Tempe, Arizona · since 1988
Testra designs and builds precision drive and control for rotary and linear stepper motor systems — coordinated multi-axis motion for OEMs, system integrators, and the one-of-a-kind machine builder.
US Patent 5,650,705 · SyncroStep® · SoftStep®
Why SoftStep
Step motors are noisy because of the way they are driven. Our drives always operate at 256 micro-steps per motor step, irrespective of the selected input step rate — so a full-step or half-step machine becomes a quiet one without a single change to your software.
The result is chopper-stabilised zero-crossing commutation and a near-perfect sine wave into the winding. No clicks, no buzzing, no whining. The motors speak for themselves.
See how the R213S does itMotion products
Standard and custom solutions, all built on the same SyncroStep micro-stepping technology, with companion automation products that run over an RS-485 network.
SoftStep Drives
Direct replacement for Gecko Drives
Seven-amp bipolar micro-stepping drive that always runs at 256 micro-steps per step, whatever step rate you feed it. Screw it to your cabinet and the heatsink is done.
SoftStep Drives
Direct replacement for IMS IM-483
Bipolar micro-stepping driver for motors in the 0.5–3 A RMS range on 12–45 V. Full-step and half-step machines convert to quiet, smooth micro-stepping with no software changes at all.
Drive Systems
A complete four-axis drive system: switching supply, cooling, regenerative braking, four 4.2 A drivers, buffered and filtered I/O, and a PC parallel-port interface. Cut your development and assembly cost in one part number.
Motion Systems
The flagship integrated motion and machine control system. Four axes of micro-stepping drive, three-axis interpolated moves, a fifth axis for laser power modulation, an RS-485 network, and out-of-the-box software for engraving, routing and plasma cutting.
What we build
SoftStep drives that always run at 256 micro-steps per motor step, no matter how coarse the step rate you send them.
Drives & systemsDirect replacement control electronics for Universal Laser Systems engravers, plus refurbished RF-excited CO2 tubes.
Laser productsRS-485 networked input modules, relay outputs, panel display processors and entry control keypads.
I/O modulesssLASER, ssROUTER and ssCNC packages — print straight from Windows, or run full G-code interpretation.
Software packages
OEM & custom
We work with original equipment manufacturers to integrate our standard motion control systems into their products, or to develop custom solutions outright. Where volume justifies it we license the technology and assist with your system development.
We also do turnkey design and manufacturing of a product in its entirety, including ASIC development to put it all on a chip. Custom software too — we have written complex drivers for DOS, every Windows release from 95 through 10, and a range of embedded environments.
How we work with OEMsGet in touch
Pricing is quoted per application. Call sales, or send the axis count, motor sizes and duty cycle and we will come back with a configuration.
