MotoMaster v2.5

Direct website price: $79.99

This includes 1 motor driver, assembled and ready to connect.

Full manual available here

• Download sample code:
  • Sample code - Controlling a bipolar stepper motor with Arduino
  • Sample code - Controlling two DC motors bidirectionally with Arduino
  • Sample code - Controlling a unipolar stepper motor with Arduino
  • Sample code - Controlling a DC motor with a Basic Stamp II

• Easy to use.
• Robust.
• Controls many types of motors (contact us if you need something custom coded and we can discuss it!)
• Very simple serial interface works with most microcontrollers (PICs, Arduinos, Basic Stamps, Standard serial devices) and PCs with appropriate level shifting
• Custom serial settings possible
• Replaceable parts for the main controller (available at rdprobotics.com) and Darlington Arrays. Other components are internally protected.

The MotoMaster is a PWM-based serial motor driver capable of controlling the speed of up to 10 motors at independent speeds. The motors can be DC brushed or Stepper type (unipolar or bipolar). Two of the DC motors can be bidirectional. In addition, MotoMaster can drive two unipolar stepper motors, each drawing up to 1A per coil, and one bipolar stepper motor drawing up to 2A per coil. It is controlled via a simple asynchronous serial interface at 50kbps (8-bit, non-inverted, no parity), which requires only a single digital I/O pin from a microprocessor, or rs232 using a simple external circuit. The MotoMaster can also provide a time-base output (via serial out) for systems which do not have timer interrupts such as the Basic Stamp Microcontroller from Parallax. These motor drivers are simple to use. Interfacing one with an Arduino involves merely connecting two wires(ground and 1 I/O pin). The Arduino controls this driver with simple asynchronous serial communication. Two lines of code!

These devices have been used in robotics and medical research, teaching university courses in robotics, industrial projects, and many many DIY projects! We are still using the very first alpha prototype to run one of our controllable webcams in our lab (running for almost 20 years continuously!).

Features:

• Minimally two wire serial communication - 50kbps, 8 bits, no parity, non-inverted,one wire for serial input, one wire for ground (time-base output requires three wires- one for input, one for output, one for ground)
  

• All inputs and outputs have screw terminal blocks for easy connections

• All outputs are protected by a standard easy to replace fast-blow auto fuse
  

• Bipolar dual h-bridge for driving 2 DC motors at varying speeds and bipolar directions
  

• Dual darlington transistor arrays drive up to 8 DC motors at 1A current draw each,or outputs can be paralleled for higher current driving capability
  

• Darlington outputs can also serve to drive and control 2 unipolar stepper motors at1A each, or 1 2A stepper motor Steppers can be automatically controlled for speed,direction, number of steps, continuous rotation, and individual coils for teachingstepper technology in instructional settings, or for the purpose of additional logic outputs
  

• An onboard 5V regulator can drive external circuitry up to 1A loads
  

• Convenient on-off switch disconnects logic power to the microprocessor and related logic circuitry, bringing the motors to a stop
  

• Possible motor configurations (less motors can also be driven - ie one DC or onestepper), note current ratings are ’up to’ that maximum, more combinations are possible

Specifications:

Possible configuration examples:

• 8 output lines for controlling external logic circuitry (Voltage needs to be buffered appropriately, 2 bidirectional DC 2A ea.
• 8 unidirectional DC 1A ea, 2 bidirectional DC 2A ea.,
• 4 unidirectional DC 2A ea, 2 bidirectional 2A ea.,
• 1 unipolar 4-phase stepper 1A per coil, 4 unidirectional DC 1A ea., 2 bidirectional DC 2A ea,
• 2 unipolar 4-phase stepper 1A per coil, 2 bidirectional DC 2A ea.
• 2 unipolar 4-phase steppers 1A per coil, 1 bipolar 2-phase stepper 2A per coil
• 1 unipolar 4-phase stepper 2A per coil, 2 bidirectional DC 2A ea.
• 1 unipolar 4-phase stepper 2A per coil, 1 bipolar 2-phase stepper 2A per coil