Arduino Zero + Motor Shield R3

Other Hardware Motors, Mechanics, Power and CNC
1

I need to control 4 dc motors. However, this shield only 'supports' 2 motors and, as far as I can understand the schematics, it cannot be stacked - meaning that i cannot connect more than one shield to my arduino.

I am willing to take inspiration on this shield and build my own but I can't open the eagle files from Altium. I tried also with kicad - no luck.

Does anyone know what the problem might be?

Does any one have the Altium project and care to share?

Since we are at it, I tried Arduino Zero files too, with same (bad) results. Same questions for it.

Thanks.

2

gcampos:
I am willing to take inspiration on this shield and build my own...

Have a look at Pololu.com before you decide to invest in ancient/inefficient L298 technology.
Post a link to the motors you're planning to use.
Leo..

3

Wawa:
Have a look at Pololu.com before you decide to invest in ancient/inefficient L298 technology.
Post a link to the motors you're planning to use.
Leo..

Thanks for the suggestion.
I had checked on DRV88xx and TB6612; the latter definitely caught my attention, but this is a light application, so I am not too worried with L298.
I just need to drive 4 dc motors forward until they "lock" a pcb in position (will use a wormscrew) and then drive them backwards to release. I am thinking of using current sensing to stop the motors so that I can keep about 50% of the available torque to "unlock".

Actually I have not chosen the motors yet; I need about 10 - 20 N locking force on each, from the specs I have seen around, this is a low power application.
BTW, if you have any suggestions for such motors, I will appreciate. I need high quality durable robust stuff, this is going to operate 1 cycle per minute (lock, 60 secs, unlock, 10 secs, repeat), 3 shifts (24/7)

4

Should get the motors before the drivers, and pick the drivers according to the stall current of the motors.

This Adafruit v2 shield has two TB6612 drivers for four motors, and about the same current rating as the L298.
Leo..

5

Wawa:
Should get the motors before the drivers, and pick the drivers according to the stall current of the motors.

Not too worried because by carefully selecting the worm screw, I wont need the motors to hold the position, I will just shut them down.

Wawa:
This Adafruit v2 shield has two TB6612 drivers for four motors, and about the same current rating as the L298.
Leo..

Saw that too. 6612 looks really nice!

6

gcampos:
Not too worried because by carefully selecting the worm screw, I wont need the motors to hold the position, I will just shut them down.

:o Motors draw their stall current every time they start moving.
Leo..

7

Wawa:
:o Motors draw their stall current every time they start moving.
Leo..

Correct. For a fraction of a second - and it also depends on the acceleration imposed - respect to holding the position.