Control multiple stepper motors using LabVIEW

[TylerChesney]

Does anyone have any experience controlling multiple stepper motors simultaneously all controlled via LabVIEW?

I have a project for a system of six stepper motors, specifically MLA23A30-0079P0100-E6-S03 to be controlled through LabVIEW.

Our system will include a cDAQ but I'm not sure if any modules would support driving these actuators.

I am new to this realm of engineering so any general resources, information, and tips are much appreciated.

[Kyle97330]

By far the best way to do control via LabVIEW would be to buy a stepper motor controller, i.e. hardware specifically designed for controlling stepper motors, and then control that controller.  Doing that would be far easier than trying to manually send signals to a motor with a cDAQ.  If you have a budget for that sort of thing, try getting that instead.  You might be able to find one controller for 6 axes, or might find 1 controller that you buy 6 of.

Trying to control them manually via LabVIEW and just sending DAQ signals might work but would likely be a much harder project to do.  At the very least you'd probably need some form of an amplifier circuit since the cDAQ isn't set up to output anywhere remotely near the 3A the motor you mention can consume.

[RIObotics]

Hi Tyler,

Check out this guide, this should give you an idea of how to control stepper motors with LabVIEW:

https://geco-lv.com/geco-motion-getting-started.html

Theoretically you could do the same with CompactDAQ and DIO modules to send out pulse trains, but it won't give you the flexibility and precision as a dedicated motion controller will give you.  More info in my other thread here:

https://forums.ni.com/t5/Digital-I-O/find-a-driver-to-control-a-stepper-motor/m-p/4167199#M23817

Hope this helps.