DIY Motorized Pan & Tilt Spotlight with DMX Control

Projects General Guidance
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Hello Arduino community,

I am looking to create a DIY solution for controlling the pan and tilt of my Chauvet LED Followspot 75sT using Arduino and stepper motors. Specifically, I want to be able to remotely control the pan and tilt movements of the Followspot using a DMX light controller software like LightKey.

Here's some information about the Followspot:

  • Weight: 15 pounds
  • Mounting: M12 bolt

After researching different options, I have decided to use stepper motors as they provide precise position control and can handle heavier loads than most servo motors. I plan to mount the stepper motors onto a bracket that can accommodate an M12 bolt, and use a linkage system to connect the motors to the pan and tilt mechanisms of the Followspot.

To control the stepper motors, I plan to use an Arduino board, along with two stepper motor drivers, a breadboard, and jumper wires. I will write a simple program using the "AccelStepper" library to control the motors, and connect the Arduino board to a DMX interface that can translate DMX signals into serial data that can be read by the Arduino. I plan to use a DMX light controller software like LightKey to send DMX signals to the interface, which will control the pan and tilt of the Followspot based on the signals it receives.

I have a few specific questions about this project:

  1. What is the optimal torque and speed rating for the stepper motors I should use to handle the 15-pound weight of the Followspot?
  2. What DMX interface do you recommend using with Arduino for this application?
  3. How will I build the mount for the Followspot and ensure it’s securely mounted to the stepper motors and linkage system?
  4. Can anyone help me with the coding, complete beginner

Thank you in advance for your guidance and advice!

Some nice references I like to go off of:

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Having pushed a few luminaires around in the past, your issues will be the mass of the lsmp head, and speed.

Using steppers, you’ll need a pretty big motors, and suitable gearing. Note the well balanced mechanisms in your videos. if you’re fighting any imbalance, you’ll be wasting power.

Also remember - with steppers, you’ll need some form of position indexing, (limits or encoder etc.)

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