Could I use Arduino Uno to Trigger Actuators

Projects General Guidance
1

I am working on a project that requires my VB6 application to trigger either one of two actuators (each of the two actuators will work independent from each other). This means that my VB6 application could trigger the left actuator or the right actuator as may be required in the program. i have no familiarity using microcontrollers as my background is only in application development. I need advice if Arduino Uno ATmega 328 MCU Board could be used for my requirement. Could my VB6 application trigger either of the two actuators using Arduino Uno? I need to send a 5v (at least 2amps) signal to trigger the actuator. My VB6 application via the microcontroller will control activation of the actuators.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

2

Your VB app can communicaate with the arduino using usb; it will appear to the VB app as a COM port. The arduino will have to parse instructions about what you want the actuators to do out of the data you send.

The arduino can't supply anything like 2A so you'll need a power supply and some means of switching it - relays or mosfets or H-bridge most likely.

3

This shows the basic process:

many other examples exist... just Google.

Ray

4

Thanks wildbill and mrburnette :slight_smile: