Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions, a global manufacturer of linear motion products, announces the release of the DCM4826X stepper motor drive module.  The DCM4826X is a bipolar 2 phase chopper drive package rated for a 12-48VDC input voltage and a continuous output current rating of 2.6A rms (3.68A peak) per phase. The drive can be used with rotary stepper motors or stepper motor-based linear actuators and can be configured for full step, half step, or microstep (1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64 step size). The DCM4826X is suitable in multi-axis stepper motor applications because less overall mounting real-estate is required due to the small size of the drive. In multi-axis motion systems, the space savings becomes greater as more axes are required.  The mounting plate of the totally enclosed unit measures a mere 64 mm x 60mm (2.5-in x 2.4-in) with mounting hole center-to-center distances of 52 mm x 38 mm (2.0-in x 1.5-in) respectively. Total thickness of the unit from the mounting plate is 34.4 mm (1.4-in).

Integration of the DCM4826X into a motion system is easy. Configuration of the DCM4826X is through the Haydon Kerk PDE User Interface via an RS-485 protocol or a computer USB port (USB to RS-485 converter required - Haydon part# UTR4852). Through the interface, the desired values for Run Current, Hold Current, Delay Time, and Step Size can be set. Once the parameters are programmed, the drive can then accept the pulse, direction, and enable signals from the controller/indexer.  The pulse, direction, and enable signals are optically coupled into the drive, providing electrical isolation between the signal and power circuits.