Lin Engineering, the Step Motor Specialists, are pleased to introduce the R356 microstepping driver and controller—combining intelligence and high performance in one small package.

For applications requiring high performance, the many features of the R356 do not disappoint. Not only is the R356 capable of outputting up to 3 amps of peak current, it can also handle anywhere from +12 to 40 DC volts of input . The R356 is also capable of microstepping resolutions ranging from 2x to 256x as well. This extended range results in up to 51,200 miniature steps for every full revolution (or 360°) on a bipolar, 1.8° stepper motor. Some of the other features of the R356 include, but are not limited to: fully programmable ramps & speeds, software selectable hold and move currents, four user configurable digital I/O’s; and two dedicated inputs – one optical sensor for homing and one switch closure to ground.

For applications requiring intelligence, the R356 is up to the task. Featuring RS485 communication (RS232 & USB converter cards are available), commands can be issued from the Windows® based HyperTerminal® program or from Lin Control, Lin Engineering’s new Graphical User Interface. The commands are intuitive yet simple and can be preset to execute upon power up. With the ability to store up to 16 different programs at once using the built-in 4 kBytes of memory, the R356 can be used as a standalone unit with no PC connection required.