| Title |
Precision Pointing Performance Analysis of a Stepping Motor with Detent Torque Compensation for Solar Array Drive Assembly |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5370/KIEE.2026.75.8.1979 |
| Keywords |
Solar array drive assembly; Stepping motor; Micro-stepping; Detent torque; Feedforward compensation; Precision pointing |
| Abstract |
Precision sun-pointing of a solar array drive assembly (SADA) requires both high reliability and accurate pointing. In a gearless direct-drive configuration, microstepping improves pointing resolution, but the achievable open-loop accuracy is limited by the motor's detent torque. This paper proposes a detent feedforward compensation method using a position-indexed compensation map to reduce detent-induced pointing errors. Integrated motor-drive simulations are performed to analyze the relationship between resolution and accuracy, the sensitivity to detent ratio and compensation effectiveness, and the open-loop dynamic characteristics. The results show that the proposed method significantly reduces the detent-induced accuracy floor while preserving a sensorless open-loop structure. Design conditions on detent ratio, compensation effectiveness, and equivalent damping ratio required to satisfy a given pointing-accuracy target are also derived. |