Home Automation Ikea roller blinds

thingiverse

My take on automating my Ikea roller blinds is a game-changer. I've opted for direct drive instead of gears, which works wonders for me. To give my motor enough power to get the blinds up and down smoothly, I'm using a 9VDC power supply. The motor I chose is a reliable ULN2003, paired with a robust 28BYJ-48 stepper motor controller. This combo is powered by an ESP8266, which runs ESPhome software seamlessly with Home Assistant. For manual control, I've added buttons that allow me to operate the blinds without relying on automation. To secure the drive wheel to the motor's shaft, I drilled a small hole into it. The wheel itself was printed with thick wall layers for added strength. To accommodate left- and right-sided window installations, I designed two cases that can be easily swapped out. This ensures the button always points in the correct direction, providing a hassle-free user experience.