Day 01
Begineer
Day 15 :- Servo Motor Control
Aug 19, 2026
Completed
Wiring Schematic
Arduino Code
Day 15 Core Training Documentation
Project Overview
The Servo Motor Control project teaches you one of the most useful components in robotics and automation: controlling precise rotational movement with a Servo Motor.
In this project, a Servo Motor is connected to Arduino to demonstrate how PWM signals control the motor’s position. By sending different pulse widths, Arduino can position the servo arm at any angle from 0 to 180 degrees.
When the Arduino powers up, the servo arm sweeps smoothly from one extreme to the other, demonstrating the full range of motion. The servo responds instantly to Arduino commands, making it ideal for building robotic arms, camera pan systems, and automated mechanical applications.
This project teaches Servo Motor Basics, PWM Signal Timing, Angle Positioning Techniques, Mechanical Movement Control, and Robotic Applications.
By finishing this project, you’ll understand how servo motors work in robotics, drones, camera gimbals, animatronics, and automated control systems.
Components Required
To build this circuit, collect these specific items from your kit:
Arduino Uno × 1, Breadboard × 1, Servo Motor (SG90 or MG996R) × 1, Jumper Wires × 3, USB Cable × 1
Circuit Connections
Step 1: Connect Ground Rail
Connect the Arduino GND pin to the negative rail of the breadboard. This creates a shared ground connection for the Servo Motor circuit.
Step 2: Connect Servo Ground Wire
Connect the brown (ground) wire of the Servo Motor to the breadboard GND rail. This completes the ground connection for the motor.
Step 3: Connect Servo Power Wire
Connect the red (power) wire of the Servo Motor directly to Arduino 5V. This provides the necessary power for servo operation.
Step 4: Connect Servo Signal Wire
Connect the orange (signal) wire of the Servo Motor to Arduino Pin 9. This wire receives the PWM control signals that position the servo arm.
Step 5: Verify Connections
Double-check all three servo connections before uploading your code. Ensure ground, power, and signal are correctly connected to the appropriate Arduino pins.
Important: Servo motors require stable power. For large or multiple servos, use an external power supply rather than relying solely on Arduino 5V power output to avoid voltage drops.
How the Arduino Code Works
Include Servo Library
The Arduino sketch imports the Servo library which provides simple commands to control servo motors without dealing with complex PWM timing calculations.
Configure Servo Pin
In setup(), the Servo object is attached to Arduino Pin 9. This tells the library which pin sends the control signal to the Servo Motor.
Set Servo Position
The write() function sets the servo angle in degrees. A value of 0 degrees positions the servo to one extreme, 90 degrees centers the servo, and 180 degrees moves it to the opposite extreme.
Create Smooth Movement
Repeat Motion Continuously
After reaching 180 degrees, the loop reverses and decrements the angle back to 0. This creates a continuous back-and-forth sweeping motion that demonstrates the full range of servo capabilities.
Expected Output
After uploading your code, here is what happens.
The Servo Motor remains quiet initially as Arduino initializes the control signals. The servo arm begins moving slowly from the 0-degree position toward 180 degrees. The arm moves smoothly in one-degree increments with a visible sweeping motion. Upon reaching 180 degrees, the servo pauses briefly then reverses direction. The arm sweeps back smoothly toward 0 degrees. The sweeping motion continues indefinitely, demonstrating the full range of servo positioning capabilities.
Operational Troubleshooting
Servo Does Not Move :- Verify that the signal wire connects to Pin 9 and check that the Servo library is correctly imported. Confirm that the servo is receiving proper 5V power on the red wire.
Servo Moves Erratically :- Check that the PWM signal timing is correct in your code. Ensure the servo angle values stay between 0 and 180 degrees. Verify the servo power supply is stable and not fluctuating.
Servo Makes Grinding Noise :- Stop the Arduino immediately as this indicates a problem. Check that the servo is not trying to move beyond its mechanical limits. Verify the servo horn is properly attached and not hitting anything.
Servo Jitters or Vibrates :- Reduce the speed of movement by increasing the delay between angle increments. Check for loose mechanical connections on the servo arm and horn.
Servo Arm Will Not Reach Full Range :- Verify the min and max angle values in your code are appropriate for your servo type. Some servos have slightly different mechanical ranges than the standard 0-180 degrees.
What You Learned
By finishing this project, you now know :-
By finishing this project, you now know how servo motors respond to PWM control signals, how to position servo arms at precise angles, how to create smooth mechanical movement, how to work with the Servo library, and how to build systems that require controlled rotational motion.
Next Lesson
In Day 16, you’ll learn how to use an analog joystick to control Servo Motor movement, creating an interactive system where human input directly controls mechanical positioning.