Controlling TB6600 Stepper Motor Driver with Arduino.

Stepper motors are widely used in various applications, such as robotics, CNC machines, and 3D printers. One of the most popular stepper motor drivers is the TB6600, which provides high performance and reliability.

In this article, we will discuss how to control the “TB6600 stepper motor driver” with an Arduino. By the end of this article, you will be able to implement this setup in your own projects and control your stepper motor smoothly and accurately.

What is TB6600 Stepper Motor Driver?

The TB6600 Stepper Motor Driver is a high-performance and cost-effective driver for bipolar stepper motors. It is widely used in various applications, including CNC machines, 3D printers, robotics, and more. The TB6600 driver can handle a wide range of input voltages (from 9V to 42V) and can drive stepper motors with up to 4.5A current. It also provides several advanced features, such as microstepping, adjustable current control, and overheat protection. With its high reliability, low noise, and smooth motion control, the TB6600 driver is a popular choice among makers and hobbyists for their projects.

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Hardware Components

To interface a TB6600 Stepper Motor Driver with Arduino, you’ll need the following hardware components to get started:

Components	Value	Qty
Arduino UNO	–	1
USB Cable Type A to B	–	1
DC Power for Arduino	–	1
Stepper Motor Driver	TB6600	1
Jumper Wires	–	1

TB6600 Stepper Motor Driver Pinout

Pin Name	Pin Description
ENA-(ENA)	Enable pin(-)
ENA+(+5V)	Enable(+5V)
DIR-(DIR)	Direction(-)
DIR+(+5V)	Direction(+5V)
PUL-(PUL)	Pulse(-)
PUL+(+5V)	Pulse(+5V)
B-	Stepper motor 1 coil wire
B+	Stepper motor 1 coil wire
A-	Stepper motor 2 coil wire
A+	Stepper motor 2 coil wire
GND	Ground
VCC	Input Voltage(9-40V)

TB6600 Stepper Motor Driver Circuit

Make connections according to the circuit diagram given below.

Wiring / Connections

Arduino	TB6600 Stepper Motor Driver	MOTOR
D3	PUL+
GND	PUL , DIR-
D2	DIR+
B-		D
B+		B
A-		C
A+		A

Installing Arduino IDE

First, you need to install Arduino IDE Software from its official website Arduino. Here is a simple step-by-step guide on “How to install Arduino IDE“.

Installing Libraries

Before you start uploading a code, download and unzip the following libraries at /Program Files(x86)/Arduino/Libraries (default), in order to use the sensor with the Arduino board. Here is a simple step-by-step guide on “How to Add Libraries in Arduino IDE“.

AccelStepper.h

Basic TB6600 with Arduino example code

Now copy the following code and upload it to Arduino IDE Software.

// Define stepper motor connections:
#define dirPin 2
#define stepPin 3

void setup() {
  // Declare pins as output:
  pinMode(stepPin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(dirPin, OUTPUT);

  // Set the spinning direction CW/CCW:
  digitalWrite(dirPin, HIGH);
}

void loop() {
  // These four lines result in 1 step:
  digitalWrite(stepPin, HIGH);
  delayMicroseconds(500);
  digitalWrite(stepPin, LOW);
  delayMicroseconds(500);
}

Code Explanation

This Arduino code is used to control a stepper motor connected to the Arduino board using the TB6600 driver.

The first few lines of code define the connections for the stepper motor: the dirPin is connected to the TB6600 driver’s direction pin, and the stepPin is connected to the driver’s step pin.

In the setup() function, the dirPin and stepPin are declared as output pins using the pinMode() function. The dirPin is then set to a high logic level, which specifies the direction of the stepper motor as clockwise (CW).

The loop() function contains the main code for controlling the stepper motor. The first two lines of code set the stepPin to a high logic level and introduce a short delay of 500 microseconds. This sends a pulse to the TB6600 driver’s step pin, which causes the stepper motor to move one step.

The next two lines of code set the stepPin to a low logic level and introduce another 500 microseconds delay. This completes one step cycle, and the loop repeats itself to keep the stepper motor moving. By changing the delay time, the speed of the motor can be adjusted.

Example code to control rotation, speed, and direction

// Define stepper motor connections and steps per revolution:
#define dirPin 2
#define stepPin 3
#define stepsPerRevolution 1600

void setup() {
  // Declare pins as output:
  pinMode(stepPin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(dirPin, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
  // Set the spinning direction clockwise:
  digitalWrite(dirPin, HIGH);

  // Spin the stepper motor 1 revolution slowly:
  for (int i = 0; i < stepsPerRevolution; i++) {
    // These four lines result in 1 step:
    digitalWrite(stepPin, HIGH);
    delayMicroseconds(2000);
    digitalWrite(stepPin, LOW);
    delayMicroseconds(2000);
  }

  delay(1000);

  // Set the spinning direction counterclockwise:
  digitalWrite(dirPin, LOW);

  // Spin the stepper motor 1 revolution quickly:
  for (int i = 0; i < stepsPerRevolution; i++) {
    // These four lines result in 1 step:
    digitalWrite(stepPin, HIGH);
    delayMicroseconds(1000);
    digitalWrite(stepPin, LOW);
    delayMicroseconds(1000);
  }

  delay(1000);

  // Set the spinning direction clockwise:
  digitalWrite(dirPin, HIGH);

  // Spin the stepper motor 5 revolutions fast:
  for (int i = 0; i < 5 * stepsPerRevolution; i++) {
    // These four lines result in 1 step:
    digitalWrite(stepPin, HIGH);
    delayMicroseconds(500);
    digitalWrite(stepPin, LOW);
    delayMicroseconds(500);
  }

  delay(1000);

  // Set the spinning direction counterclockwise:
  digitalWrite(dirPin, LOW);

  // Spin the stepper motor 5 revolutions fast:
  for (int i = 0; i < 5 * stepsPerRevolution; i++) {
    // These four lines result in 1 step:
    digitalWrite(stepPin, HIGH);
    delayMicroseconds(500);
    digitalWrite(stepPin, LOW);
    delayMicroseconds(500);
  }

  delay(1000);
}

This sketch controls a stepper motor using a TB6600 stepper motor driver without using any libraries. The sketch defines the pins used for the stepper motor (dirPin and stepPin) and the number of steps per revolution (stepsPerRevolution). In the setup() function, the pins are declared as output.

In the loop() function, the direction of the motor is set clockwise and the motor is spun one revolution slowly, with a delay of 2000 microseconds between each step. The direction is then set counterclockwise, and the motor is spun one revolution quickly, with a delay of 1000 microseconds between each step.

The direction is again set clockwise, and the motor is spun five revolutions quickly, with a delay of 500 microseconds between each step. Finally, the direction is set counterclockwise, and the motor is spun five revolutions quickly with the same delay. Each set of motor movements is followed by a delay of 1000 milliseconds.

AccelStepper example code

// Include the AccelStepper library:
#include <AccelStepper.h>

// Define stepper motor connections and motor interface type. Motor interface type must be set to 1 when using a driver:
#define dirPin 2
#define stepPin 3
#define motorInterfaceType 1

// Create a new instance of the AccelStepper class:
AccelStepper stepper = AccelStepper(motorInterfaceType, stepPin, dirPin);

void setup() {
  // Set the maximum speed and acceleration:
  stepper.setMaxSpeed(1000);
  stepper.setAcceleration(500);
}

void loop() {
  // Set the target position:
  stepper.moveTo(8000);
  // Run to target position with set speed and acceleration/deceleration:
  stepper.runToPosition();

  delay(1000);

  // Move back to zero:
  stepper.moveTo(0);
  stepper.runToPosition();

  delay(1000);
}

This Arduino sketch controls a stepper motor using a TB6600 stepper motor driver and the AccelStepper library. The sketch defines the pins used for the stepper motor (dirPin and stepPin) and the motor interface type (motorInterfaceType), which must be set to 1 when using a driver.

In the setup() function, the maximum speed and acceleration of the stepper motor are set using the AccelStepper library.

In the loop() function, the target position of the stepper motor is set to 8000 steps, and the motor is moved to this position with the set speed and acceleration/deceleration using the AccelStepper library. Once the motor reaches the target position, there is a delay of 1000 milliseconds.

The motor is then moved back to the zero position using the moveTo() function with a target position of 0. Again, the motor is moved to this position with the set speed and acceleration/deceleration using the AccelStepper library, and there is a delay of 1000 milliseconds once the motor reaches the target position.

Applications

Here are some possible applications for the TB6600 stepper motor driver:

CNC machines (e.g. mills, routers, lathes) that use stepper motors to control their axes
3D printers that use stepper motors for precise movement of the print head and build a platform
Robotics projects that require precise control of stepper motor movements
Automation systems that use stepper motors for positioning and control
Camera sliders or pan-tilt systems that use stepper motors for smooth and accurate movement
Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) that use stepper motors for precise navigation
Electronic musical instruments that use stepper motors for the control of motors in a synthesizer
Automated farming equipment that uses stepper motors for precise control of irrigation systems, planting machines, and other automated farming equipment.