How can I control a stepper motor drive using a DAQ card?

[Matt___W]

I need to control a simple CW/CCW stepper motor drive using a DAQ card.  I simply need to output a 5 volt signal and then a drop in the signal, and so on 200 times or steps for 1 revolution.  I have desiigned the basic program, but do not know how to output the appropriate signal.

Cheers,
Matt

[AnalogKid2DigitalMan]

What DAQ card do you have? Ideally, one with a counter output to generate the steps, where you can control frequency. If you try to start the motor too fast (acceleration or abrupt application of fast pulses) it may stall out. Search in Help/Search for Examples for 'frequency' and 'pulse' for example of frequency generation. You can also use a digital output on the DAQ card to control direction.

If DAQ card does not have a counter, you coul do a software timed loop to toggle a digital output to generate the pulse train. It may not be fast enough nor accurate for your application, do not know from info you have given

[Matt___W]

My DAQ card is a NI USB-6009.  To generate my signal, what commands and output function will I use.  Can you possible explain the connection of this function in the block diagram?

Cheers,
Matt

[Sheldon_Stokes]

You'll probably still need some sort of an amplifier to drive the motor windings as well.  I don't know of any DAQ cards that can source or sink the power levels you'll need to drive all but the tiniest stepper motors.

Sheldon