NEMA 11 Stepper Motor: Compact Torque for Small-Footprint Motion
The NEMA 11 stepper motor has a 28mm × 28mm faceplate — one size up from the NEMA 8. It packs more holding torque than a NEMA 8 while staying small enough for tight enclosures, which makes it a common pick for compact devices that need a bit more drive than the smallest frame can give. A 2-phase NEMA 11 hybrid stepper motor delivers holding torque up to about 0.12 N·m, depending on body length, at a 1.8° step angle. NEMA 11 dimensions are fixed at a 28mm faceplate, with body length the main variable.
Key Specifications at a Glance
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|
| Frame Size | 28 × 28 mm |
| Step Angle | 1.8° (200 steps/rev) |
| Phase | 2-phase (bipolar) |
| Holding Torque | Up to 0.12 N·m |
| Rated Current | 0.67–1.0 A/phase |
| Body Length | 31–51 mm (varies by model) |
| Weight | 100–160 g |
| Lead Wires | 4-wire or 6-wire
|
Typical Applications
NEMA 11 stepper motors suit compact devices that need more torque than a NEMA 8 but still have to fit a small space. Common applications include:
- Medical and lab equipment — syringe and dosing pumps, sample handling, micro-pipetting, and small XY stages.
- Optical and imaging systems — filter wheels, focus and zoom adjustment, and beam steering.
- Small automation — desktop pick-and-place, label and tape dispensers, and compact conveyors.
- Camera and security gear — pan-tilt heads and PTZ positioning.
- 3D printers and CNC — extruder and small-axis drive on compact machines.
- Valve and flow control — small motorized valves, dampers, and metering devices.
With a NEMA 11 gearbox the same frame drives a small linear actuator or a low-speed, high-torque axis.
NEMA 11 vs NEMA 17: Which One Do You Need?
The next size up from NEMA 11 is NEMA 17 (42mm × 42mm), the most common stepper frame. Here is a quick comparison:
| NEMA 11 (28mm) | NEMA 17 (42mm) |
|---|
| Faceplate | 28 × 28 mm | 42 × 42 mm |
| Max Holding Torque | ~0.12 N·m | ~0.45 N·m |
| Weight | 100–160 g | 200–400 g |
| Best For | Compact, light-to-medium load | General-purpose, higher torque |
If your load needs more than about 0.12 N·m or you want headroom for higher speed, move up to NEMA 17. If the footprint has to stay at 28mm and the load is light to medium, NEMA 11 is the right fit.
Customization Options
Cymotorix NEMA 11 stepper motors can be customized for OEM integration. As a NEMA 11 stepper motor manufacturer and supplier, we produce them to your specification. Common modifications include:
- Shaft diameter and length adjustment (standard shaft is 5mm)
- D-cut or flat shaft for direct coupling
- Custom lead wire length and connector type (JST, Molex, bare leads)
- Winding parameters modified to match your driver voltage and current
- Rear-shaft extension for encoder mounting
- Hollow shaft stepper motor version for through-wire or through-tube routing
- Planetary gearbox integration for higher output torque at low speed
How to Drive a NEMA 11 Stepper Motor
NEMA 11 motors are 2-phase bipolar steppers, so they run on any standard 2-phase stepper driver. Rated current is low — around 0.67 to 1.0 A per phase — so a compact microstepping driver with current regulation is enough, and gives the smoothest motion. We can supply a driver matched and set to the motor if you want the pair tested together.
Recommended supply voltage is 12–24VDC. A higher bus voltage improves high-speed torque, but set the driver's current limit correctly so the windings don't overheat.