The HW-130 Motor Control Shield (often identified as the L293D Motor Driver Shield) is one of the most popular and versatile expansion boards for the Arduino Uno and Mega. Designed to handle the high current demands that microcontroller pins cannot support directly, it simplifies complex robotics projects by managing up to four DC motors or two stepper motors simultaneously. Key Technical Specifications
The HW-130 is built around two L293D quadruple half-H bridge chips and a 74HC595 shift register to minimize the number of Arduino pins used. Specification Motor Driver Chip 2 x L293D Operating Voltage 4.5V to 25V DC (Motor Supply) Output Current 0.6A per channel (1.2A Peak) DC Motor Support Up to 4 bi-directional motors Stepper Support Up to 2 stepper motors (Unipolar or Bipolar) Servo Support 2 dedicated 5V hobby servo headers Protection Thermal shutdown and internal kickback diodes Understanding the Pinout & Layout
The shield is designed to be plug-and-play, mounting directly onto the Arduino Uno. However, it uses specific pins for internal communication via the shift register:
Motor Control (via Latch): Digital pins 4, 7, 8, and 12 drive the motors through the 74HC595 serial-to-parallel latch. PWM Speed Control: M1: Digital Pin 11 M2: Digital Pin 3 M3: Digital Pin 5 M4: Digital Pin 6 Servos: Digital pins 9 (Servo #1) and 10 (Servo #2).
Available Pins: Analog pins A0-A5 are completely free for sensors or other inputs. Power Management: The PWR Jumper
One of the most critical components of the HW-130 is the PWR Jumper:
HW-130 Motor Control Shield (also widely known as the L293D Motor Shield
) is a versatile "plug-and-play" expansion board for Arduino Uno and Mega. It is designed to drive a mix of DC motors, stepper motors, and servos, making it a staple for beginner robotics projects. 5.imimg.com Core Technical Specifications quadruple half-H drivers and one shift register. 4 bi-directional DC motors with individual 8-bit speed control. Stepper Motors 2 stepper motors
(unipolar or bipolar) with single, double, interleaved, or micro-stepping. Servo Motors 2 dedicated headers
for 5V "hobby" servos, connected to Arduino's high-resolution timers (Pins 9 and 10). Output Current 600mA continuous per bridge, with Voltage Range Logic voltage: 5V; Motor voltage: 4.5V to 16V (some variations support up to 36V). Power Management & Jumper Settings
Effective power management is critical to avoid resetting your Arduino (brownouts) due to motor current spikes.
How to Use L293D Motor Driver Shield With Arduino - Instructables
Current Handling: Each channel of the L293D can handle up to 600mA of continuous current and peak currents up to 1.2A per channel. Instructables L293D Based Arduino Motor Shield
HW-130 Motor Control Shield for Arduino Datasheet: A Comprehensive Review
The HW-130 Motor Control Shield is a popular and highly sought-after accessory for Arduino enthusiasts and robotics professionals alike. This shield is designed to provide a convenient and efficient way to control DC motors, stepper motors, and other loads using an Arduino microcontroller. In this article, we will provide an in-depth review of the HW-130 Motor Control Shield, including its features, technical specifications, and benefits. hw 130 motor control shield for arduino datasheet better
Overview
The HW-130 Motor Control Shield is a compact and lightweight shield that can be easily mounted on top of an Arduino board. It is designed to provide a simple and intuitive way to control motors and other loads, making it an ideal solution for a wide range of applications, including robotics, automation, and IoT projects.
Key Features
The HW-130 Motor Control Shield boasts an impressive array of features that make it an attractive option for motor control applications. Some of its key features include:
Technical Specifications
The following are the technical specifications of the HW-130 Motor Control Shield:
Benefits
The HW-130 Motor Control Shield offers a number of benefits to users, including:
Comparison to Other Motor Control Shields
The HW-130 Motor Control Shield is not the only motor control shield available for Arduino, but it is one of the most popular and highly regarded. Here are a few key differences between the HW-130 and other popular motor control shields:
Applications
The HW-130 Motor Control Shield is suitable for a wide range of applications, including:
Conclusion
The HW-130 Motor Control Shield is a highly capable and versatile shield that offers a simple and intuitive way to control motors and other loads. Its high current output, wide input voltage range, and built-in protection features make it an ideal solution for a wide range of applications, from robotics and automation to IoT projects. Whether you are a hobbyist or a professional, the HW-130 Motor Control Shield is definitely worth considering for your next project. The HW-130 Motor Control Shield (often identified as
Datasheet
The following is a summary of the HW-130 Motor Control Shield datasheet:
Recommendations
Based on our review of the HW-130 Motor Control Shield, we highly recommend it for anyone looking for a reliable and easy-to-use motor control solution for their Arduino projects. Its high current output, wide input voltage range, and built-in protection features make it an ideal solution for a wide range of applications.
Where to Buy
The HW-130 Motor Control Shield is widely available from a variety of online retailers, including Amazon, eBay, and AliExpress. It is also available from specialty electronics stores and Arduino distributors.
Warranty and Support
The HW-130 Motor Control Shield typically comes with a one-year warranty and is supported by a comprehensive user manual and technical documentation. Many retailers also offer technical support and customer service to help with any questions or issues you may have.
HW-130 Motor Control Shield is a popular clone of the original Adafruit Motor Shield v1 . It is designed for plug-and-play use with Arduino Uno
and Mega boards, providing a compact solution for driving multiple motors with minimal wiring. Flowcode Embedded Key Specifications The shield is powered by two quadruple half-H bridge driver ICs and one shift register for pin expansion. Motor Support:
Up to 4 bi-directional DC motors, 2 stepper motors (unipolar/bipolar), or 2 servo motors. Operating Voltage: 4.5V to 16V for motors (logic requires 5V). Current Handling:
600mA continuous per channel (1.2A peak) with thermal shutdown protection. Speed Control: 8-bit speed selection (approx. 0.5% resolution). 5.imimg.com Pinout & Connectivity
Since the shield uses a shift register to control motor direction, it frees up several Arduino pins for other uses. Arduino Pin(s) Used Connected to Timer1 for jitter-free control. Connected to Timer1. DC/Steppers Pins 4, 7, 8, 12 Used by the 74HC595 shift register. Pins 3, 5, 6, 11 Direct PWM control for motor speed. Unused Pins Digital 2, 13; Analog A0–A5 Available for sensors or other modules. Power Management & Jumpers
The HW-130 is a low-cost, clone variant of the popular L293D-based motor shield (similar to the Adafruit or DFRobot designs). It is designed to drive: Dual H-Bridge Motor Driver : The HW-130 features
Key Limitations (Critical):
// HW-130 L293D shield: control 2 DC motors// Motor A #define ENA 6 // (if jumper removed) or set to 255 if hard-wired #define IN1 12 #define IN2 13
// Motor B #define ENB 5 #define IN3 11 #define IN4 10 // Note: Some HW-130 use pin 8 for IN4 – verify continuity.
void setup() pinMode(IN1, OUTPUT); pinMode(IN2, OUTPUT); pinMode(IN3, OUTPUT); pinMode(IN4, OUTPUT); pinMode(ENA, OUTPUT); pinMode(ENB, OUTPUT);
analogWrite(ENA, 255); // full speed (if jumper present, this does nothing) analogWrite(ENB, 255);
void loop() // Motor A forward digitalWrite(IN1, HIGH); digitalWrite(IN2, LOW);
// Motor B backward digitalWrite(IN3, LOW); digitalWrite(IN4, HIGH);
delay(2000);
// Stop both digitalWrite(IN1, LOW); digitalWrite(IN2, LOW); digitalWrite(IN3, LOW); digitalWrite(IN4, LOW);
delay(1000);
L293D truth table:
IN1=HIGH, IN2=LOW → forward
IN1=LOW, IN2=HIGH → reverse
Both LOW or both HIGH → brake (fast motor stop)
You can drive a small bipolar stepper (e.g., 28BYJ-48 as bipolar mod) or a unipolar stepper.
Use the Stepper.h library with steps per revolution = 200 (common).
To make the motor move, you send HIGH or LOW signals to the IN pins.