I'm trying to figure out the feasibility of a project I've always wanted to build. This involves building a MIDI receiver/synthesizer that controls many DC high current solenoid magnets.
This indicates that the MIDI processing should be relatively easy:
However, at some point I will need a driver board to control the soleniods. The magnets are 90 ohm, 12 volts DC. Ideally, I'd like to be able to control 61 of them. Realistically, I'll probably start much smaller like 13.
This board is useful, but stacking 4 of them for 64 outputs is not recommended. Perhaps you can find breakout boards, controllable by a few wires (I2C/SPI), which you can place near the pipes. Then it won't hurt if such boards can drive less coils, in contrast you'll have shorter cables going from the boards to the pipes.
Your coils require only 12V/90R ~ 140mA each. That's between bare port extenders (cheap, <16mA) and motor driver (more expensive, >1A) capabilities. If you can solder yourself, or have a friend who can, you can make your own boards at a fraction of that price (2 chips for 8 outputs).
A single TPIC6b595 can drive 8 solenoids (8x 150mA).
No other parts than a decoupling cap on the 5volt supply.
Only three pins of the Arduino are needed, and many can be daisy-chained.
Leo..
I know there are many people who have done something similar.
I would highly recommend you contact as many as you can and find out what worked and what did not.
back in the day of the BasicStamp, I helped a guy do one. not sure how it all turned out and what parts he finally used.
I'm thinking it was probably 10 years ago.
