Choosing motor driver/controller and basic project feasibility

Other Hardware Motors, Mechanics, Power and CNC
1

Hey guys,

As part of a co-op project I am required to make a heavy duty mobile robot with an arduino mega

Here is the chassis I have chosen: http://www.robotshop.com/ca/en/dagu-wild-thumper-6wd-all-terrain-chassis-aluminum-75-1.html

The specs of the motors are :

• Rated voltage: 6V DC (Min. 2V- Max. 7.5V)
• Stall current: maximum 5.5A
• Maximum Locked current of 5.5A
• No load current per motor: 350mA
• Motor RPM: 10000 + / - 5%
• Gear Box speed ratio: 75:1
• Output shaft speed: 295rpm + / - 5%
• Stall torque is 4Kg/cm
• Locked-rotor torque: 4Kg/cm

I understand that since these are not servo motors, I will need a motor controller to work with these motors?
Does anyone have a good motor controller shield they can recommend? I am new to this, so I don't have much knowledge.

I am also planning to attach a camera to two servos, however this shouldnt be an issue because I know servos can be directly connected to an arduino.

Lastly(just incase this makes any difference), I am planning to control the robot using a wireless controller, through xbee. So a wireless shield will also be connected to my arduino

EDIT: The motors will have a seperate power supply from the arduino

2

From the same website, you'll need three of these to control all 6 motors:

3

polymorph:
From the same website, you'll need three of these to control all 6 motors:
http://www.robotshop.com/ca/en/sabertooth-dual-12a-regenerative-motor-driver.html

thanks for the reply, I'm pretty sure that I read somewhere all the tires on one side are wired in parallel, so theres only two motor outputs.
here is also one I found that I think is suitable: http://www.pololu.com/product/2507

what it your opinion?

4

That should do it.