DRV8434A Stepper Motor Driver Carrier

This breakout board for TI’s DRV8434A microstepping bipolar stepper motor driver offers microstepping down to 1/256-step and operates from 4.5 V to 48 V. It can deliver up to approximately 1.2 A continuous per phase without a heat sink or forced air flow (2 A peak). The driver has integrated stall detection and uses a ripple control algorithm that allows tight regulation of current level and increased motor efficiency. 

The module has a pinout and interface that are very similar to that of Pololu's popular A4988 carriers, so it can be used as a drop-in replacement for those boards in many applications. It features built-in protection against under-voltage, over-current, and over-temperature conditions. 

Features:

• 4.5 V to 48 V supply voltage range
• Can deliver up to 1.2 A continuous per phase without additional cooling (2 A peak)
• Built-in regulator (no external logic voltage supply needed)
• Can interface directly with 1.8 V, 3.3 V and 5 V systems
• Simple step and direction control interface
• Eleven different step resolutions: full-step with 100% current, full-step with 70% current, non-circular 1/2-step, 1/2-step, 1/4-step, 1/8-step, 1/16-step, 1/32-step, 1/64-step, 1/128-step, 1/256-step
• Adjustable current control lets you set the maximum current output, which lets you use voltages above your stepper motor’s rated voltage to achieve higher step rates
• Integrated stall detection with three GPIO pins
• Ripple control algorithm (decay mode) that allows tight regulation of current level and increased motor efficiency
• Over-temperature thermal shutdown, over-current protection, open load detection, under-voltage lockout, and charge pump over-voltage protection
• Driver IC integrates spread spectrum clocking of its internal oscillator and charge pump for reduced EMI
• 4-layer, 2 oz copper PCB for improved heat dissipation
• Exposed solderable ground pad below the driver IC on the bottom of the PCB