TMC2225 Stepper Motor Driver Testing - Jim's Embeddedtronics

Testing the Makerbase MKS TMC2225 stepper driver. The Trinamic TMC2225 is a 36 volt, 1.2 amp RMS, up to 32 microstep driver. This stepper driver was purchased from AliExpress, 3 for $9. It has a UART mode for serial configuration and standard step/direction. The driver supports MicroPlyer, StealthChop2 and SpreadCycle as standard features. Controller boards that support UART mode can configure the drivers many settings. It is also drop in replacement for stepstick type drivers such as DRV8825/A4988. For most of the driver testing, I used a Arduino UNO running grbl1.1h and a CNC Shield 3.0 board.

Output current test.Test ConditionsSpreadcycle16microsteps24Volt Power Supply100RPM

Stepper motor used for testing17HS19-2004S1STEPPERONLINE.COM1.8DEGREE59Ncm 83.6oz-in2amp/phase1.4ohm2.8volt3mH

The measured current using a oscilloscope current probe is lower than what is calculated. Other Trinamic driver chips have closer calculated output currents. You may have to bump up the Vref voltage a bit higher for more current output.

Under Stealthchop mode, maximum stepper motor rpm is approximately 300RPM with the Nema17 motor I used for testing. Spreadcycle mode does not have this limit and max RPM is greater than 3000RPM. Spreadcycle mode was set by jumpering Pin19 SPREAD to Vcc. This is done by soldering a jumper wire R9 on the bottom side of the driver. Spreadcycle can also be enabled using the UART mode.

This driver chip has a very smooth current output waveform using the microPlyer feature. This is a microstep interpolator for obtaining full 256 microstep smoothness with lower resolution step inputs.

Maximum tested step input rate is greater than 320Khz. The stepper motor was spinning over 3000rpm with 32 microstep enabled, 36 Volt power supply input. Tektronix CFG250 frequency generator was used for the step pulse input. This step pulse speed is well above what most controllers are capable.

The driver works well with power supply voltage between 12 and 36 volts. No magic smoke at 36 volt input.

Gcode run test. I ran a 3 hour long gcode test program. At the end of the program, stepper motor returned to X0 position with no step loss. Power supply set at 36 volts. Lightburn laser software used as gcode sender to a Arduino Uno running grbl1.1h firmware. At the end of the run, the external heatsink measured 55C. Vref was set at 1.0 volts. Spreadcycle mode.

Schematic and board layout are here

TMC2225 vs TMC2208At this time, the TMC2225 is slightly cheaper than the TMC2208. They are both 1.2 amp RMS, 36 volt drivers. The TMC2225 has a 32 microstep jumper setting and can easier switch between Stealthchop and Spreadcycle modes with a solder jumper. The TMC2208 Spreadcycle mode can only be activated by UART configuration. Performance wise, they both are very similar. The TMC2225 is a larger chip with better thermal parameters.

Output current waveform, Spreadcycle Mode. Very smooth output sine wave. Sinewave does look slightly better with Spreadcycle enabled.24Volts, 100rpm, 16Microsteps

Output current waveform, Stealthchop2 Mode24Volts, 100rpm, 16MicrostepsVery smooth output sine wave. Motor running noise is very low using the newer Stealthchop2 mode.

Temperature Testing. I ran a 60 minute run test for 1.5 and 2.0 volt Vref voltage settings. The driver was set for spreadCycle, 16 microstepping, 24 volts and spinning a motor continuously at 100rpm. Ambient room temperature was 28C and no cooling fan was used. The supplied blue heatsink was used to cool the top of the driver board. A K type thermocouple was wedged between two fins to read the heatsink temperature.

The 1.5 volt Vref test, the heatsink reached 88C and at no time did the driver shutdown from overheating.The 2.0 volt Vref test, the heatsink reached 104C and the driver thermal protection shutdown after 400 seconds.

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