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Electric Motors

  • 04-10-2011 4:20pm
    #1
    DonQuigleone
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 110 ✭✭


    I'm doing a project, that involves needing to digitally control an electric motor.

    Anyone here have any tips regarding powering and controlling an electric motor off a computer?


Comments

  • #2
    Solitaire
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 18,381 Mod ✭✭✭✭Solitaire


    Oi! No spamming multiple fora! :p Robotics is the best place to ask!

    But generally, whether using a stepper motor (accurate) or brute-forcing a standard motor (not accurate) you'll need some kind of interface board - hand-made or bought from an enthusiast store - to be the middle-man between the PC and motor, unless you can get 5V
    steppers designed to run off USB and a purely software driver! :p


  • #3
    DonQuigleone
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 110 ✭✭DonQuigleone


    Well, I thought the robotics forum recieved less attention, and I wasn't quite sure which to go for.

    Anyway, what would be the cheapest solution?

    My goal is to be able to feedback control an electric motor driven propeller. Obviously to do that the easiest way is to have the whole thing go through a computer.

    Are there stepper motors designed to run off USB? Sounds like a good idea.


  • #4
    Donny5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,827 ✭✭✭Donny5


    DonQuigleone wrote: »
    Well, I thought the robotics forum recieved less attention, and I wasn't quite sure which to go for.

    Anyway, what would be the cheapest solution?

    My goal is to be able to feedback control an electric motor driven propeller. Obviously to do that the easiest way is to have the whole thing go through a computer.

    Are there stepper motors designed to run off USB? Sounds like a good idea.

    Ah, for this, you'll want to look at one of the user friendly hobby boards like an Arduino. You definitely don't want to run a feedback loop on a PC.


  • #5
    Carter P Fly
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 618 ✭✭✭Carter P Fly


    use an X10 contoller. There are used all the time for garage doors, gates etc.


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