Arduino Stepper Motor Position Control

Controlling a stepper motor's position using Arduino can be achieved by connecting the driver chip, in this case the DRV8825, correctly. This tutorial will guide you through the process of setting up the connections and provide an overview of the driver's features.

Firstly, ensure that the RST (reset) and SLP (sleep) pins are connected to 5V. Failure to do so will prevent the driver from turning on. You can use a different digital pin if needed, but for this tutorial, we will use digital pins 3 and 2 for STP (step) and DIR (direction) respectively.

The GND pin should be connected to the microcontroller's ground pin, while VDD should be connected to 5V. The two coils of the stepper motor are connected to A1, A2 and B1, B2 as shown in the table below.

DRV8825 Connections

| Pin | Function |

| --- | --- |

| RST | Reset |

| SLP | Sleep |

| STP | Step |

| DIR | Direction |

| GND | Ground |

| VDD | 5V |

The wiring diagram/schematic above demonstrates how to connect the DRV8825 driver to a stepper motor and an Arduino microcontroller.

DRV8825 Specifications

For more information on the minimum operating voltage, please refer to the datasheet. The DRV8825 driver chip comes with several built-in safety features, including overcurrent protection, short-circuit protection, under-voltage lockout, and over-temperature protection.

Alternative Options

If you need to control larger stepper motors like a NEMA 23, consider using the TB6600 stepper motor driver. This driver has a current rating of 3.5 A and is compatible with the same code as the A4988. The DRV8825 driver has a maximum output capacity of 45 V and ±2 A, making it suitable for driving small to medium-sized stepper motors like a NEMA 17 bipolar stepper motor.

The Heart of the Driver

At the core of the DRV8825 driver is a chip made by Texas Instruments: the DRV8825 Stepper Motor Controller IC. This integrated motor driver makes it easy to interface with a microcontroller, as you only need two pins to control both the speed and direction of the stepper motor.

In conclusion, controlling a stepper motor's position using Arduino requires careful connections and attention to safety features. By following this tutorial and understanding the DRV8825 driver chip's specifications and features, you can successfully control your stepper motor with ease.

Additional Resources

For more information and example code, please visit the links provided below:

* Acceleration and deceleration example code

* Example code to control number of steps or revolutions

* Control number of steps or revolutions: * Basic Arduino example code to control a stepper motor

* How to determine the correct stepper motor wiring?

* Wiring – Connecting DRV8825 to Arduino and stepper motor

Arduino stepper motor position control