A newbie trying to learn

hi all!,
well i hate registering in a forum just to get some help but i guess i have to…

so here is my noobish question…

im trying to make a complicated robot with about 15 motors of many types… some “big” ones at 12-24volts that will be used bacicaly for movement (the robot is about 20kg) … some with 6volts… and even some “small” ones at 3volts…
(like these maybe robotshop.ca/home/products/robot-parts/motors/stepper-motors/rbsoy14-soyo-unipolar-stepper-motor.html and maybe this… robotshop.ca/home/products/robot-parts/motors/gear-motors/low-cost-gears-motors/solarbotics-gm15-gear-motor.html )

what i need is a way to precisely controll them… with programing perhaps…

by searching a bit at robotshop.ca/learning-center.html i found out that i will need a microcontroller and a motor controller … so wich ones would u suggest and how would i set them up(any guides?)? is it possible at all actually to controll 15 and more motors ?

thanks for any reply :slight_smile:

Hi takhs,

Welcome to the forum. If you have more specific technical questions, RobotShop also offers a Support Center. However, the question you have is quite general and the answer will hopefully benefit many other users, so we appreciate you having posted it here.

The links you provided show motors that are very different; one of them is a micro DC gear motor, while the other is a larger stepper motor. Can we assume the “big” ones that will be used for propulsion are large DC gear motors?

Stepper motors, servo motors and dc motors are all controlled differently. There is no limit on the number of motors/actuators you can control. Precision can come in a variety of ways: speed, torque, position etc. Are you looking to precisely control the speed of the motor or the position of the output shaft?

Microcontrollers and motor controllers are not always necessary, as some people choose to manually control motors with switches etc. However in robotics, microcontrollers and motor controllers are almost always used.

Different designers go about choosing the right actuator differently. A general guideline as to how to choose the appropriate actuator can be found in the Learning Center. You can also reference the article “How do I choose the right microcontroller” as well. Choosing the right motor controller depends on three main criteria: maximum current, rated voltage and control method. Choose your actuators first and then select how you want to control it. Next, use one of the three motor comparison charts to find the appropriate controller based on current and voltage.

If you are looking for help in determining the right drive motors, take a look at the Drive Motor Sizing Tool. If you would like us to add more tools, feel free to make suggestions in the Learning Center Thread. If you can give an idea as to what you want each motor to accomplish, we (and the online community) would be in a better position to suggest specific solutions. Also, stay tuned for the Virtual Robot Builder.