Electronics Part – Saad ABO ALI
In any modern mechatronics project, the electronics part is essential part, the
electronics component serves as the central nervous system, integrating electrical and
mechanical elements for seamless functionality. This includes microcontrollers or
microprocessors, acting as the project's brain, sensors to gather environmental data
(position, velocity, force, temperature), actuators (motors, solenoids, hydraulic or
pneumatic systems) for converting electrical signals into mechanical motion, motor
drivers for precise control, power supplies, controllers with algorithms for system
responses, and communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C, Ethernet). The selection of
these electronic elements depends on factors such as accuracy, speed, reliability, and
cost, tailored to meet the specific requirements of the mechatronics project.
In our project we have 3 essential components:
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Microcontroller: To provide a versatile and programmable platform for
creating, prototyping, and controlling a wide range of electronic devices
and systems.
Actuators: To precisely control and position mechanical components in a
systematic and programmable manner.
Motor driver: To convert control signals from a microcontroller into the
necessary power and sequence of pulses required to drive and accurately
control the movement of a stepper motor.
Microcontroller - Arduino UNO
The Arduino UNO is a versatile microcontroller board, centered around the Atmel
ATmega328P, widely chosen for mechatronics projects due to its user-friendly
development environment, open-source nature, and extensive community support.
Serving as the project's brain, it facilitates the control of various components within a
mechatronic system, supporting analog and digital input/output, PWM for precise
actuator control, and various communication protocols.
STEPPER MOTOR
In our project we will use a set of 3 17HS4401 Nema17 and Nema11 Stepper Motors.
The NEMA17 stepper motor, belonging to the NEMA standard with a 1.7 x 1.7-inch
faceplate, is a popular choice in mechatronics projects due to its precise control over
rotational movement. Operating in discrete steps, it offers accuracy and position
control, making it ideal for our project since we need a certain level of accuracy
because it is a biomedical application on cells.
The NEMA17's balance of size, power, and cost contributes to its widespread adoption,
with standardized frame sizes ensuring compatibility with various mounting
structures. Its ability to hold positions without continuous power and reliability in
open-loop control systems makes it valuable for tasks requiring precise motion control
in mechatronics projects.
STEPPER MOTOR DRIVER
Stepper motor driver is an integrated circuit designed to control and regulate the
motion of stepper motors by converting digital signals into the appropriate power and
sequence of pulses for precise and efficient motor control in various electronic
applications.
In our project we will use the A4988 stepper motor driver since it has an affordable
price and enough functionality for our project. It has also 4 different options of
accuracy: 1 step, 1/2 step, 1/4 step and 1/8 step for driving the stepper motor.
Electronic Schematic
The electronic components of the project will be connected like the below schematic
to energize the motors and drivers and drive the motors using the drivers, we will use
also a set of 6 limit switches, 2 for both axis to execute the calibration with each start
of the system and also to stop the motion of the motors when they arrive to the end
of the axis.