Linear Actuator for Artist - Electronic Circuits Projects Diagrams Free

Bdoop21 · 7th October 2007, 09:57 AM

Dear Electro Tech,

I am very new to electronics so please bear with me.
I am TRYING to use an Arduino prototyping platform to operate a linear actuator.
(http://arduino.cc)

I bought 1 Unipolar Linear Actuator
Digikey.com item # 403-1030-ND http://www.stage-a51l.com/__FILES/de...AM%20-%20L.pdf

and 1 unipolar stepper motor
Digikey item # 403-1001-ND
http://www.portescap.com/Repository/...s_01042007.pdf

Both motors have 6 wires.
THEN I found this tutorial on the Arduino website http://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/StepperUnipolar

So I bought a ULN2003A driver (because thats what the arduino tutorial used), thinking that I would be able to run my motor with it. BUT the motor in the tutorial has 5 wires instead of 6 and uses a potentiometer, which I do not want to use.

I could not get either motor to work when I hooked up the ULN2003A.
The funny thing was, I hooked my motor directly to my arduino board and it worked....but the arduino ATMEGA168-20PU chip got warm so I think that cant be right either...it didnt get HOT though.

So anyway, my question for you is....How can I run my motor safely and what Driver should I use with either of the 2 motors that I have already purchased?

Do I even NEED the driver?
Is it ok if the Arduino gets warm but not hot?

Thank you so much for your time!
-MBE

Bdoop21 · 7th October 2007, 05:45 PM

Dear Electro Tech,
I would really appreciate some advise. Please dont pass me up=(
Thank you!!!
-MBE

ClydeCrashKop · 7th October 2007, 07:03 PM

Use the driver.
The modified picture is from their pdf.

Bdoop21 · 7th October 2007, 10:02 PM

Thank you so much! That did it!!
My problem was that I had the Green and the Red wires hooked up to ground, not Power. Thats so confusing. THANK YOU SO SO SO SO SO SO MUCH!!!
I would have never realized that myself.

So...shamefully asking....what is the driver actually doing? I understand that it is a bunch of transistors but I do not REALLY understand. Do you mind explaining?

If I had not found the arduino tutorial I would be just at a complete loss.
How does one figure out which driver to purchase for a particular project? There are thousands of ICs....its overwhelming
Thank you so much, you have actually saved my life

-M

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7th October 2007, 09:57 AM	#1
Bdoop21	Linear Actuator for Artist Dear Electro Tech, I am very new to electronics so please bear with me. I am TRYING to use an Arduino prototyping platform to operate a linear actuator. (http://arduino.cc) I bought 1 Unipolar Linear Actuator Digikey.com item # 403-1030-ND http://www.stage-a51l.com/__FILES/de...AM%20-%20L.pdf and 1 unipolar stepper motor Digikey item # 403-1001-ND http://www.portescap.com/Repository/...s_01042007.pdf Both motors have 6 wires. THEN I found this tutorial on the Arduino website http://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/StepperUnipolar So I bought a ULN2003A driver (because thats what the arduino tutorial used), thinking that I would be able to run my motor with it. BUT the motor in the tutorial has 5 wires instead of 6 and uses a potentiometer, which I do not want to use. I could not get either motor to work when I hooked up the ULN2003A. The funny thing was, I hooked my motor directly to my arduino board and it worked....but the arduino ATMEGA168-20PU chip got warm so I think that cant be right either...it didnt get HOT though. So anyway, my question for you is....How can I run my motor safely and what Driver should I use with either of the 2 motors that I have already purchased? Do I even NEED the driver? Is it ok if the Arduino gets warm but not hot? Thank you so much for your time! -MBE

7th October 2007, 05:45 PM	#2
Bdoop21	Linear Actuator for Artist Dear Electro Tech, I would really appreciate some advise. Please dont pass me up=( Thank you!!! -MBE

7th October 2007, 07:03 PM	#3
ClydeCrashKop	Use the driver. The modified picture is from their pdf. Attached Thumbnails __________________ C:\WHUT ? Beware the asterisk *

7th October 2007, 10:02 PM	#4
Bdoop21	Thank you so much! That did it!! My problem was that I had the Green and the Red wires hooked up to ground, not Power. Thats so confusing. THANK YOU SO SO SO SO SO SO MUCH!!! I would have never realized that myself. So...shamefully asking....what is the driver actually doing? I understand that it is a bunch of transistors but I do not REALLY understand. Do you mind explaining? If I had not found the arduino tutorial I would be just at a complete loss. How does one figure out which driver to purchase for a particular project? There are thousands of ICs....its overwhelming Thank you so much, you have actually saved my life -M