Motion Control Solutions

TRINAMIC Motion Control's StealthChop is a voltage chopper-based principle that allows for the smoothest motion of stepper motors. Unlike other voltage-mode choppers, StealthChop2™ does not require configuration. It automatically learns the best settings during the first motion following power up and further optimizes settings in subsequent motions. An initial homing sequence is sufficient for this learning process. The chip regulates voltage modulation to minimize current fluctuation. StealthChop applications have achieved noise levels of 10 dB or more below classical current control.

The SilentStepStick is a stepper motor driver board for 2-phase motors based on the TMC2100, TMC2130, TMC2160, or the TMC2208. The driver boards are compatible with the StepStick and Pololu A4988. The SilentStepSticks are plug and play driver boards, featuring some of the smartest stepper motor drivers on the market. Due to the advance TRINAMIC technologies they offer, such as StealthChop, MicroPlyer™, and SpreadCycle™, these tiny breakout boards set a standard for the DIY 3D printers, mills, and pick-and-place machines.

Besides these technologies that come standard on each SilentStepStick, each driver board has its own benefits. The SilentStepStick comes with an SPI configuration interface, CoolStep™ current control for energy savings, and StallGuard™ for sensorless load detection, eliminating the need for additional end stops. Due to the immense popularity of StealthChop technology in 3D print applications, the TMC2208 SilentStepStick has been designed for drop-in compatibility with existing 3D printer electronics. With this component, there is no need for costly redesign. By combining all the popular features of the SilentStepStick SPI, this high-power stepper motor driver IC can drive motors with up to 1.2 A motor current per coil.

Breakout boards (BOB) are open source boards for TRINAMIC chips, transforming digital information into physical motion. One easy-to-use electrical component is everything needed for rapid prototyping; the user no longer has to worry about building a final design or soldering SMD components before testing a prototype; the BOBs can be used on a breadboard or with flying wires, as all sensitive signals, such as sense lines, are routed on the BOBs themselves.

The breakout boards are for anyone who needs a physical prototype fast in-order to have a minimum viable product (MVP). BOB has everything needed to use the component, such as sense resistors, buffer capacitors, and power MOSFETs or Ethernet connectors. TRINAMIC’s technology access package (TTAP) provides the user with sample code and API for each of the chips found on the BOBs. The comprehensive collection of technical support information and tools for TRINAMIC’s motor and motion control ICs found in TTAP not only simplify the physical design-in and bring-up, it also speeds up firmware development. All this can be transferred to a microcontroller or used with one of the Arduino samples, minimizing the time needed for prototyping. All TRINAMIC BOBs are open source hardware with a permissive license.