The difference between servo motor and stepper motor

There are significant differences between servo motors and stepper motors in terms of control accuracy, speed range, control method, low-frequency characteristics, overload capacity, feedback method, encoder type, response speed, vibration resistance, temperature rise, maintainability and price.

Control accuracy: Servo motors achieve high-precision control through a feedback control system, while stepper motors are controlled through pulse signals with lower accuracy.

Speed ​​range: Servo motors have a wider speed range, while stepper motors usually have lower speeds.
‌Control method‌: Servo motors use closed-loop control, while stepper motors usually use open-loop control or encoder feedback.
‌Low-frequency characteristics‌: Stepper motors are prone to low-frequency vibration at low speeds, while servo motors are more stable at low speeds.
‌Overload capacity‌: Stepper motors will lose steps when overloaded, while servo motors can withstand larger overloads.
‌Feedback method‌: Stepper motors are mostly open-loop or encoder feedback, while servo motors use closed-loop control and encoder feedback.

Encoder type: Stepper motors do not use encoders in open-loop state, while servo motors usually use photoelectric encoders.
Response speed: The response speed of servo motors is faster, while the response speed of stepper motors is relatively slow.
Vibration resistance: Stepper motors have better vibration resistance, while servo motors have poor vibration resistance.
Temperature rise: The temperature rise of stepper motors is obvious during operation, while the temperature rise of servo motors is not obvious.
Maintainability: Stepper motors are basically maintenance-free, while servo motors have better maintainability.
Price: Stepper motors are cheap, while servo motors are expensive.

These differences make servo motors and stepper motors have their own advantages in application scenarios. For example, servo motors are suitable for applications that require high precision, high torque, and smooth motion, such as robots, machine tools, medical equipment, etc., while stepper motors are suitable for applications that require step-by-step motion, low precision requirements, and cost sensitivity, such as printers, copiers, vending machines, etc.