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SparkFun Big Easy Driver Kit
Do you have ideas for a project that moves? A robot, automatic dog door, moving platform? Whatever the project, the SparkFun Big Easy Driver kit is designed to help make it a reality.
Each Big Easy Driver can drive up to a max of 2A per phase of a bi-polar stepper motor. It is a chopper microstepping driver which defaults to 16 step microstepping mode. It can take a maximum motor drive voltage of around 30V, and includes on-board 5V/3.3V regulation, so only one supply is necessary. Although this board should be able to run most systems without active cooling while operating at 1.4-1.7A/phase, a heatsink is required for loads approaching 2A/phase.
To act as the brains of your project is a SparkFun RedBoard Qwiic microcontroller. The SparkFun RedBoard Qwiic can be programmed over a USB Micro-B cable using the Arduino IDE: Just plug in the board, select "Arduino UNO" from the board menu and you're ready to upload code. You can power the SparkFun RedBoard Qwiic over USB or through the barrel jack. The on-board power regulator can handle anything from 7 to 15VDC.
Also included in this kit are a 12V/5V (2A) power supply, reversible USB A to reversible micro-B cable, small heatsink, M/M jumper wires (30 pack), and 8x 3.5mm pitch (2-pin) screw terminals. The only thing you will need to provide yourself is a stepper motor (we've listed a few examples in the Hookup Guide below).
Note: The Big Easy Driver was designed by Brian Schmalz. A portion of each sale goes back to him for product support and continued development.
Big Easy Driver:
- Schematic
- Eagle Files
- Big Easy Driver Hookup Guide
- Datasheet (A4988)
- Design Site
- GitHub Hardware Repo
SparkFun RedBoard Qwiic:
SparkFun Big Easy Driver Kit Product Help and Resources
12V/5V Power Supply Hookup Guide
May 10, 2018
In this tutorial, we will replace the 12V/5V (2A) power supply's molex connector with two male barrel jacks adapters.
How to Solder: Through-Hole Soldering
September 19, 2013
This tutorial covers everything you need to know about through-hole soldering.
Big Easy Driver Hookup Guide
February 13, 2015
How to get started with the SparkFun Big Easy Driver.
RedBoard Qwiic Hookup Guide
January 10, 2019
This tutorial covers the basic functionality of the RedBoard Qwiic. This tutorial also covers how to get started blinking an LED and using the Qwiic system.
Motors and Selecting the Right One
December 12, 2013
Learn all about different kinds of motors and how they operate.
ATX Power Connector (4-Pin) Breakout Hookup Guide
October 10, 2019
Do you need to power a project with 12V and 5V from one wall adapter? The ATX power connector breaks out the standard 4-pin computer peripheral port for your 12V and 5V devices!
Core Skill: Soldering
This skill defines how difficult the soldering is on a particular product. It might be a couple simple solder joints, or require special reflow tools.
Skill Level: Competent - You will encounter surface mount components and basic SMD soldering techniques are required.
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Core Skill: Robotics
This skill concerns mechanical and robotics knowledge. You may need to know how mechanical parts interact, how motors work, or how to use motor drivers and controllers.
Skill Level: Competent - You may need an understanding of servo motors and how to drive them. Additionally, you may need some fundamental understanding of motor controllers.
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Core Skill: Programming
If a board needs code or communicates somehow, you're going to need to know how to program or interface with it. The programming skill is all about communication and code.
Skill Level: Rookie - You will need a better fundamental understand of what code is, and how it works. You will be using beginner-level software and development tools like Arduino. You will be dealing directly with code, but numerous examples and libraries are available. Sensors or shields will communicate with serial or TTL.
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Core Skill: Electrical Prototyping
If it requires power, you need to know how much, what all the pins do, and how to hook it up. You may need to reference datasheets, schematics, and know the ins and outs of electronics.
Skill Level: Competent - You will be required to reference a datasheet or schematic to know how to use a component. Your knowledge of a datasheet will only require basic features like power requirements, pinouts, or communications type. Also, you may need a power supply that?s greater than 12V or more than 1A worth of current.
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