Intermediate
30 min

Achieve unmatched motor performance with L9958 and dsPIC33EP512MU814

Synchronize and control with finesse

DC Motor 24 Click with UNI Clicker

Published Jul 26, 2023

Click board™

DC Motor 24 Click

Dev Board

UNI Clicker

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

dsPIC33EP512MU814

Discover a seamless blend of power and reliability with our state-of-the-art DC brushed motor driver, empowering your creations like never before

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Hardware Overview

How does it work?

DC Motor 24 Click is based on the L9958, a fully integrated motor driver for DC and stepper motors from STMicroelectronics used in safety-critical applications and under extreme environmental conditions. This Click board™ provides all the input and output capabilities necessary to drive DC or stepper motors (OUT terminal), alongside monitor diagnostic functions. The L9958 is rated for an operating voltage range from 4V to 28V (VIN terminal), with direct PWM motor control. The PWM control with simple direction control, DIR pin routed to the AN pin on the mikroBUS™ socket, allows MCU to manage the direction of the DC motor (clockwise or counterclockwise). This combination enables highly efficient motor drive

output, ensuring reliable operation for highly competitive automotive applications. This Click board™ communicates with MCU using a 4-wire SPI-compatible interface with a maximum frequency of 5MHz, for the configuration of the L9958. The SPI interface can set the current regulation threshold from 2.5A to 8.6A, typically in four steps (6.6A is a default). The L9958 also has detailed failure diagnostics on each channel provided via the SPI interface. The H-bridge is protected against temperature and short circuits and has an undervoltage/ overvoltage lockout for all the supply voltages. All malfunctions cause the output stages to go tri-state. The output can be turned off (set to tri-state) via a combination

of logic states of an onboard switch labeled as DI and enable pin routed to the EN pin on the mikroBUS™ socket. The internal H-bridge also contains integrated free-wheel diodes. In the case of the free-wheeling condition, the low-side transistor is switched ON in parallel to its diode to reduce power dissipation. 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. 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.

DC Motor 24 Click hardware overview image

Features overview

Development board

UNI Clicker is a compact development board designed as a complete solution that brings the flexibility of add-on Click boards™ to your favorite microcontroller, making it a perfect starter kit for implementing your ideas. It supports a wide range of microcontrollers, such as different ARM, PIC32, dsPIC, PIC, and AVR from various vendors like Microchip, ST, NXP, and TI (regardless of their number of pins), four mikroBUS™ sockets for Click board™ connectivity, a USB connector, LED indicators, buttons, a debugger/programmer connector, and two 26-pin headers for interfacing with external electronics. Thanks to innovative manufacturing technology, it allows you to build

gadgets with unique functionalities and features quickly. Each part of the UNI Clicker development kit contains the components necessary for the most efficient operation of the same board. In addition to the possibility of choosing the UNI Clicker programming method, using a third-party programmer or CODEGRIP/mikroProg connected to onboard JTAG/SWD header, the UNI Clicker board also includes a clean and regulated power supply module for the development kit. It provides two ways of board-powering; through the USB Type-C (USB-C) connector, where onboard voltage regulators provide the appropriate voltage levels to each component on the board, or using a Li-Po/Li

Ion battery via an onboard battery connector. All communication methods that mikroBUS™ itself supports are on this board (plus USB HOST/DEVICE), including the well-established mikroBUS™ socket, a standardized socket for the MCU card (SiBRAIN standard), and several user-configurable buttons and LED indicators. UNI Clicker is an integral part of the Mikroe ecosystem, allowing you to create a new application in minutes. Natively supported by Mikroe software tools, it covers many aspects of prototyping thanks to a considerable number of different Click boards™ (over a thousand boards), the number of which is growing every day.

UNI clicker double image

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

default

Type

8th Generation

Architecture

dsPIC

MCU Memory (KB)

512

Silicon Vendor

Microchip

Pin count

144

RAM (Bytes)

53248

You complete me!

Accessories

DC Gear Motor - 430RPM (3-6V) represents an all-in-one combination of a motor and gearbox, where the addition of gear leads to a reduction of motor speed while increasing the torque output. This gear motor has a spur gearbox, making it a highly reliable solution for applications with lower torque and speed requirements. The most critical parameters for gear motors are speed, torque, and efficiency, which are, in this case, 520RPM with no load and 430RPM at maximum efficiency, alongside a current of 60mA and a torque of 50g.cm. Rated for a 3-6V operational voltage range and clockwise/counterclockwise rotation direction, this motor represents an excellent solution for many functions initially performed by brushed DC motors in robotics, medical equipment, electric door locks, and much more.

DC Motor 24 Click accessories image

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

Rotation Direction
RA6
AN
Bridge Enable
RJ5
RST
SPI Chip Select
RJ4
CS
SPI Clock
RG6
SCK
SPI Data OUT
RG7
MISO
SPI Data IN
RG8
MOSI
Power Supply
3.3V
3.3V
Ground
GND
GND
PWM Signal
RF0
PWM
NC
NC
INT
NC
NC
TX
NC
NC
RX
NC
NC
SCL
NC
NC
SDA
Power Supply
5V
5V
Ground
GND
GND
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Take a closer look

Schematic

DC Motor 24 Click Schematic schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

UNI Clicker front image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the UNI Clicker as your development board.

UNI Clicker front image hardware assembly
GNSS2 Click front image hardware assembly
SiBRAIN for STM32F745VG front image hardware assembly
Prog-cut hardware assembly
GNSS2 Click complete accessories setup image hardware assembly
UNI Clicker 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 image step 5 hardware assembly
Necto image step 6 hardware assembly
Necto image step 7 hardware assembly
Necto No Display image step 8 hardware assembly
Necto image step 9 hardware assembly
Necto image step 10 hardware assembly
Debug Image Necto Step hardware assembly

Track your results in real time

Application Output

After loading the code example, pressing the "DEBUG" button builds and programs it on the selected setup.

Application Output Step 1

After programming is completed, a header with buttons for various actions available in the IDE appears. By clicking the green "PLAY "button, we start reading the results achieved with Click board™.

Application Output Step 3

Upon completion of programming, the Application Output tab is automatically opened, where the achieved result can be read. In case of an inability to perform the Debug function, check if a proper connection between the MCU used by the setup and the CODEGRIP programmer has been established. A detailed explanation of the CODEGRIP-board connection can be found in the CODEGRIP User Manual. Please find it in the RESOURCES section.

Application Output Step 4

Software Support

Library Description

This library contains API for DC Motor 24 Click driver.

Key functions:

  • dcmotor24_read_diag - This function reads a diagnostics word by using SPI serial interface

  • dcmotor24_switch_direction - This function switches the direction by toggling the DIR pin state

  • dcmotor24_set_duty_cycle - This function sets the PWM duty cycle in percentages ( Range[ 0..1 ] )

Open Source

Code example

This example can be found in NECTO Studio. Feel free to download the code, or you can copy the code below.

/*!
 * @file main.c
 * @brief DC Motor 24 Click example
 *
 * # Description
 * This example demonstrates the use of the DC Motor 24 Click board by driving the 
 * motor in both directions at different speeds.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 *
 * ## Application Init
 * Initializes the driver and performs the click default configuration.
 *
 * ## Application Task
 * Controls the motor speed by changing the PWM duty cycle every 500ms.
 * The duty cycle ranges from 0% to 100%. At the minimal speed, the motor switches direction.
 * It also reads and parses the diagnostics word register. 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 "dcmotor24.h"

static dcmotor24_t dcmotor24;
static log_t logger;

/**
 * @brief DC Motor 24 display diag function.
 * @details This function parses and displays a diagnostics word on the USB UART.
 * @param[in] diag : Diagnostics word to parse and display.
 * @return None.
 * @note None.
 */
static void dcmotor24_display_diag ( uint16_t diag );

void application_init ( void )
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;  /**< Logger config object. */
    dcmotor24_cfg_t dcmotor24_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.
    dcmotor24_cfg_setup( &dcmotor24_cfg );
    DCMOTOR24_MAP_MIKROBUS( dcmotor24_cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    if ( SPI_MASTER_ERROR == dcmotor24_init( &dcmotor24, &dcmotor24_cfg ) )
    {
        log_error( &logger, " Communication init." );
        for ( ; ; );
    }
    
    if ( DCMOTOR24_ERROR == dcmotor24_default_cfg ( &dcmotor24 ) )
    {
        log_error( &logger, " Default configuration." );
        for ( ; ; );
    }
    
    log_info( &logger, " Application Task " );
}

void application_task ( void )
{
    static int8_t duty_pct = 10;
    static int8_t duty_step = 10;
    uint16_t diag;
    if ( DCMOTOR24_OK == dcmotor24_set_duty_cycle ( &dcmotor24, ( float ) duty_pct / 100 ) )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, "\r\n Duty: %u%%\r\n", ( uint16_t ) duty_pct );
    }
    if ( DCMOTOR24_OK == dcmotor24_read_diag ( &dcmotor24, &diag ) )
    {
        dcmotor24_display_diag ( diag );
    }
    Delay_ms( 500 );
    if ( ( 100 == duty_pct ) || ( 0 == duty_pct ) ) 
    {
        duty_step = -duty_step;
        if ( 0 == duty_pct )
        {
            log_printf( &logger, "\r\n Switch direction\r\n" );
            dcmotor24_switch_direction ( &dcmotor24 );
            Delay_ms ( 500 );
        }
    }
    duty_pct += duty_step;
}

void main ( void )
{
    application_init( );

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

static void dcmotor24_display_diag ( uint16_t diag )
{
    log_printf( &logger, " --- Diagnostics ---\r\n" );
    if ( diag & DCMOTOR24_DIA_OL_OFF )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " * Open Load in OFF condition\r\n" );
    }
    if ( diag & DCMOTOR24_DIA_OL_ON )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " * Open Load in ON condition\r\n" );
    }
    if ( diag & DCMOTOR24_DIA_VS_UV )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " * Vs undervoltage\r\n" );
    }
    if ( diag & DCMOTOR24_DIA_VDD_OV )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " * Vdd overvoltage\r\n" );
    }
    if ( diag & DCMOTOR24_DIA_ILIM )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " * Current Limitation reached\r\n" );
    }
    if ( diag & DCMOTOR24_DIA_TWARN )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " * Temperature warning\r\n" );
    }
    if ( diag & DCMOTOR24_DIA_TSD )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " * Over-temperature Shutdown\r\n" );
    }
    if ( diag & DCMOTOR24_DIA_ACT )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " * Bridge enable\r\n" );
    }
    if ( diag & DCMOTOR24_DIA_OC_LS1 )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " * Over-Current on Low Side 1\r\n" );
    }
    if ( diag & DCMOTOR24_DIA_OC_LS2 )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " * Over-Current on Low Side 2\r\n" );
    }
    if ( diag & DCMOTOR24_DIA_OC_HS1 )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " * Over-Current on High Side 1\r\n" );
    }
    if ( diag & DCMOTOR24_DIA_OC_HS2 )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " * Over-Current on High Side 2\r\n" );
    }
    if ( diag & DCMOTOR24_DIA_SGND_OFF )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " * Short to GND in OFF condition\r\n" );
    }
    if ( diag & DCMOTOR24_DIA_SBAT_OFF )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " * Short to Battery in OFF condition\r\n" );
    }
}

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

Additional Support

Resources