Stepper Motor
28BYJ-48 stepper motor — 5V, 4-phase, geared (1:64), 2048 steps per revolution. The cheapest stepper for first Arduino projects that need precise positioning: clocks, curtains, camera sliders, small robots.
Stepper Motor — buying guide
Stepper motors split rotation into equal steps: the shaft turns exactly as many steps as your program commands. The 28BYJ-48 in the Stepper Motor category is suited for small projects that need precise but slow movement.
What to look for
- Motor type: The 28BYJ-48 is a 5 V unipolar motor. Its internal gearbox slows down the output but increases torque.
- Precision: It needs about 2048 steps for one full revolution, so you can set the angle very accurately.
- Driver: The motor cannot be connected directly to the board pins. You need a ULN2003 driver.
- Power: Power the motor from a separate 5 V supply and connect GND to the board.
- Heating: Current can still flow through the windings while the motor is stopped. Turn off the pins when the work is done.
Typical projects
- Mechanism that automatically opens and closes curtains.
- Rotating platform that turns an object to show it around.
- Fish feeder that dispenses food at set times.
Related categories
Can you drive a 28BYJ-48 with an A4988?
Not as it is: this motor is unipolar, while the A4988 is for bipolar motors. The simple option is a ULN2003.
The motor does not rotate and only vibrates. What is the reason?
Most of the time the pin order is wrong. In the Arduino Stepper library, the pins are listed in the IN1, IN3, IN2, IN4 order.
