Make:DC Motor Driver Board Assembly

Motor Driver Board Layout

This is the layout of the motor driver board.  be sure that your board is in the correct orientation before you start working on it.  You can tell by making sure that the GREEN traces in the above diagram are in on the TOP of the board.  Also, your board should be marked on the top, with an arrow facing right.

Parts

Lay out the parts, and make sure that you have everything you need:  These parts include the following items:

1. Printed Circuit Board
2. 4424 Motor Driver Chips (U1 and U2)
   
3. 5817 Schottky Diodes (D1 - D8)
4. 10k Resistors (R1 - R4)
5. 0.1uF and 0.01uF Capacitors (C1 and C2)
6. A 6-pin Header (JP1)
7. A 4-pin Header (JP2)

Parts Picture

Install Integrated Circuit Chips U1 and U2

• Spread the parts out on your workspace, and verify that they are all present and accounted for. 
  
• Check to be sure that you have the board in the right orientation- the top right is marked on the PCB. 
  
• Now solder the motor driver chips (U1 and U2) onto the board. 
  
• Be very careful that they are in the right holes, and of their orientation (make sure the notch is aligned to match the board layout diagram above.)

Motor Driver Chip Installed

Install the Diodes D1 - D8 (5817 Schottky Diodes)

• Now add the diodes. 
  
• Watch their orientation, too- the stripe on each diode case should match the stripe in the diagram above. 
  
• Bend the leads right at the case with your needle-nose pliers.
• Be careful while you install them- they are a tight fit on the little board. 
  
• The leads are pretty thick and need some coaxing to fit in the holes of the PCB
• If they are nice and straight they will fit better.

Diodes Installed 

Install the Resistors R1 - R4 (10k)

• Now install the resistors. 
  
• They are installed upright.
• Bend the leads into shape before you install each. 
  
• Look at the picture below to see how they should look. 
  
• Resistors do not have a polarity, so they can be installed in either direction.

Resistors Installed

Install the Headers JP1 and JP2

• Next install the headers on the PCB. 
  
• Make sure that they headers have the short pins inserted in the holes
• Long pins should point up. 
  
• A little scotch tape can be used to hold the headers in while soldering.
• The tape is taken off after the headers are installed and cool.

 Headers Installed

Install the Capacitors C1 and C2 (1uF and 0.1uF)

• The final assembly step is to install the capacitors. 
  
• They are both non-polarized.
• Location holes are not critical between C1 and C2.

 Capacitors Installed

Completed Make:DC Motor Driver Board

The picture of the completed board below shows what the Make:DC Motor Driver Board looks like when fully assembled.

See the "Use" section for details on how to use the Make:DC Motor Driver Board in your robotics projects!