Hi, I am currently doing a project for my Alevel product design where I will be using an ardunio to control a drinks mixing machine/cocktail machine. After getting some guidance on what hardware I would need to buy in order for this to work I have found it very difficult to write a code figure out what I am actually doing. My hardware is as follows:
First off I am looking for help with hardware, I am unsure if I can control the pumps using the LCD keypad. To be honest I am completely lost. What I'm trying to achieve is, 4 pumps that can pump a controlled amount of liquid, which is being controlled by the LCD keypad and being able to naviagted a menu to select the drink by using that keypad.
You need to be more specific and also be meticulous with the descriptions in your project.
The answer to your question is:
No, you can't control any motors with your LCD Keypad Shield.
The LCD Keypad Shield, offers a user interface.
You need something else to process the input by the user via the Keypad, and which also offers feedback to that user via the Display.
Of course i understand that this is not the answer you were looking for and i also understand approximately what question you actually want to ask.
But you didn't ask it.
The reason why i gave you this answer, is that you need to start thinking a bit differently.
You need to know what you are working with, and never forget it is the Arduino that is supposed to control things (not the keypad or display, they are controlled by the Arduino themselves too).
You have made yourself an idea of what you want to achieve with your project (i do hope so).
Think of that project as a problem, or rather as a whole bunch of problems.
Break it down into smaller problems.
And break them down into even smaller problems.
Keep doing this, and you'll see that the problems end up is easy to solve ones.
Use a (large) piece of paper if you have to, or an entire notepad.
Also, before you go and buy hardware, check to see all hardware you like to use in the same project, is compatible.
So shields shouldn't want to use the same pins (unless these pins are part of a bus that allows for this).
I think it is very well possible that these shields you've got there will have conflicts but i didn't check it.
Besides, the motor shield can handle 1 stepper motor, or 2 standard DC motors.
If you want to control 4 motors, you need some additional hardware.
You need to decide whether or not you need to control all motors at the same time.
There's lots of things to consider.
That's where the piece of paper comes in.
I understand that this project is part of your education.
This means you need to do the work, so you can learn from it.
If you ever dreamt of it, don't try to get people to do the work for you.
You wouldn't survive after the education, making all this a waste of time.
Thank you so much for your reply, so now that we have established that the LCD keypad won't be able to control the pumps do you have any other suggestions that will allow a user to be able to select a drink in a simple user friendly way? And also do you have any advice on hardwhere I could but to use 4 pumps or more?
And as for this being education and trying to figure this out for myself, this project is part of my product desing course and in the real work as a desinger I would send my electrical requrements to the electronics team and they would produce electronics to meet my products requirements. But I do see your point, but as I am on a tight deadline I'm trying everthing I can to do this.