TMC2100 VS DRV8825 VS A4988

For 3D printing, cameras, scanners, and other automated equipment applications, the TMC2100 delivers an integrated motor driver solution. The device is designed to operate a bipolar stepper motor and includes an integrated microstepping indexer as well as the entirely noiseless current control mode StealthChopTM. To drive the motor windings, the output driver block consists of low RDSon N-Channel power MOSFETs configured as full H-bridges. Each of the TMC2100's outputs may drive up to 2.5A of current (with proper heatsinking). The TMC2100 requires a 5V-46V supply voltage.

Because DRV8825 is a carrier board or breakout board for the DRV8825 stepper motor driver from Texas Instruments, we recommend that you read the datasheet before using it. One bipolar stepper motor with an output current of up to 2.2 amps per coil can be controlled with this stepper motor driver (see the Power Dissipation Considerations section below for more information).

Allegro's A4988 DMOS Microstepping Driver with Translator and Overcurrent Protection has a carrier board or breakout board. Please read the A4988 datasheet before using this product (380k pdf). This stepper motor driver lets you operate one bipolar stepper motor with up to 2 A of output current per coil (see the Power Dissipation Considerations section below for more information).

TMC2100 Pinout

A4988 Pinout

DRV8825 Pinout

TMC2100 Features

• 2-phase stepper motors up to 2.0A coil current (2.5A peak)

• Standalone Driver

• Step/Dir Interface with micro-steps interpolation

• MicroPlyer™

• Voltage Range 4.75… 46V DC

• The highest Resolution is 256 micro-steps per full step

• StealthChop™ for extremely quiet operation and smooth motion

• SpreadCycle™ highly dynamic motor control chopper

• Integrated Current Sense Option

• Standstill Current Reduction

• Full Protection & Diagnostics (two outputs)

• Small Size 5x6mm2 QFN36 package or TQFP48 package

DRV8825 Features

• Simple step and direction control interface

• Six different step resolutions: full-step, half-step, 1/4-step, 1/8-step, 1/16-step, and 1/32-step

• Adjustable current control lets you set the maximum current output with a potentiometer, which lets you use voltages above your stepper motor’s rated voltage to achieve higher step rates

• Intelligent chopping control that automatically selects the correct current decay mode (fast decay or slow decay)

• 45 V maximum supply voltage

• Built-in regulator (no external logic voltage supply needed)

• Can interface directly with 3.3 V and 5 V systems

• Over-temperature thermal shutdown, over-current shutdown, and under-voltage lockout

• Short-to-ground and shorted-load protection

• 4-layer, 2 oz copper PCB for improved heat dissipation

• Exposed solderable ground pad below the driver IC on the bottom of the PCB

• Module size, pinout, and interface match those of our A4988 stepper motor driver carriers in most respects (see the bottom of this page for more information)

A4988 Features

• Simple step and direction control interface

• Five different step resolutions: full-step, half-step, quarter-step, eighth-step, and sixteenth-step

• Adjustable current control lets you set the maximum current output with a potentiometer, which lets you use voltages above your stepper motor’s rated voltage to achieve higher step rates

• Intelligent chopping control that automatically selects the correct current decay mode (fast decay or slow decay)

• Over-temperature thermal shutdown, under-voltage lockout, and crossover-current protection

• Short-to-ground and shorted-load protection (this feature is not available on the A4983)

TMC2100 Schematic Diagram

DRV8825 Schematic Diagram

A4988 Schematic Diagram

TMC2100 Control input:

The driver is controlled by the STEP/DIR inputs. The TMC2100 can be used in either SpreadCycle or StealthChop mode. Microstep interpolation and automated standstill current reduction are included. Problem denotes a driver error, while INDEX denotes the position of the microstrip table index (low active open-drain outputs).

A4988 Control inputs:

Each pulse to the STEP input causes the stepper motor to move one micro-step in the direction indicated by the DIR pin. You should not leave the STEP or DIR pins floating in your application because they are not internally pulled to any certain voltage. DIR can be connected straight to VCC or GND if you only want rotation in one direction. RST, SLP, and EN are the three inputs used to regulate the chip's various power states. Check the datasheet for further information on these power states. Please notice that the RST pin is floating; if not in use, connect it to the neighboring SLP pin on the PCB to bring it high. If you are not using the pin, you can connect it to the adjacent SLP pin on the PCB to bring it high and enable the board.

DRV8825 Control inputs:

RESET, SLEEP, and ENBL are the three inputs that govern the chip's power states. See the datasheet for further information on these power states. The SLEEP pin is pulled low with an internal 1M pull-down resistor, while the RESET and ENBL pins are pulled low using internal 100k pull-down resistors. Both of these pins must be high to enable the driver (they can be directly linked to a logic "high" voltage between 2.2 and 5.25 V, or they can be dynamically regulated via connections to digital outputs of an MCU). The default state of the ENBL pin is to enable the driver, so this pin can be left disconnected.

TMC2100 Applications

• 3D printers

• Textile, Sewing Machines

• Office Automation

• Consumer, Home

• CCTV, Security

• ATM, Cash recycler

• POS

• Printers & Scanners

DRV8825 Applications

• Automatic Teller Machines

• Money Handling Machines

• Video Security Cameras

• Printers

• Scanners

• Office Automation Machines

• Gaming Machines

• Factory Automation

• Robotics

A4988 Applications

• The A4988 is a bipolar stepper motor micro-stepping driver with a built-in translator for simple operation. This implies we can control the stepper motor with just two pins from our controller, one for rotation direction and the other for steps.

• A4988 VS DRV8825: What are the differences between them?

• TMC2100 Datasheet

• A4988 Datasheet

• DRV8825 Datasheet

Allegro MicroSystems, LLC is a market leader in high-performance semiconductor development, manufacturing, and marketing. Allegro's cutting-edge solutions cater to high-growth applications in the automotive industry, as well as office automation, and industrial, and consumer/communications solutions. Allegro has design, application, and sales support centers all throughout the world, with its headquarters in Worcester, Massachusetts (USA).