Stepper Motor Theory

Stepper motors are known for their accuracy and ability to move in discrete steps. They consist of two major components: 

1) Rotor (rotating, poles/teeth)

2) Stator (stationary, coils of wire)

The rotor consists of alternating magnetic poles. When a current is passed through the stator coils, they become energized and attract the nearest rotor pole. By energizing coils in a specific order, the rotor moves in a controlled way.

Stepper motors are used in open-loop control systems (dont require feedback from sensors), and the control system assumes that each pulse sent to the motor corresponds to a single step.