TB6612 Quad Motor Driver Shield

Although many people often consider DC Motors as being rather simple, as you can simply apply power and watch them spin depending on the power you’ve supplied, if you want to control the motor with relatively high precision, then it’s often a good idea to utilise Motor Drivers like the TB6612FNG Quad Motor Driver Shield. These Motor Drivers, rather than simply acting as on/off switches for motors, can actually control the precise speeds and direction of motors with relative ease, employing the use of circuits known as H-Bridges (or Full-Bridges) to not only drive the motors, but also control the direction that the motors are spinning too. Of course, it goes without saying that in order to do this, you will need some kind of microcontroller to tell the driver what to do and how to react to various inputs, although with a classic Arduino Shield interfacing style, connecting and controlling this driver is as easy as connecting and controlling a servo motor, sensor or other basic module.

What we particularly like about this TB6612FNG Quad Motor Driver Shield is the fact that it features the common Arduino Shield design, being able to plug directly into the top of Arduino Boards and provide full functionality through the pin headers. This makes it almost plug ‘n’ play once you’ve uploaded the right code to your Arduino, thus making it one of the easiest motor drivers that a Maker can get. So, whether you’re a beginner who is just starting out with Robotics and prototyping, or are a veteran looking for a simple and easy way to drive up to four simultaneous motors for your project, the TB6612FNG Quad Motor Driver Shield is always an excellent choice.

Additional Resources:

• If you want to know more about these cool motor driver shields, check out the DFrobot Quad Motor Shield Wiki, where you can find information and handy resources like sample code to get up and running.

As self-proclaimed “Robo-holics”, DFRobot is a company comprised of over 100 staff members, of which 30% are engineers who love to build robots. It was started in 2008 with the goal of embracing and promoting open-source hardware, with a core focus on Arduino, Raspberry Pi and their very own LattePanda development boards. Since then, DFRobot have manufactured over 1300 unique modules, sensors and components that all work together and complement each other, allowing users like us to enjoy a full spectrum of cutting edge robotics and electronics without having to pay premium prices.

With the primary goal of developing and manufacturing great quality products, while making them accessible to as many people as possible, DFRobot are rapidly becoming one of the most common-place brands in the world of open-source robotics and electronics. With more than 1300 products developed in-house, and an impressive range of different categories and specialisations, there are few brands in the world who can compete in terms of quality, accessibility and genuine innovation.