Controlling DC, Servo and Stepper Motors with Arduino Using the L293D Motor Driver Shield

Motor control is an essential part of robotics, automation systems and mechatronics projects. However, driving motors directly from an Arduino is not possible because the microcontroller cannot supply the required current. This is where a motor driver shield becomes useful. The L293D Motor Driver Shield provides an easy interface between the Arduino and multiple types of motors including DC motors, servo motors and stepper motors. In this project we will learn how to use the L293D motor shield with an Arduino UNO to control: • DC motor speed and direction • Servo motor movement • Stepper motor rotation and direction User inputs are taken through push buttons and a potentiometer, while a 16×2 I2C LCD displays the motor status and speed. L293D Motor Driver Shield Overview The L293D motor driver shield is designed to simplify motor control projects with Arduino. The shield contains two L293D H-bridge driver ICs which allow bidirectional control of motors. Each L293D IC can control 2 DC mo