Intermediate
30 min

Enhance automation with TB67S209 and PIC18F4620 and revolutionizes motion control

Stepper driver for limitless possibilities

Multi Stepper Click - TB67S209 with EasyPIC v7

Published May 31, 2023

Click board™

Multi Stepper Click - TB67S209

Dev. board

EasyPIC v7

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

PIC18F4620

Experience seamless motor control, precision, and unmatched reliability with the TB67S209 stepper driver, empowering your embedded solution to reach new heights

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Hardware Overview

How does it work?

Multi Stepper Click is based on the TB67S209FTG, a two-phase bipolar stepping motor driver using a PWM chopper from Toshiba Semiconductor. The TB67S209FTG has a built-in clock-in decoder (CLOCK-in controlled), which means that each up-edge of the CLK signal is routed to the PWM pin of the mikroBUS™ socket, will shift the motor’s electrical angle per step. It also incorporates a low on-resistance MOSFET output stage, which can deliver a 2.8A current with a motor output voltage rating of 47V, and integrated protection mechanisms such as over-current, over-temperature, and under-voltage detection. In addition, it allows from full-step up to 1/32 steps resolution, with the help of which motor noise can be significantly reduced with smoother operation and more precise control. The TB67S209FTG supports a selectable Mixed Decay mode. Though the Mixed Decay is determined by controlling two different types of decay (Fast Decay and Slow Decay), this function enables the user to select the ratio of the Mixed Decay through the PCA9555A pins P4/P5. To allow both pins to be configurated by the expander, the SMD jumper labeled JP4 must be positioned to an appropriate position marked as P4. Also, the motor current output value can be manually set using an onboard trimmer labeled VR1, which sets the reference voltage from 0V to 3.3V.

As mentioned, the TB67S209FTG supports various step resolution configurations through its control signals. These control signals are provided through the PCA9555A port expander, which establishes communication with the MCU via the I2C serial interface. This Click board™ also allows a connection of external step-resolution control signals on the onboard header J1 on pins labeled as P1 and P2 for the device’s DMODE1 and DMODE2 control. The PCA9555A also allows choosing the least significant bit (LSB) of its I2C slave address by positioning SMD jumpers labeled ADDR SEL to an appropriate position marked as 0 and 1. Also, this Click board™ has a Standby function, activated when all three step-resolution control signals are in their low logic state, used to switch to Standby mode by setting all motor control pins to a low logic state. When the Standby mode is active, the TB67S209FTG stops supplying the power to the internal oscillating circuit and motor output part (the motor drive cannot be performed). In addition to the I2C communication, several GPIO pins connected to the mikroBUS™ socket are also used. The Enable pin, labeled as EN and routed to the CS pin of the mikroBUS™ socket, optimizes power consumption used for power ON/OFF purposes. Also, a simple rotation direction function routed to the AN pin on the

mikroBUS™ socket allows MCU to manage the direction of the stepper motor (clockwise or counterclockwise), while the RST pin of the mikroBUS™ socket initializes an electrical angle in the internal counter to set an initial position. Regarding angle monitoring, this Click board™ has a dual way of monitoring selected by positioning the SMD jumper labeled as JP5 to an appropriate position marked as P6 or INT, which chooses to monitor via the expander or INT pin of the mikroBUS™ socket. In that case, this anomaly is indicated by a red LED marked as DIAG and via P7 pin over the I2C INT to the mikroBUS™ INT pin proceeding JP5 is set to P6. Multi Stepper Click supports an external power supply for the TB67S209FTG, which can be connected to the input terminal labeled as VM and should be within the range of 10V to 47V, while the stepper motor coils can be connected to the terminals labeled as B+, B-, A-, and A+. This Click board™ can operate with either 3.3V or 5V logic voltage levels selected via the VCC SEL jumper. This way, both 3.3V and 5V capable MCUs can use the communication lines properly. However, the Click board™ comes equipped with a library containing easy-to-use functions and an example code that can be used, as a reference, for further development.

multi-stepper-click-tb67s209-hardware-overview

Features overview

Development board

EasyPIC v7 is the seventh generation of PIC development boards specially designed to develop embedded applications rapidly. It supports a wide range of 8-bit PIC microcontrollers from Microchip and has a broad set of unique functions, such as a powerful onboard mikroProg programmer and In-Circuit debugger over USB-B. The development board is well organized and designed so that the end-user has all the necessary elements in one place, such as switches, buttons, indicators, connectors, and others. With four different connectors for each port, EasyPIC v7 allows you to connect accessory boards, sensors, and custom electronics more efficiently than ever. Each part of

the EasyPIC v7 development board contains the components necessary for the most efficient operation of the same board. An integrated mikroProg, a fast USB 2.0 programmer with mikroICD hardware In-Circuit Debugger, offers many valuable programming/debugging options and seamless integration with the Mikroe software environment. Besides it also includes a clean and regulated power supply block for the development board. It can use various external power sources, including an external 12V power supply, 7-23V AC or 9-32V DC via DC connector/screw terminals, and a power source via the USB Type-B (USB-B) connector. Communication options such as

USB-UART and RS-232 are also included, alongside the well-established mikroBUS™ standard, three display options (7-segment, graphical, and character-based LCD), and several different DIP sockets. These sockets cover a wide range of 8-bit PIC MCUs, from PIC10F, PIC12F, PIC16F, PIC16Enh, PIC18F, PIC18FJ, and PIC18FK families. EasyPIC v7 is an integral part of the Mikroe ecosystem for rapid development. Natively supported by Mikroe software tools, it covers many aspects of prototyping and development thanks to a considerable number of different Click boards™ (over a thousand boards), the number of which is growing every day.

EasyPIC v7 horizontal image

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

PIC18F4620

Architecture

PIC

MCU Memory (KB)

64

Silicon Vendor

Microchip

Pin count

40

RAM (Bytes)

3968

You complete me!

Accessories

The 28BYJ-48 is an adaptable 5VDC stepper motor with a compact design, ideal for various applications. It features four phases, a speed variation ratio of 1/64, and a stride angle of 5.625°/64 steps, allowing precise control. The motor operates at a frequency of 100Hz and has a DC resistance of 50Ω ±7% at 25°C. It boasts an idle in-traction frequency greater than 600Hz and an idle out-traction frequency exceeding 1000Hz, ensuring reliability in different scenarios. With a self-positioning torque and in-traction torque both exceeding 34.3mN.m at 120Hz, the 28BYJ-48 offers robust performance. Its friction torque ranges from 600 to 1200 gf.cm, while the pull-in torque is 300 gf.cm. This motor makes a reliable and efficient choice for your stepper motor needs.

Multi Stepper Click - TB67S209 accessories image

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

Rotation Direction
RA2
AN
Reset
RE1
RST
Enable
RE0
CS
NC
NC
SCK
NC
NC
MISO
NC
NC
MOSI
Power Supply
3.3V
3.3V
Ground
GND
GND
Clock Signal
RC0
PWM
Interrupt
RB0
INT
NC
NC
TX
NC
NC
RX
I2C Clock
RC3
SCL
I2C Data
RC4
SDA
Power Supply
5V
5V
Ground
GND
GND
1

Take a closer look

Click board™ Schematic

Multi Stepper Click - TB67S209 Schematic schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

EasyPIC v7 front image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the EasyPIC v7 as your development board.

EasyPIC v7 front image hardware assembly
GNSS2 Click front image hardware assembly
MCU DIP 40 hardware assembly
GNSS2 Click complete accessories setup image hardware assembly
EasyPIC v7 Access MB 1 - upright/background hardware assembly
Necto image step 2 hardware assembly
Necto image step 3 hardware assembly
Necto image step 4 hardware assembly
NECTO Compiler Selection Step Image hardware assembly
NECTO Output Selection Step Image hardware assembly
Necto image step 6 hardware assembly
Necto DIP image step 7 hardware assembly
EasyPIC PRO v7a Display Selection Necto Step hardware assembly
Necto image step 9 hardware assembly
Necto image step 10 hardware assembly
Necto PreFlash Image hardware assembly

Track your results in real time

Application Output

1. Application Output - In Debug mode, the 'Application Output' window enables real-time data monitoring, offering direct insight into execution results. Ensure proper data display by configuring the environment correctly using the provided tutorial.

2. UART Terminal - Use the UART Terminal to monitor data transmission via a USB to UART converter, allowing direct communication between the Click board™ and your development system. Configure the baud rate and other serial settings according to your project's requirements to ensure proper functionality. For step-by-step setup instructions, refer to the provided tutorial.

3. Plot Output - The Plot feature offers a powerful way to visualize real-time sensor data, enabling trend analysis, debugging, and comparison of multiple data points. To set it up correctly, follow the provided tutorial, which includes a step-by-step example of using the Plot feature to display Click board™ readings. To use the Plot feature in your code, use the function: plot(*insert_graph_name*, variable_name);. This is a general format, and it is up to the user to replace 'insert_graph_name' with the actual graph name and 'variable_name' with the parameter to be displayed.

Software Support

Library Description

This library contains API for Multi Stepper TB67S209 Click driver.

Key functions:

  • multisteppertb67s209_set_step_mode This function sets the step mode resolution settings.

  • multisteppertb67s209_drive_motor This function drives the motor for the specific number of steps at the selected speed.

  • multisteppertb67s209_set_direction This function sets the motor direction by setting the AN pin logic state.

Open Source

Code example

The complete application code and a ready-to-use project are available through the NECTO Studio Package Manager for direct installation in the NECTO Studio. The application code can also be found on the MIKROE GitHub account.

/*!
 * @file main.c
 * @brief MultiStepperTB67S209 Click example
 *
 * # Description
 * This example demonstrates the use of the Multi Stepper TB67S209 click board by driving the 
 * motor in both directions for a desired number of steps.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 *
 * ## Application Init
 * Initializes the driver and performs the click default configuration.
 *
 * ## Application Task
 * Drives the motor clockwise for 200 steps and then counter-clockiwse for 100 steps with
 * 2 seconds delay before changing the direction.
 * Each step will be logged on the USB UART where you can track the program flow.
 *
 * @author Stefan Filipovic
 *
 */

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "multisteppertb67s209.h"

static multisteppertb67s209_t multisteppertb67s209;
static log_t logger;

void application_init ( void ) 
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;  /**< Logger config object. */
    multisteppertb67s209_cfg_t multisteppertb67s209_cfg;  /**< Click config object. */

    /** 
     * Logger initialization.
     * Default baud rate: 115200
     * Default log level: LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG
     * @note If USB_UART_RX and USB_UART_TX 
     * are defined as HAL_PIN_NC, you will 
     * need to define them manually for log to work. 
     * See @b LOG_MAP_USB_UART macro definition for detailed explanation.
     */
    LOG_MAP_USB_UART( log_cfg );
    log_init( &logger, &log_cfg );
    log_info( &logger, " Application Init " );

    // Click initialization.
    multisteppertb67s209_cfg_setup( &multisteppertb67s209_cfg );
    MULTISTEPPERTB67S209_MAP_MIKROBUS( multisteppertb67s209_cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    if ( I2C_MASTER_ERROR == multisteppertb67s209_init( &multisteppertb67s209, &multisteppertb67s209_cfg ) ) 
    {
        log_error( &logger, " Communication init." );
        for ( ; ; );
    }
    
    if ( MULTISTEPPERTB67S209_ERROR == multisteppertb67s209_default_cfg ( &multisteppertb67s209 ) )
    {
        log_error( &logger, " Default configuration." );
        for ( ; ; );
    }
    
    log_info( &logger, " Application Task " );
}

void application_task ( void ) 
{
    log_printf ( &logger, " Move 200 steps clockwise \r\n\n" );
    multisteppertb67s209_set_direction ( &multisteppertb67s209, MULTISTEPPERTB67S209_DIR_CW );
    multisteppertb67s209_drive_motor ( &multisteppertb67s209, 200, MULTISTEPPERTB67S209_SPEED_FAST );
    Delay_ms ( 2000 );
    
    log_printf ( &logger, " Move 100 steps counter-clockwise \r\n\n" );
    multisteppertb67s209_set_direction ( &multisteppertb67s209, MULTISTEPPERTB67S209_DIR_CCW );
    multisteppertb67s209_drive_motor ( &multisteppertb67s209, 100, MULTISTEPPERTB67S209_SPEED_FAST );
    Delay_ms ( 2000 );
}

void main ( void ) 
{
    application_init( );

    for ( ; ; ) 
    {
        application_task( );
    }
}

// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END

Additional Support

Resources

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