Synchronizing characteristics of a step motor

Based on the analogy between the equation of motion of a step motor and that of a simple pendulum with viscous damping, the paper develops the necessary criteria for synchronization when the motor is subjected to a series of steps. The problem is first analyzed ignoring the discrete nature of the input leading to approximate determination of the critical stepping rates. This is followed by a more accurate analysis. The results of these analyses are presented in nondimensional form and can be used for the design of the motor.