# Anyone know a good way to test if a stepping motor is slipping?



## [email protected]H (Jan 19, 2009)

Hello, I'm in need of help I have a set of stepping motors that are to stay in line of the other and it seems to me that the one or the other are slipping every now and then if anyone knows of a good way to test if the stepping motor is slipping or not or a good way to test if the motor is good or not any help would be nice thanks for your time.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Put an encoder on it and compare where the motion controller thinks it's at with where the encoder says you're actually at.


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## 5volts (Jan 11, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> Hello, I'm in need of help I have a set of stepping motors that are to stay in line of the other and it seems to me that the one or the other are slipping every now and then if anyone knows of a good way to test if the stepping motor is slipping or not or a good way to test if the motor is good or not any help would be nice thanks for your time.


Well most of the time I have seen a stepper/servo motor slipping is because its missing pulses because of faulty cabling or drive circuits.

If possible if you have two systems that are alike I suggest you swap the two stepper motors, and this will eliminate your drive and cables out of your circuit. Then you can see if the same original stepper motor is still slipping under a different load, different drive, and cables.

Another test I do sometimes to check the internal magnets is short out the T leads. 

For example: 

Jumper T1 to T2 then try to spin the shaft you should feel a heavy resistance locked. Then I check the remaining magnets. With out any motor leads jumpered the motor shaft should turn freely with no resistance.




> Originally Posted by *[email protected]*
> P.S. I don't work, *I just show* up and get payed


Hey and I bet thats even hard to do sometimes!


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