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L293D

L293D

STMicroelectronics
Classic dual H-bridge driver used in many legacy and educational designs.
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Overview

The L293D is a classic motor-driver IC that implements two H-bridge drivers in a single package, intended for driving small DC motors and bipolar stepper motors. It provides direction and enable inputs for each bridge and includes on-chip clamp diodes for inductive loads. The part is widely used in educational kits and legacy designs because of its simple TTL-style inputs and easy interfacing to microcontrollers.

Why Choose This Part

The L293D is inexpensive, widely available, and simple to use with standard microcontroller GPIOs, which makes it ideal for learning and quick prototypes. On-chip clamp diodes and enable inputs reduce external component count and simplify wiring. It is offered in breadboard-friendly packages and has broad community support and example code.

Applications

Bidirectional DC motor control
Drive and reverse small DC motors in robotics platforms, toys, and simple mechatronic projects.
Bipolar stepper motor control
Run two-phase bipolar stepper motors by using the two internal H-bridges for each motor winding.
Educational and prototyping kits
Common choice for breadboarded tutorials, school projects, and Arduino-based motor labs.
Small actuator and solenoid switching
Switch low-current inductive loads where simple direction control and built-in diodes are helpful.

Getting Started

The L293D is commonly paired with Arduino boards and example Motor libraries; you can also find many tutorials and shields that use it. When starting, provide a separate motor supply, add decoupling capacitors, and observe thermal limits for sustained loads. Ensure logic voltage compatibility with your controller and wire the enable inputs so you can enable/disable each bridge from firmware.

Also Consider

TB6612FNG Toshiba - More efficient modern dual motor driver with lower voltage drop and better thermal performance for small motors.
DRV8833PWPR TITexas Instruments - Compact, low-voltage dual H-bridge with improved efficiency and smaller surface-mount packaging for space-constrained designs.
L298N STMicroelectronics - Higher-power dual H-bridge alternative for designs that need greater current capacity than classic L293D variants.