Control a Stepper Motor Using an Arduino Due and an L298N Motor Driver

Stepper motors are widely used in many applications, such as 3D printers, CNC machines, and robotics. They are known for their precise and accurate movements, making them an excellent choice for precise positioning and control. In this tutorial, we will learn how to control a stepper motor using an Arduino Due and an L298N motor driver.

What is a Stepper Motor

A stepper motor is a type of electric motor that moves in small, precise steps rather than continuously rotating like a conventional motor. It is typically used in applications that require precise control over the motor's position, such as in robotics and CNC machines.

What is an L298N Motor Driver

The L298N motor driver is a dual full-bridge driver that can be used to control the speed and direction of DC motors and stepper motors. It has two H-bridge drivers that can be used to control the speed and direction of two motors independently.

Circuit Diagram

To control a stepper motor using an Arduino Due and an L298N motor driver, we need to connect the components as follows:

• Connect the positive terminal of the stepper motor to the VMS pin of the L298N stepper motor driver.
• Connect the negative terminal of the stepper motor to the GND pin of the L298N motor driver.
• Connect the IN1, IN2, IN3, and IN4 pins of the L298N motor driver to digital pins 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the Arduino Due, respectively.
• Connect the 5V and GND pins of the L298N motor driver to a 5V power supply.

Following shows the stepper motor control with Arduino Due, L298N and potentiometer.

Video demonstration

Following is video demonstration of  how to control of stepper motor with Arduino Due and L298N motor driver works.

Arduino Code

To control the stepper motor using the Arduino Due and the L298N motor driver, we need to use the following code:

#include <Stepper.h>

const int stepsPerRevolution = 24;  // Change this to match the number of steps per revolution of your stepper motor
const int potPin = A0;               // The pin that the potentiometer is connected to

Stepper myStepper(stepsPerRevolution, 3, 4, 5, 6);  // Create an instance of the Stepper class, using pins 2, 3, 4, and 5

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  myStepper.setSpeed(0);  // Set the speed of the stepper motor to 0 RPM
}

void loop() {
  int speed = analogRead(potPin);  // Read the value of the potentiometer
  speed = map(speed, 0, 1023, 0, 100);  // Map the value to a speed between 0 and 100 RPM

  myStepper.setSpeed(speed);  // Set the speed of the stepper motor to the value read from the potentiometer
  Serial.println(speed);

  myStepper.step(1);  // Step the motor one step in one direction
  //delay(15);
}

#include <Stepper.h>

const int stepsPerRevolution = 24;
const int potPin = A0;

Stepper myStepper(stepsPerRevolution, 3, 4, 5, 6);

myStepper.setSpeed(0);

int speed = analogRead(potPin);

speed = map(speed, 0, 1023, 0, 100);

myStepper.setSpeed(speed);

myStepper.step(1);