L298N: A Motor Driver That Accepts High Voltages

Published: 09 January 2023 | Last Updated: 24 February 20232755
As more automation is used across industries, the demand for servo motors increases accordingly. Their ability to combine precise motion control with high torque levels makes them ideally suited to automation and robotics. The article focuses on the L298N motor driver and the knowledge content related to motor drive control.
If you’ve ever built a robot with wheels, or any motorised parts really, you’ll have come across the issue of needing to drive it from your microcontroller. Because a standard chip is only able to output a small amount of current, you’re not able to reliably drive small motors directly, let alone bigger ones. So, you need a way to drive them, which is where a motor driver comes in.

Motor Controllers vs Motor Drivers


The motor controller is an integrated circuit that works by actively working to control the motor in the set direction, speed, angle, and response time.


In electric vehicles, the function of the motor controller is to convert the electrical energy stored in the power battery into the electrical energy required to drive the motor according to the commands of gear, throttle, brake, etc. to control the driving status of the electric vehicle such as starting operation, in and out speed, climbing effort or will help the electric vehicle to brake and store part of the braking energy into the power battery.


CNC programmable stepper motor controller can be used with stepper motor driver and stepper motor to form a perfect stepper motor control system, which can control three stepper motors to run in time This controller adopts computer-style programming language and has various instructions such as input, output, and counting. With flexible programming and a wide range of adaptations, it can be widely used in various control automation fields.


A motor drive controller is an electrical or electronic device that regulates the speed, torque, and position output of a motor. The drive modifies the power input to the motor to achieve the desired output. The controller circuit is often integrated into a separate unit from the drive circuit, so the terms motor drive and motor controller are often used interchangeably. There are four basic motor drive controller types: AC, DC, servo, and stepper motors, each with input power types modified to achieve the required output function to match the application.


The Servo Drive is used to power an electric servo mechanism by receiving a command signal from the control system, amplifying it, and transmitting the current to the servo motor. It allows movement proportional to the command signal to be generated. The Servo Drive monitors the feedback signals from the mechanism. It also continuously adjusts if it deviates from the desired behavior. With this feedback, the accuracy of the commanded movement is ensured and unwanted movements can be detected. A unique characteristic of a servo motor is that it consumes power while rotating to the desired position and then stops when it reaches it.


AC motor drive control is an electronic device that modifies the input power to the motor, usually by adjusting the motor's power supply frequency to regulate output speed and torque. Key specifications include the intended application, drive operating mode, motor type, inverter type, loop system voltage classification, power rating, communication interface, and input and output electrical specifications. AC motor drive controls are mainly used in process applications to control the speed of pumps, fans, blowers, etc. They are known as variable speed drives, inverters, or AC inverters. A controller, usually integrated with the drive circuit, provides control signals to the drive.


In the embedded field l298n belongs to the most commonly used motor drive modules, which are stable, durable, and easy to operate much loved by electronics enthusiasts.


The L298N is a motor driver that accepts high voltages and can drive both DC motors and stepper motors. One driver chip can simultaneously control two DC gear motors to do different actions, in the voltage range of 6V to 46V, provide 2 amps of current, and have overheating self-break and feedback detection functions. It is easy to operate, stable, and can meet the high current driving conditions of DC motors.


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Unlike servo motors and stepper motors, most AC and DC motors do not require a controller or driver, except for the simplest motor starter and similar protective devices. AC motor drives are used when the speed of an AC motor needs to be controlled, as the speed of an AC induction motor is not normally controlled, and once the motor (via the number of poles) has been specified, the operating speed is indicated on the nameplate. On the other hand, a brushed DC motor can fundamentally control speed by varying the voltage across the motor rotor and magnetic field. This can be done with a simple varistor; no controller or drive is required. Newer brushless DC motors do not have mechanical commutation and therefore require a controller and driver to commutate the magnetic field electronically.

AC motor drive controllers are used to control the speed of motors driving pumps, fans, etc., where conventional valves or dampers might otherwise be used to throttle the flow. AC motor drives are used to increase efficiency by setting the speed of pumps, fans, etc. to exactly the required speed.

DC motor drive controllers are used to control permanent magnet DC motors running from an AC supply. DC motors have very good low-speed torque, making them particularly suitable for winches, cranes, etc. where the load needs to be lifted without a running start. Prior to the advent of electronic DC control, we often coupled DC motors to electric generator sets to generate DC power from AC induction motors.

Servo motor drive controllers rely on feedback from the servo motor to control position, speed, acceleration, etc. Servo motor manufacturers often provide drives for use with their motors.

The article focuses on motor drive controllers. Browse the article to learn that motor drive controllers are electrical or electronic devices that regulate the speed, torque, and position output of a motor. The drive modifies the power input to the motor to achieve the desired output. The controller circuit is often integrated into a separate unit from the drive circuit, so the terms motor drive and motor controller are often used interchangeably.

 


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