This project builds on BlinkMtr02, which used a smaller MSP430 MCU to control a single stepper motor driver. The motor driver is the A3967SLB, an SMT part that can drive a small stepper motor. The MSP430 cannot push enough current (or voltage) to drive the motor, so an external power transistors are required; there is little to be gained by trying to control the motor with the MSP430 directly. The BlinkMtr02 project has proven the A3967 circuit, so I will be building from a known good (as in working) design.
I am sure the A3967SLB is not the best choice, but I still have a bunch of them laying around and I have the component library for it. I know from experience that it is slow; the fastest I could turn the motor with the BlinkMtr02 was about 400 steps/second. However, this could also be a limitation of the motor I am using. Keeping in mind that this is an experimental board, I am sticking with known good designs and changing only one thing at a time. This is a learning experience, not a commercial product.
All that being said, let's review the BlinkMtr02 schematic.
From the MCU page, I want to copy the green power led (D3), the red MTR_ESTOP led (D2), and the amber MTR_/RESET led (D4). Everything else is provided by the LaunchPad board.
From the Driver page, I want to create three copies; one for each axis.