ESP32 Examples and Tests Documentation

This directory contains comprehensive documentation for all ESP32 examples and test suites for the TMC5160 stepper motor driver library.

Overview

The ESP32 examples demonstrate practical applications of the TMC51x0 driver (TMC5130 & TMC5160), while the comprehensive test suites provide thorough validation of all driver features. All examples and tests support multiple motor configurations selected at compile-time.

Test Rig Configuration

All examples and tests use a unified test rig selection system that automatically configures motor, board, and platform settings:

  • TEST_RIG_CORE_DRIVER (default for most examples): 17HS4401S motor (geared or direct drive), TMC51x0 EVAL board, reference switches, encoder
  • TEST_RIG_FATIGUE (default for fatigue testing examples): Applied Motion 5034-369 NEMA 34 motor, TMC51x0 EVAL board, reference switches, encoder

See Motor Configuration Guide for detailed specifications and selection instructions.

Examples

Practical applications demonstrating real-world usage:

Motion Control Examples

  • Internal Ramp Sinusoidal - Simple back-and-forth motion using positioning mode (configurable via SELECTED_TEST_RIG)
  • Fatigue Testing - Point-to-point back-and-forth motion between bounds, ESP-NOW controlled, with StallGuard2 or encoder-based bounds detection

Comprehensive Test Suites

Thorough validation of driver features:

Single Motor Tests

  • Internal Ramp Comprehensive Test - Main comprehensive test suite - Combines core, motor control, ramp control, diagnostics, and protection tests into a single wholesome test suite for SPI internal ramp mode (with encoder and reference switches)
  • Encoder configuration, position reading, and deviation detection are included in the internal ramp comprehensive test; there is no separate encoder-only test suite.

Multi-Motor Tests

Quick Start

  1. Select Your Test Rig: Edit the SELECTED_TEST_RIG constant at the top of your example/test file (TEST_RIG_CORE_DRIVER or TEST_RIG_FATIGUE)
  2. Configure Pins: Modify pin assignments in esp32_tmc51x0_test_config.hpp if needed
  3. Build: Use the build script (./scripts/build_app.sh <app_name> Debug) or ESP-IDF build system (idf.py build)
  4. Flash: Flash using the flash script (./scripts/flash_app.sh --port /dev/ttyACM0 flash <app_name> Debug) or idf.py flash
  5. Monitor: View output via serial monitor (idf.py monitor or ./scripts/flash_app.sh flash_monitor <app_name> Debug)

For detailed setup, build, and flash instructions, see the ESP32 README and scripts/README.md.

Hardware Requirements

  • ESP32 development board (ESP32, ESP32-C3, ESP32-C6, etc.)
  • TMC5160 stepper motor driver board
  • Stepper motor (see motor configuration guide)
  • Power supply: 12-36V DC (ensure adequate current capacity)
  • SPI connection (for SPI examples/tests)
  • UART connection (for UART examples/tests)

Common Configuration

All examples and tests use shared configuration files:

  • esp32_tmc51x0_test_config.hpp - Pin assignments, test rig configurations, and test defaults
    • Default SPI pins: MOSI=6, MISO=2, SCLK=5, CS=18
    • Default control pins: EN=11, CLK=10, DIAG0=23, DIAG1=15
    • Default SPI clock: 500 kHz (some examples override this)
    • Test rig configurations: TEST_RIG_CORE_DRIVER (17HS4401S), TEST_RIG_FATIGUE (Applied Motion 5034-369)
  • esp32_tmc51x0_bus.hpp - ESP32-specific communication interface implementations

Documentation Structure

Each example/test has its own documentation file covering:

  • Purpose and use cases
  • Hardware requirements
  • Pin configuration
  • Motor selection
  • Key features demonstrated
  • Usage instructions
  • Expected behavior
  • Troubleshooting tips

Support

For issues or questions:

  1. Check the specific example/test documentation
  2. Review the main library documentation
  3. Check hardware connections and power supply
  4. Verify motor configuration matches your hardware
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