Case Study: Custom 42 Stepper Motor Sample for a European Buyer, Approved on the First Round
Sampling a 42 Stepper Motor for a European Buyer — Approved First Time
A buyer in Europe contacted us with a 42 mm two-phase stepper motor requirement for their machine platform. They had a mounting interface, a shaft detail and a set of performance expectations, but they did not want a catalogue part — they wanted a sample built against their drawing. We built the 42H-2212L-18/10, shipped samples, and the buyer approved them on the first round. Their feedback was short and positive: the motor behaved as specified and the samples were usable straight out of the box.
What a Cross-Border Sample Request Actually Needs
Sampling for an overseas customer is not just "send a motor and hope". Between the enquiry and an approved sample there are six things that decide whether the project moves forward or bounces back and forth for three months:
- A drawing both sides read the same way — dimensions, tolerances and datums agreed in the buyer's own format, not only in ours.
- An honest dimensional report — measured values shipped with the samples, so their engineer can verify before installing anything.
- Interface details proven, not assumed — shaft tolerance, boss fit, mounting pattern, connector type.
- Compliance paperwork up front — RoHS 2.0 and REACH SVHC declarations supplied with the samples, not after the volume order.
- Sample quantity and labelling that match their trial — enough pieces for a bench test plus a machine trial, identified so trial results can be traced back to a unit.
- Packaging that survives the trip — export packing protects shaft and boss geometry, which is exactly what a buyer inspects first.
The Specification We Built
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Model | 42H-2212L-18/10 (42 series, two-phase hybrid stepper) |
| Frame size | 42 mm square, 42.3 mm max |
| Body length | 31 mm ±0.1 |
| Output shaft | Ø5 mm, tolerance 0 / -0.012, length 20 ±0.5, with flat |
| Centring boss | Ø22 mm, tolerance 0 / -0.052 |
| Mounting holes | 4 × M3×0.5P, minimum thread depth 3.8 mm |
| Wiring | Four leads A+ / A- / B+ / B- (bipolar), S6B-PH-K connector |
How the Sample Was Handled
- Requirement alignment. We went through the application with the buyer: the axis function, the load, the mounting envelope and the available space. Where their drawing and the application were not fully consistent, we raised it before building anything — a two-day conversation at this stage is cheaper than a rejected sample.
- Interface confirmation. Frame size, body length, shaft geometry, boss diameter, mounting pattern and connector were locked and confirmed in writing, with 2D and 3D files exchanged so their engineering team could check the fit in their own assembly model.
- Sample build and in-house measurement. Samples were built on production-intent processes and measured against the agreed criteria — shaft diameter and runout, boss diameter, body length, mounting depth — with results recorded unit by unit.
- Documentation package. The samples travelled with the dimensional report and the RoHS 2.0 / REACH SVHC declarations, so the buyer's compliance team had what they needed without a second request cycle.
- Customer trial and approval. The buyer installed the samples on their machine and ran their own evaluation. The result met their expectations and the samples were approved without a redesign round.
Why It Passed the First Time
Three details carried most of the weight. The shaft was held at 0 / -0.012 with the boss at 0 / -0.052, so the pulley sat true and the motor centred repeatably in the mounting bore — the fit worked on their assembly, not just on our inspection bench. The S6B-PH-K connector meant their wiring harness plugged in directly instead of being adapted. And the measurement report shipped with the samples let their engineer confirm the geometry before touching the machine, which removed the usual round of "please measure X and send photos".
The Outcome
The buyer confirmed the samples were satisfactory and the project moved forward on that basis. For us the meaningful part is the shape of the process: one requirement conversation, one interface confirmation, one sample round, one approval — no redesign loops, no tolerance renegotiation after delivery.
For Buyers Evaluating a Sample
If you are sourcing a 42 mm stepper motor against your own drawing — or any frame size in our 20–86 mm range — send the drawing and the application conditions. You will get a specification confirmation, samples built to that specification, measured data with the samples, and the compliance documents your market requires, in one shipment.
Send your drawing or sample requirement today and we will tell you exactly what we can commit to, and when.
