The Motor Brick is based on a 6V DC dual-axle geared motor that is commonly used for Arduino robotics.
It is paired with a L9110H driver IC for motor control.
The connections required are shown below:
The JST RCY connector from the Motor Power Brick is used to power both the L9110 and the motor.
Control signals to IA and IB are supplied via the 4-pin JST XH connector from the Microcontroller Brick to control the speed of the motor.
Parts list
| Type | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 6V DC dual-axle geared motor | 1 |
| L9110H motor driver IC | 1 |
| 4-pin JST XH connector (male) | 1 |
| 2-pin JST RCY connector (male) | 1 |
| M2 self-tapping screw | 3 |
Circuit
Although it is possible to solder directly to the L9110H IC, I find it much easier to make the connections using a small piece of prototype board.
Start by soldering 2 short pieces of wire to pin 1 (OA; green wire in photo) and pin 4 (OB; purple wire in photo) of the L9110.
Solder a 2-pin JST RCY female connector to pin 2 (VCC) and pin 8 (GND) of the L9110.
Bridge pin 2 and pin 3 (both VCC) with an extra bit of solder.
Solder a 4-pin JST XH female connector to the L9110. Cut off the red wire since we won't be needing it. Solder the black wire to pin 5 (GND), white wire to pin 6 (IA) and yellow wire to pin 7(IB).
Bridge pins 5 and 8 (GND) with a short piece of wire.
This is how it looks IC side up.
With the motor leads positioned as shown in the photo, solder the green wire (OA; pin1) to the top lead, and purple wire (OB; pin 4) to the bottom lead.
Secure the L9110H assembly to the motor housing with some hot glue.
Enclosure
Print the enclosure parts on a 3D printer.
Insert the DC motor into the longer portion of the enclosure. The slot located at the back of the enclosure lets the connectors exit and is situated on one side. You should insert the DC motor such that the mounted L9110 assembly is located on that side.
Also insert the two axle adapters onto the motor axle. One axle adapter is slightly longer than the other. The longer adapter is meant to be mounted on the same side as the L9110 assembly. It compensates for the asymmetry introduced by the extra space allowed for the controller so that when everything is put together, the axle adapters protrude the same distance from the enclosure.
Mount the front portion of the enclosure and secure with 2 x M2 screws.
Insert the cover piece at the back where the wires exit, and secure with a M2 screw.
Line up two 2x1 brickbases on a faceplate, two rows apart. Surround the brickbases with a few other bricks to assist in alignment.
Add two drops of superglue on each brickbase and mount the module, with the back of the module in line with the brickbases at the back. Press and hold for 60s.
The brickbases at the back should line up with the back of the enclosure.
The finished module:
The motor will still have a little room to move within the enclosure. Mount the enclosure on a faceplate with walls on each side, and insert an axle into each side of the motor. Jiggle the motor slightly so that the axles are perfectly aligned in the holes with the least tension.
Secure the motor brick by adding a little hot glue both at the front, and (optionally) at the back.
As with the superglue, you don't want to overdo this because it can make it harder to disassemble the module if it is ever required. Inject just a tiny glob, and press it down using the body of a screwdriver.