using arduino as on/off switch to control 100 motor individually

Projects General Guidance
1

hi guys,

this is my 2nd day knowing Arduino. what leads me here is the project that I currently working on as the title state.

using arduino as on/off switch to control 100 motors individually

these motors will use their own DC power source of 12V. they need to be individually controlled so that I can program them to turn on and off in a sequence(just on/off function). multiple motors may turn on at the same time.

the question for everyone is: would Arduino be able to perform such function? if yes, which model would be the best to suit it?
my guts feeling tells me the due will do, but just like to get everyone' opinion before I step in to it.

thanks.

2

would Arduino be able to perform such function?

Yes, with careful selection and design of the external hardware.

if yes, which model would be the best to suit it?

Any of them. You'll only need 8 pins for all 100 motors, because you WILL be using shift registers.

3

Any Arduino can do what you want but none have 100 output pins so you will need some output expansion. One fairly simple method would be cascading shift registers. Each would provide 8 outputs so you need 13 of them. Each motor will also need a transistor and a resistor to switch the 12V.

The SPI hardware can shift data out at 8,000,000 bits per second so an update of all 13 shift registers would take about 13 microseconds.

4

johnwasser:
Each motor will also need a transistor and a resistor to switch the 12V.

Would you recommend a flyback diode as well, given that it's an inductive load?

5

PeterH:

johnwasser:
Each motor will also need a transistor and a resistor to switch the 12V.

Would you recommend a flyback diode as well, given that it's an inductive load?

Yes. I forgot that part.

You will also need bypass capacitors for each of the shift registers and maybe some noise suppression capacitors on the motors to keep the electrical noise down.

6

OK, I guess making something reality is much difficult than having something in mind. even for some simple things.
I will start will just a couple of motors first, see how that turns out.
newbie question again, whats a shift here? Is it a SW code, or HW part?

thanks

7

Shift Register 8-Bit - SN74HC595 - COM-13699 - SparkFun Electronics is a shift register, if that is what that last post was asking.

Or here. http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_911189_-1

Or other places. shift register at DuckDuckGo

8

Latching multiplex chips could be used, somewhat similar to the below parallel port Christmas light controller.

http://computerchristmas.com/christmas/link-how_to/HowToId-4/How_To_Build_A_Parallel_Port_Controller_Box

9

just fyi, running shift registers is hand in hand with arduino.

most led projects would be pretty dull if they were limited to just the arduino pins.

fiddly, but you start with 1 arduino, 1 motor, 1 shift register, and get that going, then you add 7 more, pow 8!, then link a second... carry on till your done!