DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF A MICROCONTROLLER BASED VERSATILE STEPPER MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM

ABSTRACT

A microcontroller-Based Versatile Stepper Motor System/Trainer has been designed and implemented in this project. The developed prototype was built with readily available components including the AT89C51 Microcontroller which runs the control software and provides a flexible interface to the stepper motor drive. The control system is capable of driving the stepper motor clockwise or counterclockwise in full steps or in half steps according to the need of the stepper motor driven application. The angular displacement for the stepper motor shaft is 50 per full-step and 2.50 per half-step but this varies according to the design of each stepper motor. This prototype can be used to demonstrate the features of a stepper motor that recommends it for use in incremental motion control where precision and positioning accuracy are of paramount importance. Examples of such applications include its use in conveyor belts in pharmaceutical industries, bottling companies, printers, and many others. If used as a trainer kit in our tertiary institutions, there is no doubt that it will enhance the know-how of the students and by extension improve their capacity to help automate our local industries

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1            Background of the Study

Microcontroller based stepper motor control is an electronic device which transfers control to an attached object and drives it towards a particular direction in stipulated steps as specified by the microcontroller, depending on control input signals from the controller, the stepper motor can be caused to exhibit various effects through specified mode of operation. It is applied in electromechanical devices were precise or specific angular movement is being addressed.

The project aim is to witness the application of stepper motor on devices attached to it, there by experimenting the movement with the help yielded by this motor. With the aid of control input buttons, specific directive signals are being set up to activate the stepper motor which now transfer control to objects/device attached.

The experiments portrayed by this project are achieved using the control software found in the microcontroller.

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1.2            Objective of the Project

The Objectives of this project are as follows,

To design and implement a stepper motor controller by programming the mi