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Which Arduino motor control?

Limitliss

Dec 1, 2021
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So I am just starting on my very first project using Arduino, so please forgive my ignorance. What I am trying to do:
Using a DC motor with built in encoder, to shift a motorbike transmission either up or down based on which button is pushed. It will be a cam style lever, not linear. It will look similar to this when done
powershifter.jpg
  1. The motor will need to rotate approximately 80*
  2. The motor will need to return to "neutral"
  3. Both need to happen in fractions of a second. (Should be able to complete at least 3 shifts in 1 second)
  4. This will be run in a vehicle, so 12v-14v is common and will be the input voltage
  5. The motor states 12A stall current, so probably capable of 15A or 20A to be safe
Here is a link to the motor I am likely using.
https://www.robotshop.com/en/42mm-high-torque-planetary-gear-motor-with-encoder-12v-315rpm.html

So now I need to figure out exactly which Arduino to choose, and what exactly I need for the motor controller. Is there a nice shield that does what all that I need? Can a nano work?

Thanks for any help you all can provide!
 

Bluejets

Oct 5, 2014
6,920
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Oct 5, 2014
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Any Arduino would work.
There would be a need to drive in both directions so a h-bridge if using a dc motor.
There are other ways but that is a "module" so to speak with inputs a uC can interface with.
As I said previously, I doubt very much those hobby motors will come anywhere near requirements.
Motorcycles as vehicles are very noisy environments for micros to operate in and can take some amount of work to eliminate.
A push pull solenoid arrangement would seem a better approach.
They have the speed and power if correctly selected and operation could possibly be achieved without the need for a uC, just discrete devices and optical limits etc.
 

Limitliss

Dec 1, 2021
9
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Dec 1, 2021
Messages
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Any Arduino would work.
There would be a need to drive in both directions so a h-bridge if using a dc motor.
There are other ways but that is a "module" so to speak with inputs a uC can interface with.
As I said previously, I doubt very much those hobby motors will come anywhere near requirements.
Motorcycles as vehicles are very noisy environments for micros to operate in and can take some amount of work to eliminate.
A push pull solenoid arrangement would seem a better approach.
They have the speed and power if correctly selected and operation could possibly be achieved without the need for a uC, just discrete devices and optical limits etc.
I hear ya. Significant time investment per motor to test though, and this style could be done with only a motor and lever.

As for hobby motors, everything I looked at was the same torque specs for the motors themselves. Is there a company that makes one’s this size that output that much more? The original is only a 28mm motor, so much smaller than what I’m looking at.
3719F740-7D46-410E-9B58-D0895E62222A.jpeg

Also, the engine is in a car now, not sure if that helps.

As for any arduino working, as I said before I have zero experience with these right now, and with my power input/output requirements, I don’t want to purchase things twice. Do you have actual part numbers for recommended items needed to make the system?
 

Limitliss

Dec 1, 2021
9
Joined
Dec 1, 2021
Messages
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Brushless motors usually have more grunt per pound.
Below is a typical solenoid but only 10mm throw @ around 0.6kg

An idea you will need to experiment with.
https://core-electronics.com.au/large-push-pull-solenoid.html

Thing is, no one here is going to design a project for you.
I did look at brushless ones, but they would be really large in order to meet the same requirements. Also was playing around with solenoids, I have 80lbs pull ones, but stacking two of them in opposite directions and a custom shaft makes it pretty large as well.

I wasn’t asking someone to design the system for me. Some people can just look at what I’m doing, and say, use this because it outputs more power, or this one will allow up to x volts input or something. It’s what these forums were made for. Getting advice from people with more knowledge on a subject. I have a lot of knowledge on a lot of other subjects, and I help others in multiple forums with those subjects. I was looking at arduino products and noticed a ridiculous amount of options, and reviews on those options, and thought someone could save me a month of reading for 60 seconds of their time.
 

TomB19

Dec 21, 2021
28
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Dec 21, 2021
Messages
28
In case you did not consider the idea, there are solenoids that can do push/pull using an h-bridge.

You don't need a shield to monitor an encoder. I suspect you will end up with a Nano due to the form factor. There are no shields for the nano, that I'm aware of.

This looks like an interesting project. I hope you share your progress.
 

roughshawd

Jul 13, 2020
465
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Jul 13, 2020
Messages
465
Springs and Weights... and use suitable levers with 0 zero tolerance to maintain a device that will last a long time. Anything that moves, wears out eventually. So if you can build a motor support that has buzz nullifiers thats a good thing. Bumps, vibrations and shakes all play a role in the tolerances, and when you flip the switch, you can't expect "no power" to do all the powering. If you are genius, and you can figure torque to less than 6:1 then your tolerances should surely be less than 2 thousanths .002 as it were. Try to avoid stoppers, pauls, and pins. they have a tendency to leave one stranded with only one alternative. Oh one last note... bumpers are generally the same thing as stoppers pauls and pins! check this out... The reason most VCR players quit is because they installed a cd drag mechanism in the form of a felt pad on a spring to maintain the CD discs spin speed.... a brake of sorts, that keeps it at a steady speed. With time, the felt wears out and the CD overspeeds... the signal gets garbled and all the errors pop up!
 

Bluejets

Oct 5, 2014
6,920
Joined
Oct 5, 2014
Messages
6,920
Springs and Weights... and use suitable levers with 0 zero tolerance to maintain a device that will last a long time. Anything that moves, wears out eventually. So if you can build a motor support that has buzz nullifiers thats a good thing. Bumps, vibrations and shakes all play a role in the tolerances, and when you flip the switch, you can't expect "no power" to do all the powering. If you are genius, and you can figure torque to less than 6:1 then your tolerances should surely be less than 2 thousanths .002 as it were. Try to avoid stoppers, pauls, and pins. they have a tendency to leave one stranded with only one alternative. Oh one last note... bumpers are generally the same thing as stoppers pauls and pins! check this out... The reason most VCR players quit is because they installed a cd drag mechanism in the form of a felt pad on a spring to maintain the CD discs spin speed.... a brake of sorts, that keeps it at a steady speed. With time, the felt wears out and the CD overspeeds... the signal gets garbled and all the errors pop up!

Op is liable to have croaked it with covid since that was posted.....:rolleyes:
 
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