L293D

The L293D is a popular 16-pin motor driver IC featuring two built-in H-bridges. It is designed to control up to two DC motors independently—both in speed and direction—or a single stepping motor. It operates at voltages ranging from 4.5 V to 36 V and delivers a continuous current of up to 600 mA per channel.

Key Technical Specifications
Supply Voltage: 4.5 V to 36 V (\(V_{CC2}\)) for the motors, and separate 5 V logic supply (\(V_{CC1}\)) for the chip itself.
Output Current: 600 mA continuous per channel, with peak currents up to 1.2 A.
Integrated Diodes: Includes internal output clamp diodes for inductive transient suppression (kickback protection).Thermal Shutdown: Over-temperature protection is built-in.

Pinout Configuration
The IC features two symmetrical sides, each handling one motor.
Enable Pins (1, 9): Used to start/stop the motor and regulate speed using Pulse Width Modulation (PWM).Input Pins (2, 7 & 10, 15): Dictate the rotational direction.00 or 11: Stop01 or 10: Clockwise / Counter-Clockwise
Output Pins (3, 6 & 11, 14): Connect directly to the motor’s terminals.
Power Pins (8, 16): Pin 8 powers the motors; Pin 16 powers the internal logic.
Ground Pins (4, 5, 12, 13): Four center pins are connected together and tied to ground to effectively dissipate heat

The L293D is widely used in beginner robotics, automated gates, and IoT projects. Because standard microcontrollers like Arduino cannot provide enough current to drive motors directly, the IC acts as a safe current amplifier. For ready-to-use plug-and-play solutions, you can also purchase pre-built shields like the Adafruit Arduino Motor Driver Shield to stack directly onto your board.