Motors
Contents
General
Stepper Motors
A stepper motor is an electric motor that turns a well define amount ( say 6 degrees ), a step, when connected to the right power source. Repeated activation will cause the motor to move any number of steps in either direction desired. Used for carefully controlled motion. Microcontrollers are often used as part of the drive system for a stepper motor.
Uses
- Printers
- Machine tools
- Robots
Links:
- Wikipedia: "stepper motor"
- Arduino: "Unipolar Stepper Motor"
- A complete project on this wiki PIC based Stepper Motor Dancing Analog Clock
- A PIC controlled tester for stepper motors on this wiki Stepper Motor Tester
- Stepper Motors Lots of info. mostly through links.
- Stepper Motors
- www.RomanBlack.com Measuring Stepper Motors Basics of stepper motor torque and how to measure it.
Micro controller driving
Main Article: motor driver
- Arduino: "Stepper Motor Control"
- The ULN2803 is a Popular Parts for putting between a small motor and a microcontroller.
Servo Motors
A servo motor can be any kind of motor that is equipped with a position sensor. The information from that sensor is then used to control the motor. In common "RC" servos the sensor is a potentiometer and all the drive electronics are packaged inside the case with the motor.
See the motor driver page for more information on the Open Servo project.
Universial Motors
Run on AC or DC.
AC Motors
Induction Motors
Current is induced from one part of the motor to another to eliminate brushes, slip rings and the like. A problem with them is getting them started. Run at a near synchronous speed ( but some slip is required to induce currents ).
Capicator Start Motors
AC motors often need a phase difference between various windings to start. In some motors this is supplied using a capacitor.
Synchronous Motors
These motors are used when the speed of the motor needs to be synchronized with the power line in an exact way, the typical motor in an AC clock.
Multi Phase Motors
Multiphase motors have several advantages including more power for a given peak current.
Other Info
- Some Microchip dsPIC controllers are designed for motor control; our DsPIC30F 5011 Development Board and ARMUS Embedded Linux Board projects include such a dsPIC.
- Salvage Challange - Make Me Spin
