TB6600 Arduino: High-Current Stepper Driver Guide

When I graduated from A4988 drivers to the TB6600 for my first industrial CNC project, I immediately understood why professionals choose this driver for serious applications. The A4988 works great for hobby 3D printers and small NEMA 17 motors, but the moment you need to drive a NEMA 23 motor with real torque, you need the TB6600’s robust current handling and professional-grade protection features. This guide walks you through everything you need to know about integrating the TB6600 Arduino combination for high-current stepper motor control.

The TB6600 stepper motor driver represents a significant upgrade from entry-level drivers. With its ability to handle up to 4.5A continuous current and operate across a wide 9-42V range, this driver opens up applications from heavy-duty Arduino-based CNC machines to industrial automation systems that demand reliability and power.

Understanding the TB6600 Stepper Driver

The TB6600 is a professional-grade stepper motor driver initially built around the Toshiba TB6600HG chip. However, most modern TB6600 modules use the newer TB67S109AFTG chip, also from Toshiba. While these chips share similar functionality, there are important differences that affect performance and capabilities.

The original TB6600HG chip is larger and can handle peak currents up to 5A, but only supports microstepping up to 1/16 step resolution. The newer TB67S109AFTG chip has a lower peak current rating of 4A but provides finer 1/32 microstepping capability. When purchasing TB6600 drivers today, you’ll almost certainly get the TB67S109AFTG version unless specifically buying older stock.

What makes the TB6600 stand out is its enclosed design with proper heatsinking. Unlike open PCB drivers like the A4988 that require external heatsinks, the TB6600 comes in a metal enclosure that doubles as a heat dissipation system. This industrial-grade construction allows sustained high-current operation without the thermal shutdown issues that plague smaller drivers.

The driver features comprehensive protection systems including overcurrent shutdown, under-voltage lockout, and overtemperature protection. These safeguards prevent damage to both the driver and your expensive NEMA 23 motors when operating conditions exceed safe limits.

TB6600 Technical Specifications

Understanding the specifications helps you determine if the TB6600 fits your application requirements and how to configure it properly.

Specification	TB6600 (TB67S109AFTG)	TB6600 (TB6600HG)
Operating Voltage	9V – 42V DC	9V – 42V DC
Peak Current	4A per phase	5A per phase
Continuous Current	0.5A – 4A (adjustable)	0.5A – 4.5A (adjustable)
Microstepping Modes	Up to 1/32 step	Up to 1/16 step
Control Signals	PUL (step), DIR (direction), ENA (enable)	PUL (step), DIR (direction), ENA (enable)
Signal Isolation	Optocoupler isolation	Optocoupler isolation
Protection Features	Over-current, under-voltage, thermal	Over-current, under-voltage, thermal
Dimensions	96mm × 56mm × 33mm	96mm × 56mm × 33mm

Key Technical Advantages:

The wide voltage range means you can use common 12V, 24V, or even 36V power supplies depending on your speed requirements. Higher voltage enables faster motor speeds but doesn’t increase torque. The adjustable current limiting protects motors of different ratings from 0.5A up to 4A.

The optocoupler signal isolation is crucial for noise immunity in electrically harsh environments. It prevents ground loops and electrical noise from your power circuits from corrupting control signals from the Arduino.

TB6600 vs Popular Alternatives Comparison

Choosing between different stepper drivers depends on your application’s power and precision requirements. Here’s how the TB6600 stacks up:

Feature	TB6600	A4988	DRV8825
Max Voltage	42V	35V	45V
Max Current (continuous)	4A	2A (with heatsink)	2.5A (with cooling)
Microstepping	Up to 1/32	Up to 1/16	Up to 1/32
Heatsinking	Built-in enclosure	Requires external heatsink	Requires external heatsink
Signal Isolation	Yes (optocoupler)	No	No
Form Factor	Enclosed module	PCB breakout board	PCB breakout board
Typical Motor Size	NEMA 23, NEMA 34	NEMA 17	NEMA 17, small NEMA 23
Price Range	$15-30	$2-5	$3-7

The TB6600 clearly targets different applications than the A4988 or DRV8825. While those drivers excel at controlling small motors in 3D printers and hobby robotics, the TB6600 is designed for CNC routers, industrial automation, and any application requiring sustained high torque.

TB6600 Pinout and Connections

The TB6600 uses screw terminals for all connections, making wiring more robust than the pin headers found on smaller drivers. Understanding each terminal’s function prevents wiring errors.

Power Connections:

Terminal	Function	Connection
VCC / +V	Motor power positive	9-42V DC power supply positive
GND / -V	Power ground	Power supply negative

Motor Connections:

Terminal	Function	Connection
A+	Motor coil A positive	One wire from motor coil A
A-	Motor coil A negative	Other wire from motor coil A
B+	Motor coil B positive	One wire from motor coil B
B-	Motor coil B negative	Other wire from motor coil B

Control Signal Connections:

The TB6600 provides both positive and negative terminals for each control signal, allowing common cathode or common anode wiring configurations.

Terminal Pair	Function	Common Cathode Wiring
PUL+, PUL-	Step/Pulse signal	PUL+ to Arduino pin, PUL- to GND
DIR+, DIR-	Direction signal	DIR+ to Arduino pin, DIR- to GND
ENA+, ENA-	Enable signal	ENA+ disconnected, ENA- to GND (always enabled)

Common Cathode vs Common Anode:

Common cathode configuration connects all negative signal terminals (PUL-, DIR-, ENA-) to ground and controls via the positive terminals. This is the standard approach for Arduino projects.

Common anode configuration connects all positive signal terminals to +5V and controls via the negative terminals. Some industrial controllers use this configuration.

For Arduino TB6600 integration, always use common cathode wiring with the positive signal terminals connected to Arduino digital pins.

Identifying Motor Coil Pairs

Before wiring your stepper motor to the TB6600, you must identify which wires belong to which coil. Stepper motors have two independent coils, and connecting them incorrectly prevents proper operation.

Multimeter Resistance Method:

Set your multimeter to resistance (Ω) mode. Test resistance between different wire pairs. Wires from the same coil will show low resistance (typically 1-10 ohms). Wires from different coils show infinite resistance (open circuit).

For a four-wire bipolar stepper motor: Test wire 1 and wire 2 – if you measure resistance, they’re one coil pair. Test wire 3 and wire 4 – they should be the other coil pair. Verify by testing wire 1 and wire 3 – should show infinite resistance.

Physical Test Method:

Twist two wires together firmly. Try to rotate the motor shaft by hand. If you feel significant resistance to rotation, you’ve shorted one coil and found a coil pair. If the shaft spins freely, try a different wire combination.

Once you’ve identified both coil pairs, it doesn’t matter which coil connects to A+/A- versus B+/B-. If the motor runs backward from expected, simply swap the wires of one coil (not both).

DIP Switch Configuration

The TB6600’s six DIP switches control microstepping resolution and current limiting. A reference table is typically printed on the driver enclosure, but here’s the complete configuration guide.

Microstepping Settings (Switches S1, S2, S3):

S1	S2	S3	Microstep Mode	Steps per Revolution (200-step motor)
ON	ON	ON	NC (not configured)	–
ON	ON	OFF	Full step	200
ON	OFF	ON	Half step (1/2A)	400
OFF	ON	ON	Half step (1/2B)	400
ON	OFF	OFF	Quarter step (1/4)	800
OFF	ON	OFF	Eighth step (1/8)	1600
OFF	OFF	ON	1/16 step	3200
OFF	OFF	OFF	1/32 step	6400

Current Settings (Switches S4, S5, S6):

S4	S5	S6	Peak Current	Continuous Current (approx)
ON	ON	ON	0.5A	0.4A
OFF	ON	ON	1.0A	0.8A
ON	OFF	ON	1.5A	1.2A
OFF	OFF	ON	2.0A	1.6A
ON	ON	OFF	2.5A	2.0A
OFF	ON	OFF	2.84A	2.3A
ON	OFF	OFF	3.0A	2.4A
OFF	OFF	OFF	3.5A	2.8A

IMPORTANT: Always power off the TB6600 before adjusting DIP switches. Changing settings while powered can damage the driver or cause erratic motor behavior.

Choosing the Right Settings:

Start with your motor’s rated current from its datasheet. Set the TB6600 current limit to match or slightly below this rating. For example, for a 2.8A NEMA 23 motor, use the OFF-ON-OFF configuration (2.84A peak).

For microstepping, quarter-step (1/4) or eighth-step (1/8) modes provide good balance between smoothness and torque. Full-step mode gives maximum torque but produces noticeable vibration. The 1/32 step mode creates very smooth operation but limits top speed.

Complete TB6600 Arduino Wiring Guide

Follow this step-by-step wiring process to connect your TB6600 to Arduino and stepper motor safely.

Step 1: Power Supply Connection

Connect your 12V or 24V DC power supply positive terminal to TB6600 VCC/+V. Connect power supply negative to TB6600 GND/-V. Add a 100-470µF electrolytic capacitor across VCC and GND terminals positioned close to the driver to filter voltage spikes.

Step 2: Motor Connection

Using your identified coil pairs, connect motor coil A to A+ and A- terminals. Connect motor coil B to B+ and B- terminals. Ensure good mechanical connection by tightening screw terminals firmly.

Step 3: Arduino Signal Connections

Connect TB6600 PUL- to Arduino GND. Connect TB6600 PUL+ to Arduino digital pin 3. Connect TB6600 DIR- to Arduino GND. Connect TB6600 DIR+ to Arduino digital pin 2. Connect TB6600 ENA- to Arduino GND (driver always enabled).

Alternatively, connect ENA+ to an Arduino digital pin if you want software control of driver enable/disable.

Step 4: Arduino Power

Power your Arduino separately via USB or DC barrel jack. Do not attempt to power Arduino from the TB6600’s motor power supply without proper voltage regulation.

Critical Wiring Notes:

Always maintain common ground between Arduino and TB6600. Without this shared reference, control signals won’t work properly. Keep signal wires (PUL+, DIR+) separate from power wires to minimize electrical noise. Use 18-22 AWG wire for power connections, 22-26 AWG for signal connections.

Basic TB6600 Arduino Control Code

Here’s a simple sketch that demonstrates fundamental TB6600 control:

// TB6600 Arduino Basic Control

const int pulPin = 3;   // PUL+ pin

const int dirPin = 2;   // DIR+ pin

const int stepsPerRev = 200;  // For full-step mode with 1.8° motor

void setup() {

  pinMode(pulPin, OUTPUT);

  pinMode(dirPin, OUTPUT);

  digitalWrite(pulPin, LOW);

  digitalWrite(dirPin, LOW);

}

void loop() {

  // Rotate clockwise one revolution

  digitalWrite(dirPin, HIGH);

  for(int i = 0; i < stepsPerRev; i++) {

    digitalWrite(pulPin, HIGH);

    delayMicroseconds(500);

    digitalWrite(pulPin, LOW);

    delayMicroseconds(500);

  }

  delay(1000);

  // Rotate counterclockwise one revolution

  digitalWrite(dirPin, LOW);

  for(int i = 0; i < stepsPerRev; i++) {

    digitalWrite(pulPin, HIGH);

    delayMicroseconds(500);

    digitalWrite(pulPin, LOW);

    delayMicroseconds(500);

  }

  delay(1000);

}

Code Explanation:

The TB6600 requires a pulse on PUL+ for each step. Each pulse consists of a HIGH period followed by a LOW period. The pulse width itself isn’t critical (minimum 2.5µs), but the delay between pulses controls rotation speed.

Shorter delays create faster rotation, longer delays slow it down. At 500µs between pulses, the motor completes one step every millisecond (1000 steps per second).

The DIR+ pin sets rotation direction. HIGH typically means clockwise, LOW counterclockwise, though this can vary with motor wiring.

Advanced Speed Control with Acceleration

Professional motion control requires smooth acceleration and deceleration to prevent mechanical shock and missed steps:

const int pulPin = 3;

const int dirPin = 2;

void setup() {

  pinMode(pulPin, OUTPUT);

  pinMode(dirPin, OUTPUT);

}

void smoothMove(int steps, int startDelay, int endDelay) {

  for(int i = 0; i < steps; i++) {

    // Calculate current delay using linear interpolation

    int currentDelay = map(i, 0, steps, startDelay, endDelay);

    digitalWrite(pulPin, HIGH);

    delayMicroseconds(currentDelay);

    digitalWrite(pulPin, LOW);

    delayMicroseconds(currentDelay);

  }

}

void loop() {

  digitalWrite(dirPin, HIGH);

  // Accelerate from 2000µs to 400µs over 200 steps

  smoothMove(200, 2000, 400);

  // Run at constant speed (400µs) for 1000 steps

  for(int i = 0; i < 1000; i++) {

    digitalWrite(pulPin, HIGH);

    delayMicroseconds(400);

    digitalWrite(pulPin, LOW);

    delayMicroseconds(400);

  }

  // Decelerate from 400µs to 2000µs over 200 steps

  smoothMove(200, 400, 2000);

  delay(2000);

}

This acceleration profile reduces mechanical stress, prevents missed steps at startup, and enables higher maximum speeds.

Using AccelStepper Library

The AccelStepper library provides professional motion control with minimal code:

#include <AccelStepper.h>

// Define motor interface type (1 = step & direction)

#define MOTOR_INTERFACE_TYPE 1

// Create stepper instance

AccelStepper stepper(MOTOR_INTERFACE_TYPE, 3, 2);

void setup() {

  stepper.setMaxSpeed(2000);      // Steps per second

  stepper.setAcceleration(1000);  // Steps per second²

}

void loop() {

  // Move to position 3200 (2 revolutions in 1/8 step mode)

  stepper.moveTo(3200);

  while(stepper.distanceToGo() != 0) {

    stepper.run();

  }

  delay(1000);

  // Return to position 0

  stepper.moveTo(0);

  while(stepper.distanceToGo() != 0) {

    stepper.run();

  }

  delay(1000);

}

The AccelStepper library handles all acceleration calculations automatically. Simply set your desired position and call run() repeatedly.

Common TB6600 Arduino Problems and Solutions

After helping dozens of people troubleshoot TB6600 setups, here are the most frequent issues:

Motor doesn’t move at all

Check DIP switch settings – ensure you’re not in NC (not configured) mode with all switches ON. Verify common ground between Arduino and TB6600 exists. Measure voltage on PUL+ and DIR+ terminals during operation – should toggle between 0V and 5V. Check motor coil wiring with multimeter.

Motor vibrates but doesn’t rotate

One motor coil is wired incorrectly. Swap the wires on either A+/A- or B+/B- (but not both). Current limit may be set too low – increase to next higher setting. Power supply voltage might be insufficient – verify 9V minimum at TB6600 terminals under load.

Motor gets extremely hot

Current limit set too high for your motor rating. Reduce DIP switch settings to match motor specifications. Motor is stalling against mechanical load – reduce load or increase current capability. Add forced air cooling if continuous operation at high current.

Erratic or inconsistent movement

Missing or inadequate power supply capacitor – add 100-470µF across VCC/GND. Ground loop issues – verify single-point ground connection. Signal wires too long or running parallel to power wires – keep under 1 meter, use twisted pair if longer.

Driver overheating and shutting down

Ambient temperature too high or insufficient airflow – add fan or heatsink to enclosure. Current settings exceed continuous rating – reduce current or duty cycle. Voltage too high causing excessive power dissipation – reduce supply voltage if possible.

Practical Applications

The TB6600 Arduino combination enables robust applications:

CNC Router/Mill: Control three or more axes with coordinated motion for precision machining. Multiple TB6600 drivers share single Arduino controller.

Large 3D Printers: Drive NEMA 23 motors for CoreXY systems or delta printers requiring high acceleration.

Robotic Arms: Position control for industrial-grade robotic manipulators with payload capacity.

Automated Manufacturing: Conveyor positioning, material handling, and assembly line automation.

Telescope Mounts: Precise celestial tracking with high-torque motors overcoming wind loads.

Essential Resources and Downloads

Datasheets and Documentation:

• TB67S109AFTG Datasheet: Toshiba official documentation
• TB6600HG Datasheet: Available from Toshiba website
• TB6600 Driver Manual: Check your specific module manufacturer

Arduino Libraries:

• AccelStepper Library: Available through Arduino Library Manager
• Basic examples: File > Examples > 01.Basics > DigitalReadSerial

Code Repositories:

• AccelStepper GitHub: github.com/waspinator/AccelStepper
• TB6600 Examples: Multiple community repositories with tested code

Wiring Diagrams:

• Common cathode configuration schematics
• Multi-axis CNC shield wiring guides

Community Support:

• Arduino Forum: forum.arduino.cc (Motors, Mechanics, Power section)
• CNC Zone: cnczone.com (Electronics forum)
• Reddit r/arduino and r/hobbycnc

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I control multiple TB6600 drivers with one Arduino?

Yes, each TB6600 requires only two Arduino pins (PUL and DIR), plus a shared ground connection. Arduino Uno can control up to six TB6600 drivers using 12 digital pins. For larger systems, use Arduino Mega with 54 digital pins or implement multiplexing.

What power supply do I need for TB6600 and NEMA 23 motor?

Calculate based on motor current rating and voltage. For a 3A NEMA 23 motor, use minimum 24V 4A power supply (add 25% margin). Higher voltage (up to 42V) enables faster speeds without increasing torque. Switching power supplies work better than linear regulators for high-current applications.

Why does my motor make noise in certain microstep settings?

Microstepping creates intermediate current levels in motor coils, which can excite mechanical resonances. Full-step and half-step modes are most prone to noise and vibration. Quarter-step (1/4) or eighth-step (1/8) modes typically provide good balance between quietness and performance. Experiment with different settings for your specific motor.

Can I use TB6600 with 3.3V Arduino like ESP32?

Yes, the TB6600’s optocoupler inputs work with 3.3V logic levels. The optocouplers typically have forward voltage around 1.2V, so 3.3V provides adequate voltage margin. Connect ESP32 digital pins directly to PUL+ and DIR+ terminals with PUL- and DIR- to ground.

How do I know if my TB6600 has TB6600HG or TB67S109AFTG chip?

Check for markings on the PCB or IC if visible through ventilation holes. Most importantly, the chip version determines available microstepping modes. If your driver’s DIP switch table shows 1/32 step option, you have TB67S109AFTG. If maximum is 1/16 step, you have TB6600HG.

Conclusion

The TB6600 Arduino integration provides industrial-grade stepper motor control at a fraction of professional motion controller costs. While the initial setup requires more attention to detail than plug-and-play hobby drivers, the reliability and power handling make it worthwhile for serious applications.

Start by correctly identifying your motor’s coil pairs and setting appropriate DIP switches for current limiting. Proper wiring with common ground between Arduino and TB6600 prevents 90% of issues people encounter. Begin with simple code examples before progressing to acceleration profiles and the AccelStepper library.

Remember that the TB6600 is designed for motors that the A4988 and DRV8825 can’t handle. If you’re driving NEMA 17 motors under 2A, those cheaper drivers work fine. But when you need sustained high current for NEMA 23 or larger motors, the TB6600’s robust construction and protection features become essential.

Pay attention to power supply quality and capacity. An undersized or noisy power supply causes more problems than any other single factor in stepper motor systems. Use switching power supplies rated for at least 125% of your calculated current requirements.

The skills you develop with TB6600 Arduino projects translate directly to industrial automation systems. Understanding current limiting, microstepping trade-offs, and motion profiling provides the foundation for professional motion control engineering.

Meta Description: Complete TB6600 Arduino guide for high-current stepper motor control. Includes wiring diagrams, DIP switch settings, code examples, troubleshooting, and NEMA 23 motor integration. Perfect for CNC and industrial projects.