RoboMall Motorshield V2.0 - I2C, TB6612, 4 DC motors

Product Overview

• Motor control module for Arduino-compatible boards with I2C control
• Controls up to 4 DC motors or 2 stepper motors via 2 pins (SDA, SCL)
• 2 servo connections with 5 V power supply from the Arduino board
• TB6612 driver with 1.2 A per channel, peak currents up to 3 A for approximately 20 ms
• Motor power supply via separate screw terminals, isolated from the logic voltage
• Up to 32 shields can be stacked using the I2C address selection pins
• Plugs onto Arduino Uno, Leonardo, Mega2560, Due and compatible boards

Product Description

The motor control module plugs onto an Arduino-compatible board and provides complete control of DC motors, stepper motors and servos. Instead of using individual digital pins for each motor, the shield communicates with the microcontroller via just two I2C pins. This leaves additional pins available and allows other I2C devices to be connected to the same two lines.

Two TB6612 driver chips with a total of four H-bridges provide 1.2 A per channel and can handle peak currents of up to 3 A for short periods. With four separate channels, up to four DC motors can be controlled in both direction and speed, with the latter adjustable in 256 steps. The same channels can also drive stepper motors in single, double, interleave or microstepping mode. Two additional connections are provided for servomotors, whose power supply comes directly from the Arduino board's 5 V regulator.

Motors and the external power supply are connected via screw terminals, keeping the motor power supply completely separate from the Arduino board's logic voltage. This is necessary because motors generate current spikes when starting and changing direction, which could otherwise interfere with the sensitive logic. Five address selection pins allow the I2C address to be configured. This makes it possible to stack up to 32 modules and control them from a single microcontroller without requiring additional control lines, significantly simplifying applications with many motors.

Operation requires an Arduino-compatible board with an I2C interface and the corresponding library in the Arduino IDE. A separate power supply for the motors, sized according to the type and number of connected motors, must be provided.

Safety Notice

This module is not intended for use with mains electricity and is exclusively designed for building prototypes and for testing and development purposes. The motor power supply must be electrically isolated from the Arduino board's logic voltage; if you are unsure about the power supply or correct connection, consult a qualified electrician before commissioning.

Scope of Delivery

• 1x RoboMall Motorshield V2.0 - with I2C interface, TB6612 MOSFET