IR Interrupter Sensor to Control Stepper Motor Forward/Reverse?

I'm would like to build a circuit to control a stepper motor to go forward till the IR sensor detects gap then turn off motor, then send a signal again for it to move in reverse till it reaches a second gap and the motor turns off. Repeating the process back and forth. I'm hoping to implement a timer that will send the motor forward/reverse when needed. I have no clue what I'm doing just a little knowledge of stepper motors and circuits though I have never built any ciruits. I would imagine I could use a 555 chip to send the pulses to the stepper motter and use the IR Interrupter to stop the pulses when needed in each direction. Thanks for any help.

Reply to
Barkster
Loading thread data ...

This is why we invented microcontrollers. Thats how I would do it, quite simple.

Doing it with hardware logic will take more than a 555 or two, but I'm sure somebody here has a way to do it.

Luhan

Reply to
Luhan

Well microcontroller sounds fine as long as it doesn't involve a computer :-) that's what I think of when you mention that. I'm just looking for something not too complicated and does't require and special equipment to make. Though from what your saying this may not be possible

Reply to
Barkster

Would taking the stepper motor out and using a regular dc motor simplify things, I just have a bunch laying around and like their holding power

Reply to
Barkster

One does not send 'pulses' to a stepper, or at least one doesn't send pulses that look like commands.

One drives the coils of a stepper in a certain sequence, depending on the flavor of stepper motor it is.

To do this job you would need timer of some sort, which could be a 555. You would also need a stepper motor controller, either homemade from logic or bought, and some logic to keep track of the direction of travel and to reverse it reliably.

You could do this with a single 8-pin PIC microcontroller and some power electronics, or you could do this with about 10 square inches of 7400 series logic chips plus some power electronics.

--
Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
 Click to see the full signature
Reply to
Tim Wescott

You would still need logic to keep track of which direction you want it to go -- but yea.

I hope you mean "DC motor with gearbox" -- a bare DC motor doesn't have much holding power at all.

--
Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
 Click to see the full signature
Reply to
Tim Wescott

I did that, plus programmable progressive acceleration, in 8 square inches back in 1978. The "program" - such as it was - was blown into a small PROM.

I'd still be inclinded to use an in-system-programmable PLD today, because I'd want to do a bit of microstepping to get ahead of the resonances, but a PIC or the like would be easier and cheaper. Back in

1978 I wanted to use and 8051, but there was something like six months worth of jobs queued for the development system.
--
Bill Sloman, Nijmegen
Reply to
bill.sloman

If you want "not too complicated", then use a reversible DC motor, not a stepper. Then, just a little bit of logic can select "forward", "stop", and "reverse".

Do you still have the ability to specify the motor, or are you just looking for a kewl way to use that stepper that somebody gave you? ;-)

Good Luck! Rich

Reply to
Rich Grise

Just had a box full of steppers laying around from a CNC router I built. I got them cheap on ebay and they have good power for the amount of voltage required.

Reply to
Barkster

ElectronDepot website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.