Can I get a stepper motor to work useing an AO channel on a DAQ card?

[weizbox]

Can I get a stepper motor to work useing an AO channel on a DAQ card? I know its a very low currentl coming out, but what Im going to be using the motor for is very weak. Has anyone tried this before? I certinaly dont want to spend 2,000+ on somthing that will be basicly moving a string on some pullys back and forth.
Thanks,
-Mark

[chutla]

Greetings, Mark

You can certainly use the A0 as a driving signal, but you need to amplify the current considerably to run a stepper motor. Additionally, most stepper motors require multiple phase driving signals to work properly. If I understand your application, I believe a stepper motor is a bit of overkill...you only want to use them when precise positioning and repeatability is an issue. You might look at some of the linear actuators available.

Eric