A5984 Stepper Motor Driver Carrier - A5984 stepper motor driver (without connectors)

Description

The A5984 Stepper Motor Driver is a high-quality module designed for controlling bipolar stepper motors, ideal for hobby, educational, and industrial applications. It is based on the A5984 chip from Allegro Microsystems, which integrates microstepping functionality along with overcurrent and thermal protection. This is the Blue Edition, which, thanks to its four-layer PCB, offers significantly better heat dissipation than standard two-layer solutions. The module can operate with a continuous current of up to approximately 1.2 A per phase without additional cooling, reaching up to 2 A peak current. A built-in potentiometer allows easy current limit adjustment, making it easy to tailor the operation parameters to a specific stepper motor model. It supports 4-, 6-, and 8-wire motors, making it a highly versatile solution.

MS1, MS2, and MS3 inputs allow selecting one of eight available microstepping modes—from full step to 1/32 step—providing high control precision. The module also features standard STEP and DIR inputs for step count and direction control. Built-in protections such as thermal shutdown, overcurrent protection, and undervoltage lockout (UVLO) ensure safe and stable operation even in harsh conditions. Additional inputs like RESET, SLEEP, and ENABLE allow dynamic power state control, e.g., from a microcontroller. The nFAULT output (open-drain) notifies of detected errors such as overloads.

The board dissipates heat well, improving operational reliability. It also includes a VREF voltage measurement via-hole, simplifying precise current limit setting. The maximum current limit depends on the VDD logic voltage that powers the potentiometer circuit—at 3.3 V, it allows setting up to about 2 A. The module does not require external pull-up resistors on signal pins—all necessary components are built-in. It's a perfect solution for anyone needing a compact, efficient, and user-friendly stepper motor driver.

The module does not require external pull-up resistors on signal pins—all necessary components are built-in. The driver is pin-compatible with the popular A4988 chip, which makes it easy to replace and upgrade existing designs. The motor supply voltage can range from 8 V to 40 V, allowing higher step speeds while maintaining current control. The A5984 chip uses the APFD (QuietStep) current control algorithm, which automatically adjusts fast decay parameters to optimize current waveform in the motor windings. The module is very compact, making it easy to integrate into space-constrained projects. It's an excellent solution for anyone looking for a compact, efficient, and user-friendly stepper motor driver.

Features

• Motor supply voltage: 8 V to 40 V
• Maximum current: 1.2 A (continuous), 2 A (peak)
• Current limit adjustable via potentiometer
• 8 modes: full step, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, and modified variants
• Supports 4-, 6-, and 8-wire motors
• Built-in protections: thermal, overcurrent, UVLO
• Control inputs: STEP, DIR, MS1, MS2, MS3, RESET, SLEEP, ENABLE
• Fault output: nFAULT (open-drain)
• Current control algorithm: QuietStep (Adaptive Percent Fast Decay)
• Pin compatibility with A4988
• Dimensions: 15.2 x 20.3 mm
• Weight: 1.4 g