L293D Dual H-Bridge Motor Driver IC

The L293D is a widely used dual H-bridge motor driver IC designed for driving inductive loads such as DC motors, bipolar stepper motors, relays and solenoids from low-power digital control circuits. It contains four high-current half-H drivers that can be paired to form two full H-bridges, allowing forward, reverse, brake and stop control of two brushed DC motors. This makes it one of the most practical motor driver ICs for Arduino robot cars, line followers, Bluetooth-controlled robots and basic mechatronics projects in India. The IC uses separate supply pins: VCC1 powers the internal logic section, while VCC2 powers the motor/output stage. A microcontroller provides logic signals to the input pins, and the L293D switches the motor terminals accordingly. Two enable pins allow PWM speed control when connected to a microcontroller PWM output, or simple ON/OFF control when tied high. The L293D version includes internal clamp diodes for inductive transient suppression, reducing the need for external flyback diodes when driving small motors and coils within rated limits. Each driver channel can deliver up to 600 mA continuous output current, with higher non-repetitive peak current capability as specified by the manufacturer. The motor supply can be up to 36 V, making the IC suitable for many small 5 V, 6 V, 9 V and 12 V DC motors, provided current and heating are managed. Because the outputs are transistor-based, users should allow for voltage drop across the driver and avoid using it for high-current motors. Package includes one L293D IC in a 16-pin DIP package, suitable for breadboards, IC bases and through-hole PCBs. Key pins include VCC1 logic supply, VCC2 motor supply, GND pins for heat dissipation, IN1-IN4 logic inputs, OUT1-OUT4 motor outputs, and EN1/EN2 enable pins.