Germany-based engineer Jan Neumann has created a easy option to deploy and drive stepper motors for quite a lot of purposes together with his open supply Ethersweep platform. Ethersweep is an Ethernet-controlled stepper motor that provides straightforward interfacing with any machine on the identical community, together with PCs, machines, and backends. What’s extra, each UDP supporting language can talk with the platform, which may management as many motors as wanted so long as they’re on the identical community.
“It will get an IP deal with from a DHCP server and reveals knowledge like IP, working voltage, button and operation states on the OLED show,” Neumann explains on his mission write-up. “Modes like step, servo, and residential provide helpful options for many robotics and automation initiatives. The mission is at the moment in model 3 and continues to be ongoing. The {hardware} is purposeful whereas the software program nonetheless wants some enhancements.”
Neumann designed the Ethersweep utilizing a Trinamic TMC2208 stepper motor driver for movement management, an AMS AS5600 magnetic rotary encoder, and a rear-facing OLED show. The unit is managed by way of an ATmega328 microcontroller, whereas a Wiznet W5500 Ethernet chip is tasked with community communication. He additionally outfitted the Ethersweep with a micro USB port for importing firmware and drivers and a pair of connectors for end-stop and emergency cease buttons in case of emergencies.
Neumann has uploaded a whole walkthrough of the Ethersweep construct on his mission web page, full with recordsdata and schematics. Furthermore, he offers a step-by-step construct course of that makes it straightforward for novices and superior customers alike.
