4988 stepper motor driver carriers in most respects
• MP6500 datasheet (pdf, 1 Mb)

Some unipolar stepper motors (e.g. those with six or eight leads) can be controlled by this driver as bipolar stepper motors. For more information, please see the frequently asked questions at Pololu. Unipolar motors with five leads cannot be used with this driver.