3DPrinting

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Why do we still use stepper motors? (sopuli.xyz)

submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by [email protected] to c/3dprinting

60 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Why are 3D printers still stuck on stepper motors? Why haven't we transitioned to servo motors with encoder feedback for positioning?

Is it just too cost prohibitive for the consumer-level? We would be able to print a lot faster and more accurately if we had position feedback on the axes. Instead we just rely blindly on the stepper not skipping any steps when we tell it to move, hoping for the best.

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Stepper motors are considerably easier to lock in a single location than continuous rotation servos. When they are commanded to a certain position they will STAY THERE. This makes precise positioning considerably easier vs a continuous rotation servo, which must use a sensor feedback loop to ensure it stays close to where it needs to be. And any feedback loop will involve small amounts of extremely undesirable oscillation and movement about the target point...

besides. we can already drive steppers significantly faster than any hot end can melt plastic.

[–] Carighan 2 points 10 months ago

Yeah the big issues with servos would be that even with very good controllers you'd end up having to constantly bump to the corner 0s just to ensure you got the right location. Stepper motors can be relied upon to hold the position.

[–] Eranziel 2 points 10 months ago

Well, that's why you use a proper servo drive. Yes, technically they oscillate at standstill, but it's so little it literally does not matter. Closed loop servo control is a solved problem unless you're trying to implement it yourself.