NU32 Electronics and Mechatronics Kits

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To complete projects in the book "Embedded Computing and Mechatronics with the PIC32 Microcontroller" (Lynch/Marchuk/Elwin, Newnes 2015), we recommend purchasing the following parts.


Minimum Electronics Kit

We recommend this set of parts for simple interfacing with the NU32, as described throughout the book. These are available from many vendors; below are some examples where they can be purchased.

You might also consider a kit of basic electronic parts for further exploration.


The Brushed DC Motor Control Kit

These items are needed to complete the projects associated with a brushed DC motor.

  • a brushed DC motor with no gearhead that draws less than 1 A at stall when powered by 6 V, with an incremental encoder (as many counts per revolution as possible, preferably at least hundreds). No gearhead makes it easier to characterize the motor without having to worry about high friction in the gearhead. You can search surplus and other sites for such motors (e.g., aliexpress.com, ebay.com, etc.). As of January 2016, this Mabuchi RS-385PH motor and 448-line incremental encoder is available on aliexpress for less than 10 USD.
  • a 4xAA battery holder and 4 AA batteries for a 6 V power supply (6 V is not critical; other voltages are possible, provided the motor does not draw much more than about 1 A at stall at this voltage)
  • 20 ohm 5 W power resistor
  • the motor control board, consisting of a TI DRV8835 H-bridge chip, the MAX9918 current-sense amplifier, and a dsPIC33FJ64MC802-I/MM microcontroller that is used to count an encoder and report its count via SPI
  • a motor mount to mount the motor securely to the table
  • an inertia bar to attach to the motor to vary its load


Optional Components with Source Code

The following equipment is used in code samples in the book. Most products are available from many vendors; below are examples.


Other Components Referenced or Used in the Book

These components, referenced in the book, can be sourced from various suppliers: