Slowly increase speed using PWM arduino

Question

I'm trying to control the speed of a DC motor using PWM. Here is my code so far:

int motor = 9; 
int fadeValue = 5;
void setup() {
 pinMode(motor, OUTPUT);
}
void loop() {
 for (int fadeValue = 5 ; fadeValue <= 245; fadeValue += 10) {
 analogWrite(motor, fadeValue);
 delay(100);
 if (fadeValue==245) {
 fadeValue=255;
 break;
 }
}

I want the motor to slowly increase it speed then stay high. However, the loop keep repeating.

Thanks in advance guys.

• Vladimir Cravero: Your code is very creative. We're missing the part where loop() is called...
• Dan Laks: I believe the Arduino compiler abstracts away the main() function. The loop() function is automatically called continuously. Also, this question probably belongs in the Arduino SE.
• per1234: Here's the Arduino AVR Boards loop() call: github.com/arduino/Arduino/blob/1.8.1/hardware/arduino/avr/…

Answer 1

If you dont want the code to repeat at the maximum, just add a condition to the loop. Your solution could look like this:

int fadeValue = 5;
void loop()
{
 if (fadeValue < 255)
 {
 if (fadeValue >= 245)
 {
 fadeValue = 255;
 }
 else
 {
 fadeValue++;
 }
 analogWrite(motor, fadeValue);
 delay(100); 
 }
 //Other code here
}

By setting FadeValue to another value, the fade will start again from the new value until the maximum.

• zuzu: Thanks, ill try this out first and come back with the result

Answer 2

Could you also change the order the loop is in? So the code would look like this instead:

void loop() {
 if (fadeValue == 245) {
 fadeValue=255;
 analogWrite(motor, fadeValue); // motor will stay at highest value
 }
 else {
 for (int fadeValue = 5 ; fadeValue <= 245; fadeValue += 10) {
 analogWrite(motor, fadeValue);
 delay(100);
 }
 }
}

So now, the loop will run until fadeValue == 245, at which point the loop will not advance to the for loop because the "if" in the if/else statement is satisfied. I'm not actually sure if this will work, but it's an idea.

• Nick Gammon: So now, the loop will run until fadeValue == 245 - no, it will run until fadeValue is greater than 245 which means the test for it being equal to 245 at the start of loop won't be met.

Answer 3

it can be put in the loop(): putting it in the setup(), if the speed-up period is long, isn't practical or feasible in some applications.

you can use a loop counter or time counter to slow down the ramp-up without tying down the mcu, like this:

 time_now = time(); //take a reading of current time. or millies()
 if (time_now < TIME_RAMPUP) { //still need to ramp it up
 if (time_now > time_prev) { //need to increment motor speed
 time_prev+=TIME_INC;
 motor_dc+=PWM_STEP; // you may wish to bound the dc here
 analogWrite(MOTOR_PIN, motor_dc); //increase dc
 }
 }

Answer 4

However, the loop keep repeating.

That's the whole point of loop(). If you want some code to run only once after the program starts put it in setup():

int motor = 9;
int fadeValue = 5;
void setup() {
 pinMode(motor, OUTPUT);
 for (int fadeValue = 5 ; fadeValue <= 245; fadeValue += 10) {
 analogWrite(motor, fadeValue);
 delay(100);
 if (fadeValue == 245)
 {
 fadeValue = 255;
 break;
 }
 }
}
void loop() {
}

• per1234: Why does it eat my code indentation after I submit the answer? Annoying, I haven't experienced that on other SE sites.
• zuzu: but i will add a button to it, For example if the button is press the motor pwm start from 0 to 255. then stay 255 till i stop it. If i put it in void setup() it wont be able to do that.
• Wesley Lee: @zuzu -- you should put all the details of what you need in the question to avoid unnecessary answers...

Answer 5

If you want void loop() to only run once and don't want to put your code into setup() for some odd reason, just as an infinite while loop at the end with a delay inside like this:

void loop() 
{
 for (int fadeValue = 5 ; fadeValue <= 245; fadeValue += 10)
{
 analogWrite(motor, fadeValue);
 delay(100);
 if (fadeValue==245) 
{
 fadeValue=255;
 break;
 }
While(1)
 Delay(1000);
}