Dual TB9051FTG Motor Driver Braking

I am planning a project that is a robot on wheels with a robotic arm. I would like the robot to stay still while the arm moves, I do not want the arm movement to cause the robot wheels to roll. I am planning on using the Dual TB9051FTG Motor Driver (# 2762) to control two 75:1 Metal Gearmotors (# 3254). Would using the operating mode ‘brake low’ allow us to prevent the wheels from turning for ~20 minutes while the arm moved around?

Hello.

Putting a driver in brake mode does not prevent the motors from being back-driven. All it does is add resistance to rotation, since when the motor spins, it generates current that creates a magnetic field opposing that rotation. The faster you try to turn the motor, the harder it gets.

If you can make it so your robot’s base is significantly heavier than the arm, that will also be helpful, and you probably will not have to worry to much about things moving around. Otherwise, you might want to consider adding an actual brake or incorporating some sort of feedback device to monitor things and make sure they are not moving (like motors with encoders or an accelerometer).

- Patrick

Hello. Thank you for the reply, it was very helpful.