Page 13 - Robot Builder's Bonanza

xii CONTENTS

Testing Current Draw of a Motor 224
Dealing with Voltage Drops 228
Avoiding Electrical Noise 229

Chapter 22—Using DC Motors 230
The Fundamentals of DC Motors 230
Reviewing DC Motor Ratings 232
Controlling a DC Motor 232
Motor Control by Switch 232
Motor Control by Relay 234
Motor Control by Bipolar Transistor 239
Motor Control by Power MOSFET Transistor 241
Motor Control by Bridge Module 244
Controlling the Speed of a DC Motor 247
Bonus Projects: Interfacing to Motor Bridge Modules 248

Chapter 23—Using Servo Motors 249
How R/C Servos Work 249
Control Signals for R/C Servos 251
The Role of the Potentiometer 253
Special- Purpose Servo Types and Sizes 253
Gear Trains and Power Drives 254
Output Shaft Bushings and Bearings 254
Typical Servo Specs 255
Connector Styles and Wiring 256
Analog Versus Digital Servos 257
Electronics for Controlling a Servo 258
Using Continuously Rotating Servos 260
Modifying a Standard Servo for Continuous Rotation 261
Using Servo Motors for Sensor Turrets 265

Chapter 24—Mounting Motors and Wheels 266
Mounting DC Motors 266
Mounting and Aligning Motors with Aluminum Channel 269
Mounting R/C Servos 270
Mounting Drivetrain Components to Shafts 272
Mounting Wheels to DC Gear Motors 273
Mounting Wheels to R/C Servos 274

00-frontmatter.indd xii 4/21/11 11:42 AM