Achieve exceptional results with DRV887N and PIC18F46K20
Mastering the art of brushed motor control
Published Nov 01, 2023
Click board™
H-Bridge 7 Click
Dev. board
Curiosity HPC
Compiler
NECTO Studio
MCU
PIC18F46K20
Experience the seamless integration of brushed motor control and save your battery life by using this solution that supports a wide range of output load currents for various motors and loads
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Hardware Overview
How does it work?
H-Bridge 7 Click is based on the DRV8876N, N-channel H-bridge motor driver from Texas Instruments that operates from a supply voltage of 4.5V to 37V, supporting a wide range of output load currents for various types of motors and loads. This device integrates an H-bridge output power stage that can be operated in control modes set by the PMODE pin setting. The device also integrates a charge pump regulator to support more efficient high-side N-channel MOSFETs and 100% duty cycle operation. The device operates from a single power supply input (VM) which can be directly connected to a battery or DC voltage supply. The nSLEEP pin (nSL pin on the mikroBUS™) provides an ultra-low power mode to minimize current draw during system inactivity.
Also, this device is fully protected against supply undervoltage, charge pump undervoltage, output overcurrent, and device overtemperature events. H-Bridge 7 Click supports different control schemes with the EN/IN1 and PH/IN2 pins. The control mode is selected through the PMODE pin with either logic low, logic high, or setting the pin Hi-Z (in this case, PMODE is on the logic low level, which means that the device is latched into PH/EN mode). PH/EN mode allows for the H-bridge to be controlled with a speed and direction type of interface. In this configuration, Click board™ drives a bidirectional current through an external load (such as a brushed DC motor), and the H-bridge polarity and duty cycle are controlled with a PWM and IO resource from the external controller
to the EN/IN1 and PH/IN2 pins. The device is then configured for the PH/EN control mode by tying the PMODE pin to GND. Some applications of DRV8876N include brushed DC motors, solenoids, and actuators, but they also can be utilized to drive many common passive loads such as LEDs, resistive elements, relays, and more. 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.
Features overview
Development board
Curiosity HPC, standing for Curiosity High Pin Count (HPC) development board, supports 28- and 40-pin 8-bit PIC MCUs specially designed by Microchip for the needs of rapid development of embedded applications. This board has two unique PDIP sockets, surrounded by dual-row expansion headers, allowing connectivity to all pins on the populated PIC MCUs. It also contains a powerful onboard PICkit™ (PKOB), eliminating the need for an external programming/debugging tool, two mikroBUS™ sockets for Click board™ connectivity, a USB connector, a set of indicator LEDs, push button switches and a variable potentiometer. All
these features allow you to combine the strength of Microchip and Mikroe and create custom electronic solutions more efficiently than ever. Each part of the Curiosity HPC development board contains the components necessary for the most efficient operation of the same board. An integrated onboard PICkit™ (PKOB) allows low-voltage programming and in-circuit debugging for all supported devices. When used with the MPLAB® X Integrated Development Environment (IDE, version 3.0 or higher) or MPLAB® Xpress IDE, in-circuit debugging allows users to run, modify, and troubleshoot their custom software and hardware
quickly without the need for additional debugging tools. Besides, it includes a clean and regulated power supply block for the development board via the USB Micro-B connector, alongside all communication methods that mikroBUS™ itself supports. Curiosity HPC development board allows you to create a new application in just a few steps. Natively supported by Microchip software tools, it covers many aspects of prototyping thanks to many number of different Click boards™ (over a thousand boards), the number of which is growing daily.
Microcontroller Overview
MCU Card / MCU
Architecture
PIC
MCU Memory (KB)
64
Silicon Vendor
Microchip
Pin count
40
RAM (Bytes)
3936
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.
Used MCU Pins
mikroBUS™ mapper
Take a closer look
Click board™ Schematic
Step by step
Project assembly
Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the Curiosity HPC as your development board.
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 H-Bridge 7 Click driver.
Key functions:
void hbridge7_motor_state ( uint8_t state )Set motor statevoid hbridge7_motor_control ( uint8_t ctrl )Set motor controluint8_t hbridge7_get_fault_state ( void )Get Fault pin 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
* \brief H-BRIDGE 7 Click example
*
* # Description
* This example demonstrates the use of H-Bridge 7 Click board.
*
* The demo application is composed of two sections :
*
* ## Application Init
* Initializes the driver and makes an initial log.
*
* ## Application Task
* Drives the motor in the forward direction for 5 seconds, then pulls brake for 2 seconds,
* and after that drives it in the reverse direction for 5 seconds, and finally,
* disconnects the motor for 2 seconds. Each step will be logged on the USB UART where
* you can track the program flow.
*
* \author MikroE Team
*
*/
// ------------------------------------------------------------------- INCLUDES
#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "hbridge7.h"
// ------------------------------------------------------------------ VARIABLES
static hbridge7_t hbridge7;
static log_t logger;
// ------------------------------------------------------ APPLICATION FUNCTIONS
void application_init ( void )
{
log_cfg_t log_cfg;
hbridge7_cfg_t cfg;
/**
* 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.
hbridge7_cfg_setup( &cfg );
HBRIDGE7_MAP_MIKROBUS( cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
hbridge7_init( &hbridge7, &cfg );
}
void application_task ( void )
{
log_printf( &logger, "The motor turns forward! \r\n" );
hbridge7_motor_control( &hbridge7, HBRIDGE7_MOTOR_FORWARD );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
log_printf( &logger, "Pull brake! \r\n" );
hbridge7_motor_control( &hbridge7, HBRIDGE7_MOTOR_BRAKE );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
log_printf( &logger, "The motor turns in reverse! \r\n" );
hbridge7_motor_control( &hbridge7, HBRIDGE7_MOTOR_REVERSE );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
log_printf( &logger, "The motor is disconnected (High-Z)! \r\n" );
hbridge7_motor_control( &hbridge7, HBRIDGE7_MOTOR_SLEEP );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
Delay_ms ( 1000 );
}
int main ( void )
{
/* Do not remove this line or clock might not be set correctly. */
#ifdef PREINIT_SUPPORTED
preinit();
#endif
application_init( );
for ( ; ; )
{
application_task( );
}
return 0;
}
// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END
Additional Support
Resources
Category:Brushed
