Group Assignment :

Link

Individual Assignment :

Bldc Motor

• BLDC motors are brushless DC motors that use electronic commutation rather than mechanical brushes.

• They require electronic controllers (ESCs) to manage the timing of power delivery.

• Depending on the design, they can operate sensorless or with Hall-effect sensors for precise rotor position detection.

• Their efficiency and durability make them ideal for applications like drones, electric vehicles, and industrial machinery.

Image source

Here I add some reference video of hw BLDC motor works - Link

Electronic Speed Controller (ESC)

• An Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) regulates the speed, direction, and braking of a BLDC motor.

• It converts DC power into three-phase AC signals to drive the motor efficiently.

• They use PWM signals from a microcontroller or receiver to adjust motor speed.

Image source

Image source

Connection

Programming

#include <ESP32Servo.h>

#define ESC1_PIN D4  // Left motor
#define ESC2_PIN D5  // Right motor

#define JOY_X_PIN A1
#define JOY_Y_PIN A2

Servo esc1;
Servo esc2;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  
  pinMode(A1,INPUT);
  pinMode(A2,INPUT);
  pinMode(ESC1_PIN,OUTPUT);
  pinMode(ESC2_PIN,OUTPUT);
  esc1.attach(ESC1_PIN);
  esc2.attach(ESC2_PIN);

  esc1.writeMicroseconds(1000);
  esc2.writeMicroseconds(1000);
  delay(2000);  // Let ESCs initialize
  
  
}

void loop() {
  int xValue = analogRead(JOY_X_PIN);
  int yValue = analogRead(JOY_Y_PIN);
delay(1000);
Serial.println("start");
  Serial.print("X: ");
  Serial.println(xValue);
  Serial.print(" | Y: ");
  Serial.println(yValue);
  

  int pwmLeft = 1000;
  int pwmRight =1000;

  // Forward motion (both motors)
  if (yValue >3800) {
    int pwm = map(yValue, 3800,4095, 1000, 2000);
    pwmLeft = pwm;
    //analogWrite(ESC1_PIN,pwm);
   // analogWrite(ESC2_PIN,pwm);
 
    pwmRight = pwm;
    Serial.println("Moving Forward");
  

  // Backward motion (optional)
  /*else if (yValue < 400) {
    int pwm = map(yValue, 0, 400, 0, 1000);
    pwmLeft = pwm;
    pwmRight = pwm;
    Serial.println("Moving Backward");
  }
   */
  // Turning left or right by adjusting individual motor speeds
  }else if (xValue < 3000) {
    int turnPWM = map(xValue,  3000, 0,1000, 2000);
    pwmRight = turnPWM;  // Slow down right motor
    Serial.println("Turning Left");
  } else if (xValue > 3800) {
    int turnPWM = map(xValue, 3800, 4095, 1000, 2000);
    pwmLeft = turnPWM;  // Slow down left motor
    Serial.println("Turning Right");
  } else
  {
     esc1.writeMicroseconds(1000);
     esc2.writeMicroseconds(1000);
     Serial.println("Moving ");
  //delay(2000);
  }
 

 esc1.writeMicroseconds(pwmLeft);
  esc2.writeMicroseconds(pwmRight);

  delay(1000);
}

• I connected the joystick analog pins with microcontroller XIAO ESP32C3 board A1 and A2, and also connected the 5V and GND with the Microcontroller.

• After that, I take 2 BLDC motor, attached with 2 ESC for controlling it. In the ESC, there is three pins, the two is 5V and GND and the other pin is output digital pin I connected with microcontroller at D4 and D5.

• I set the A1 and A2 as input and ESC pins as output, then write the analog read for Joystick X and Y direction operation

• For visualize the serial monitor I set the serial print ln, and add the references for how it will need to show

• I mapped the joystick value depending upon the X and Y high and low values, at first I normaly check the joystick to how much it could take the value, after figure outing that I randomly set the Joystick potentiometer position.

Testing

I tested the BLDC motor with my PCB board, it works good

Though the delay has some little bit occur in my code when I try this one, so I will change it

For checking more output device unfortunately my board got damage so I can’t go furhter with this board so I use my Final Project Board to continue this assignment.

Conclusion

Learning outcomes

• I learnt about some of the output devices functionality and its working principle, how we efficiently used it for our required use cases.

• For this assignment I uses the 2 BLDC Motor with ESC, now I know about how we can operate the motor with joystick module

• I learnt the Joystick mapping for the output device control

• For my final project I will use the 6 BLDC motor so I first check with these 2 motors for coding initiation.