My basic question is: Are there low resolution stepper motors available that have reasonably high torque and are cheap?
The specifics: I'm working on a project that currently uses a basic DC motor with a gear head. The stall torque is supposedly 92 oz-in (full specs here), and I need a rotation speed of somewhere in the ballpark of 250-300 rpm under load. It would be nice to have some idea of how fast the motor is spinning, so I've considered using a stepper motor. The thing is, I don't need a very high resolution at all. In fact, it's okay if I only know when the motor has made a full spin or maybe half spin. The alternative then is to mount some magnets and use a Hall effect sensor with the DC motors. But I know there are other advantages to using stepper motors instead (like increased durability, quietness, etc.).
So, back to my question. Are there stepper motors that provide that kind of torque, at those speeds, and are pretty cheap? The motor above is $11, just to give you an idea. I know that resolution can drive up the cost of a stepper motor, so that's why I threw the low resolution info in there. I don't care if it only has four steps. I just want to know when it has rotated once or so. So is it worth it to go for steppers, or should I stick with the gear motor that I am using now? Any opinions or insights would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Nick
The specifics: I'm working on a project that currently uses a basic DC motor with a gear head. The stall torque is supposedly 92 oz-in (full specs here), and I need a rotation speed of somewhere in the ballpark of 250-300 rpm under load. It would be nice to have some idea of how fast the motor is spinning, so I've considered using a stepper motor. The thing is, I don't need a very high resolution at all. In fact, it's okay if I only know when the motor has made a full spin or maybe half spin. The alternative then is to mount some magnets and use a Hall effect sensor with the DC motors. But I know there are other advantages to using stepper motors instead (like increased durability, quietness, etc.).
So, back to my question. Are there stepper motors that provide that kind of torque, at those speeds, and are pretty cheap? The motor above is $11, just to give you an idea. I know that resolution can drive up the cost of a stepper motor, so that's why I threw the low resolution info in there. I don't care if it only has four steps. I just want to know when it has rotated once or so. So is it worth it to go for steppers, or should I stick with the gear motor that I am using now? Any opinions or insights would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Nick