Achieve precise manipulation of stepper motors in full-, half-, quarter-, or eighth-step modes with MP6500 and STM32G474RE
Stepper motor driver with a built-in translator and current regulation
Published Nov 08, 2024
Click board™
Stepper 13 Click
Dev Board
Nucleo 64 with STM32G474RE MCU
Compiler
NECTO Studio
MCU
STM32G474RE
Advanced and secure stepper motor control across a wide range of applications, from robotics to precision machinery
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Hardware Overview
How does it work?
Stepper 13 Click is based on the MP6500, a dual full-bridge motor driver from MPS. This IC's internal structure is symmetrical. It features two MOSFET H-bridges used to drive two coils of a bipolar step motor in both directions. The MP6500 uses a wide input voltage range - from 4.5V to 35V. This is the voltage used to energize the motor coils. A jumper (JP3) is used to select whether to use an external power supply or to obtain the power supply from the mikroBUS™ +5V rail. The MP6500 has two PHASE inputs that control the direction of current flow through H-bridges and, thus, the motor coils. It also allows controlling the step motor in both full-step and half-step modes by toggling states on MS1 and MS1 pins. The bipolar step motor coils can be connected to the onboard screw terminals. There are two terminals used to connect each of the step motor coils. The third connector connects an external voltage, ranging from 4.5V to 35V,
depending on the used motor voltage requirements. It should be noted that without a valid external voltage connected to this terminal, the motor will not work. Also, 40V is the absolute maximum voltage allowed as per the datasheet. Thus, the overtemperature protection might be activated when driving heavier loads. The recommended maximum voltage should not exceed 35V, as stated on the silkscreen layer of the PCB. All of the MP6500 control lines are routed to the second IC on the Stepper 13 Click, which is the PCA9538A, a well-known 8bit I/O expander with a serial interface, used on many of the mikroelektronika's designs for its simplicity and reliability. It allows the control lines of the MP6500 IC to be driven via the I2C and the few pins it uses - reducing the required pin count of the Stepper 13 click. This also allows for sending compact I2C messages instead of toggling several pins at once - which can introduce
problems with timing sometimes, especially when those pins belong to different MCU ports. Changing the states of the six control pins makes it possible to drive the step motor in full- and half-step modes. However, provided MikroElektronika libraries contain simple and intuitive functions to control the bipolar step motor fully, connected to Stepper 13 Click. Their usage is demonstrated in the included example application, which can be used as a reference for a custom design. The motor power supply can be connected to the input terminal labeled as VIN and should be within the range of 4.5V to 35V. Stepper motor coils can be connected to A1, B2, B1, and A2 terminals. The Click board™ supports an optional external power supply for the motor. However, it also requires 5V from the mikroBUS™ rail.
Features overview
Development board
Nucleo-64 with STM32G474R MCU offers a cost-effective and adaptable platform for developers to explore new ideas and prototype their designs. This board harnesses the versatility of the STM32 microcontroller, enabling users to select the optimal balance of performance and power consumption for their projects. It accommodates the STM32 microcontroller in the LQFP64 package and includes essential components such as a user LED, which doubles as an ARDUINO® signal, alongside user and reset push-buttons, and a 32.768kHz crystal oscillator for precise timing operations. Designed with expansion and flexibility in mind, the Nucleo-64 board features an ARDUINO® Uno V3 expansion connector and ST morpho extension pin
headers, granting complete access to the STM32's I/Os for comprehensive project integration. Power supply options are adaptable, supporting ST-LINK USB VBUS or external power sources, ensuring adaptability in various development environments. The board also has an on-board ST-LINK debugger/programmer with USB re-enumeration capability, simplifying the programming and debugging process. Moreover, the board is designed to simplify advanced development with its external SMPS for efficient Vcore logic supply, support for USB Device full speed or USB SNK/UFP full speed, and built-in cryptographic features, enhancing both the power efficiency and security of projects. Additional connectivity is
provided through dedicated connectors for external SMPS experimentation, a USB connector for the ST-LINK, and a MIPI® debug connector, expanding the possibilities for hardware interfacing and experimentation. Developers will find extensive support through comprehensive free software libraries and examples, courtesy of the STM32Cube MCU Package. This, combined with compatibility with a wide array of Integrated Development Environments (IDEs), including IAR Embedded Workbench®, MDK-ARM, and STM32CubeIDE, ensures a smooth and efficient development experience, allowing users to fully leverage the capabilities of the Nucleo-64 board in their projects.
Microcontroller Overview
MCU Card / MCU
Architecture
ARM Cortex-M4
MCU Memory (KB)
512
Silicon Vendor
STMicroelectronics
Pin count
64
RAM (Bytes)
128k
You complete me!
Accessories
Click Shield for Nucleo-64 comes equipped with two proprietary mikroBUS™ sockets, allowing all the Click board™ devices to be interfaced with the STM32 Nucleo-64 board with no effort. This way, Mikroe allows its users to add any functionality from our ever-growing range of Click boards™, such as WiFi, GSM, GPS, Bluetooth, ZigBee, environmental sensors, LEDs, speech recognition, motor control, movement sensors, and many more. More than 1537 Click boards™, which can be stacked and integrated, are at your disposal. The STM32 Nucleo-64 boards are based on the microcontrollers in 64-pin packages, a 32-bit MCU with an ARM Cortex M4 processor operating at 84MHz, 512Kb Flash, and 96KB SRAM, divided into two regions where the top section represents the ST-Link/V2 debugger and programmer while the bottom section of the board is an actual development board. These boards are controlled and powered conveniently through a USB connection to program and efficiently debug the Nucleo-64 board out of the box, with an additional USB cable connected to the USB mini port on the board. Most of the STM32 microcontroller pins are brought to the IO pins on the left and right edge of the board, which are then connected to two existing mikroBUS™ sockets. This Click Shield also has several switches that perform functions such as selecting the logic levels of analog signals on mikroBUS™ sockets and selecting logic voltage levels of the mikroBUS™ sockets themselves. Besides, the user is offered the possibility of using any Click board™ with the help of existing bidirectional level-shifting voltage translators, regardless of whether the Click board™ operates at a 3.3V or 5V logic voltage level. Once you connect the STM32 Nucleo-64 board with our Click Shield for Nucleo-64, you can access hundreds of Click boards™, working with 3.3V or 5V logic voltage levels.
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.
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 Nucleo 64 with STM32G474RE MCU 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 Stepper 13 Click driver.
Key functions:
stepper13_set_direction- This function sets the motor direction by setting the DIR pin logic statestepper13_set_step_mode- This function sets the step mode resolution settingsstepper13_drive_motor- This function drives the motor for the specific number of steps at the selected speed
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 Stepper 13 Click example
*
* # Description
* This example demonstrates the use of the Stepper 13 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 full steps and then counter-clockwise for 200 half
* steps and 400 quarter steps with 2 seconds delay on driving mode change. All data is
* being logged on the USB UART where you can track the program flow.
*
* @author Stefan Filipovic
*
*/
#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "stepper13.h"
static stepper13_t stepper13;
static log_t logger;
void application_init ( void )
{
log_cfg_t log_cfg; /**< Logger config object. */
stepper13_cfg_t stepper13_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.
stepper13_cfg_setup( &stepper13_cfg );
STEPPER13_MAP_MIKROBUS( stepper13_cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
if ( I2C_MASTER_ERROR == stepper13_init( &stepper13, &stepper13_cfg ) )
{
log_error( &logger, " Communication init." );
for ( ; ; );
}
if ( STEPPER13_ERROR == stepper13_default_cfg ( &stepper13 ) )
{
log_error( &logger, " Default configuration." );
for ( ; ; );
}
log_info( &logger, " Application Task " );
}
void application_task ( void )
{
log_printf ( &logger, " Move 200 full steps clockwise, speed: slow\r\n\n" );
stepper13_set_direction ( &stepper13, STEPPER13_DIR_CW );
stepper13_set_step_mode ( &stepper13, STEPPER13_MODE_FULL_STEP );
stepper13_drive_motor ( &stepper13, 200, STEPPER13_SPEED_SLOW );
Delay_ms ( 2000 );
log_printf ( &logger, " Move 200 half steps counter-clockwise, speed: medium\r\n\n" );
stepper13_set_direction ( &stepper13, STEPPER13_DIR_CCW );
stepper13_set_step_mode ( &stepper13, STEPPER13_MODE_HALF_STEP );
stepper13_drive_motor ( &stepper13, 200, STEPPER13_SPEED_MEDIUM );
Delay_ms ( 2000 );
log_printf ( &logger, " Move 400 quarter steps counter-clockwise, speed: fast\r\n\n" );
stepper13_set_direction ( &stepper13, STEPPER13_DIR_CCW );
stepper13_set_step_mode ( &stepper13, STEPPER13_MODE_QUARTER_STEP );
stepper13_drive_motor ( &stepper13, 400, STEPPER13_SPEED_FAST );
Delay_ms ( 2000 );
}
int main ( void )
{
application_init( );
for ( ; ; )
{
application_task( );
}
return 0;
}
// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END
Additional Support
Resources
Category:Stepper
