Hello,

I want to test the quality of a potentiometer (example: volume button on machine/radio). So I had decided to use stepper motor. But I do not have much knowledge about stepper motor. Could you suggest model and its driver? My actual project is as follows:

QC test: motor is connect with potentiometer. Initially motor remain in zero position (potentiometer in fully counter clockwise direction). With some trigger/signal (generated manually) motor starts rotating upto 50% (potentiometer in half position). Again trigger need to generate manually so that motor rotates (potentiometer reaches its fully clockwise direction). Again trigger manually, motor moves counter clockwise direction to reach at initial position.

I want to repeat the above QC test repeatedly. I had selected stepper motor because its uses step/degree to rotate perfectly same position. Hence potentiometer will not get damaged while testing and rotating CW and CCW.

 

What is your level of knowledge and experience with electronic projects? Are you familiar with microcontrollers and programming them?
The simplest solution would be to use a microcontroller such as an Arduino, with a stepper motor driver. This is a url to some information that will help you to choose the right components for your project:
https://arduinogetstarted.com/tutorials/arduino-stepper-motor

 

You would not require a very strong motor for that application, the smallest of Frame size should suffice.
Did you want remote operation?
Also a motor of the same type can drive another when wired direct if needed.

 

What is your level of knowledge and experience with electronic projects? Are you familiar with microcontrollers and programming them?
The simplest solution would be to use a microcontroller such as an Arduino, with a stepper motor driver. This is a url to some information that will help you to choose the right components for your project:
https://arduinogetstarted.com/tutorials/arduino-stepper-motor

I had worked on analog and digital circuits but never programmed any microcontroller

 

You would not require a very strong motor for that application, the smallest of Frame size should suffice.
Did you want remote operation?
Also a motor of the same type can drive another when wired direct if needed.

Yes small motor is enough as needed torque will be less.
No remote operation needed. But trigger need to be manual.

 

So you think making a machine to turn a pot is going to be easier than doing it by hand?

 

So you think making a machine to turn a pot is going to be easier than doing it by hand?

The project is more complex but I made it simple to understand by you guys. Thats why I had chosen stepper motor to get accurate movement to retrieve the correct data each time.

 

If the speed demand is very low, you would not require anything too sophisticated in the way of the stepper drive itself.
The means of control would depend on wether the pulse count is fixed each time or needs to be variable.

 

The project is more complex but I made it simple to understand by you guys.

That is usually not a good approach. It is better to give us the big picture. However in this case it may suffice.

There are many examples on the internet. Google Arduino stepper motor.

https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/LibraryExamples/StepperOneRevolution

 

If the speed demand is very low, you would not require anything too sophisticated in the way of the stepper drive itself.
The means of control would depend on wether the pulse count is fixed each time or needs to be variable.

Low speed is ok

 

That is usually not a good approach. It is better to give us the big picture. However in this case it may suffice.

There are many examples on the internet. Google Arduino stepper motor.

https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/LibraryExamples/StepperOneRevolution

Is it ok to use 555 timer IC instead of arduino? as 555 ic is readily available with me

 

The 555 answer should work, esecially if the number of steps are constant.

 

The 555 answer should work, esecially if the number of steps are constant.

Ok

 

This is some good basic information on stepper motors. It includes the waveforms needed to drive them. You should be able to design the digital electronics to drive one using a 555 as a clock, and using a H-bridge motor driver.

 

I would use a uni-polar motor for simplicity and the L298 modules are cheap to pick up.
For slow speed control, just use a power supply voltage at the motor rated constant value.