RoboteQ Dual Channel Digital Motor Controller AX2550 User Manual Download Page 1

Page: 1 / 186

AX1500

Dual Channel
Digital Motor
Controller

User’s Manual

v1.9b, June 1, 2007

visit www.roboteq.com to download the latest revision of this manual

Summary of Contents for Dual Channel Digital Motor Controller AX2550

Page 2: ...2 AX1500 Motor Controller User s Manual Version 1 9b June 1 2007...

Page 3: ...odified Flashing Pattern Separate PID Gains for Ch1 and C2 changeable on the fly Miscellaneous additions and correction Added Amps Calibration option January 10 2007 1 9 Changed Amps Limit Algorithm M...

Page 4: ...4 AX1500 Motor Controller User s Manual Version 1 9b June 1 2007...

Page 5: ...n 20 Connecting the controller to your PC using Roborun 21 Obtaining the Controller s Software Revision Number 22 Exploring further 22 SECTION 3 AX1500 Motor Controller Overview 23 Product Description...

Page 6: ...s 50 Using the Inputs to Activate the Buffered Output 50 Using the Inputs to turn Off On the Power MOSFET transistors 50 SECTION 6 Connecting Sensors and Actuators to Input Outputs 51 AX1500 Connectio...

Page 7: ...scription 81 Selecting the Position Mode 81 Position Sensor Selection 82 Sensor Mounting 82 Feedback Potentiometer wiring 83 Feedback Potentiometer wiring in RC or RS232 Mode 83 Feedback Potentiometer...

Page 8: ...ecting to a Separately Powered Radio 106 Operating the Controller in R C mode 106 Reception Watchdog 107 R C Transmitter Receiver Quality Considerations 108 Joystick Deadband Programming 108 Command C...

Page 9: ...ed to Motors 130 Query Amps from Battery to each Motor Channel 130 Query Analog Inputs 131 Query Heatsink Temperatures 131 Query Battery Voltages 131 Query Digital Inputs 132 Reset Controller 132 Acce...

Page 10: ...ase 1 and 2 152 Encoder Threshold 152 Distance Divider 152 Counter Read Data Format 153 Encoder Testing and Setting Using the PC Utility 153 Automatic Switching from RS232 to RC Mode 155 Analog and R...

Page 11: ...k 176 Operating the AX1500 over a Wired or Wireless LAN 176 Updating the Controller s Software 178 Updating the Encoder Software 178 Creating Customized Object Files 179 SECTION 15 Mechanical Specific...

Page 12: ...12 AX1500 Motor Controller User s Manual Version 1 9b June 1 2007...

Page 13: ...e Power Regeneration Consid erations on page 35 of the Users Manual Always keep the controller connected to the Battery Use the Power Control input to turn On Off Avoid Shorts when Mounting Board agai...

Page 14: ...Important Safety Warnings 14 AX1500 Motor Controller User s Manual Version 1 9b June 1 2007...

Page 15: ...l configuration What you will need For a minimal installation gather the following components One AX1500 Controller and its provided cables 12V to 40V high capacity high current battery One or two bru...

Page 16: ...ches and sensors At the back of the controller shown in the figure below are located all the terminals that must be connected to the batteries and the motors Status LED FIGURE 1 AX1500 Controller Fron...

Page 17: ...side of the controller is not harmful The two VMot terminals are connected to each other inside the controller The same is true for the Ground Terminals You should wire each pair together as shown in...

Page 18: ...es a spark will be generated at the connection point This is a normal occurrence and should be expected Connecting to the 15 pin Connector The controller s I O are located on it s standard 15 pin D Su...

Page 19: ...th the wire loop uncut assumes that the R C radio will be powered by the AX1500 controller Other wiring options are described in R C Operation on page 101 of the User s Manual Important Warning Do not...

Page 20: ...in the table below Although Roboteq strives to keep the same parameters and values from one version to the next changes may occur from one revision to the next Make sure that you have the matching ma...

Page 21: ...ion value Save captured parameters onto disk for later analysis to update the controller s software To connect the controller to your PC use the provided cable Connect the 15 pin connector to the cont...

Page 22: ...Obtaining this number can be done using the PC connection discussed previously Now that you know your controller s software version number you will be able to see if a new version is available for do...

Page 23: ...wireless modem The controller s two channels can be operated independently or can be combined to set the forward reverse direction and steering of a vehicle by coordinating the motion on each side of...

Page 24: ...ultiple operating modes Fully programmable through connection to a PC Non volatile storage of user configurable settings Simple operation Software upgradable with new features Multiple Command Modes R...

Page 25: ...he heat sink of each power output stage Sensor information readable via RS232 port Low Power Consumption On board DC DC converter for single 12 to 40V battery system operation Optional backup power in...

Page 26: ...Overvoltage and Undervoltage protection Regeneration current limiting Watchdog for automatic motor shutdown in case of command loss R C and RS232 modes Diagnostic LED Programmable motor acceleration...

Page 27: ...this section very carefully Any problem due to wir ing errors may have very serious consequences and will not be covered by the prod uct s warranty Power Connections The AX1500 has three Ground two Vm...

Page 28: ...is of the motor drivers The microcomputer circuit is connected to a DC DC converter which takes power from either the Power Control wire or the VMot input The diode circuit is designed to automaticall...

Page 29: ...e to keep the controller logic solidly On You may use a separate battery to keep the controller alive as the main Motor battery dis charges The table below shows the state of the controller depending...

Page 30: ...sed to power the motors Connect the two VMot terminals to the plus terminal of the battery The motor battery may be of 12 to 40 Volts 10 5V to 40V 0V Controller is On Power Stage is Off 10 5V to 40V 1...

Page 31: ...ade to run through external force electric vehicle going downhill for example and generate 40V or more a diode should be placed across the fuse emergency switch to provide a path under all circumstanc...

Page 32: ...oller output is typically determined empirically After connecting the motors apply a minimal amount of power using the Roborun PC util ity with the controller configured in Open Loop speed mode Verify...

Page 33: ...e Channel suffix This version incorpo rates a hardware setting inside the controller which ensures that both channels switch in a synchronized manner and respond to commands sent to channel 1 Converti...

Page 34: ...protect the wiring and battery against after the controller has failed Important Warning Fuses are typically slow to blow and will thus allow temporary excess current to flow through them for a time...

Page 35: ...f techniques you can try to keep noise emission low Keep wires as short as possible Loop wires through ferrite cores Add snubber R C circuit at motor terminals Keep controller wires and battery enclos...

Page 36: ...voltage drops below 43V Undervoltage Protection In order to ensure that the power MOSFET transistors are switched properly the AX1500 monitors the internal 12V power supply that is used by the MOSFET...

Page 37: ...a reservoir into which regeneration current can flow It will also be very helpful for delivering high current surges during motor acceleration making it possible to use a lower current power supply Ba...

Page 38: ...Connecting Power and Motors to the Controller 38 AX1500 Motor Controller User s Manual Version 1 9b June 1 2007...

Page 39: ...ble for each of the above listed functions which can be combined to produce practically any desired mobile robot configuration Input Command Modes The controller will accept commands from one of the f...

Page 40: ...stacle and change in slope This mode is adequate for most applications where the operator maintains a visual contact with the robot In the separate speed control mode channel 1 commands affect only mo...

Page 41: ...control operation is described in Closed Loop Speed Mode on page 93 Close Loop Position Control In this mode illustrated in Figure 16 the axle of a geared down motor is coupled to a potentiometer that...

Page 42: ...tures active current limitation that uses a combination of a user defined preset value discussed above which in turn may be reduced automatically based on mea sured operating temperature This capabili...

Page 43: ...ontroller measures and limits the current that flows from the battery Current that flows through the motor is typically higher This counter intuitive phenomenon is due to the flyback current in the mo...

Page 44: ...PWM cycle lower than 100 resulting in a higher and potentially unsafe level through the motor and the controller Regeneration Current Limiting The AX1500 s current sensor is capable of measuring curr...

Page 45: ...alue in the MCU s configuration EEPROM Table 4 shows the corresponding acceleration for all Switch and RS232 settings Numerically speaking each acceleration value corresponds to a fixed percentage spe...

Page 46: ...ge proportionally to the joy stick position Two exponential curves a weak and a strong are supported Using these curves and after the joystick has moved past the deadband the motor speed will first in...

Page 47: ...n than the other In most situ ations this is not noticeable In others however it can be an inconvenience When operat ing in open loop speed control the AX1500 can be configured to correct the speed in...

Page 48: ...may be used to make the robot go straight in case of a natural ten dency to steer slightly to the left or to the right The Left Right adjustment parameter can be set from 5 25 to 5 25 in seven steps...

Page 49: ...ices to EStop Invert Input on page 57 The switch must be such that it is in the open state in the normal situa tion and closed to signal an emergency stop command After and Emergency Stop condition th...

Page 50: ...detailed below Using the Inputs to Activate the Buffered Output When this setting is selected the buffered Output C will be On when the Input line is pulled to Ground 0V The Output will be Off when th...

Page 51: ...ws a typical wir ing diagram of a mobile robot using the AX1500 controller The wires are used for connection to the batteries and motors and will typically carry large current loads Details on the con...

Page 52: ...on the selected oper ating mode some of these I Os provide feedback and or safety information to the controller 5 6 7 9 8 4 3 1 2 1 DC Motors 2 Optional sensors Tachometers Closed loop Speed mode Pote...

Page 53: ...t Inp E Digital Input Same as Input F Not available when encoder module present EStop Invert Digital Input Emer gency stop When Input is configured as Emergency Stop switch input Invert Controls When...

Page 54: ...ata Logging Output 3 Input R C Ch 1 R C radio Channel 1 pulses RS232 Data In RS232 Data In from PC MCU Analog Unused Unused 4 Input R C Ch 2 R C radio Channel 2 pulses RS232 Analog Input F Digital Inp...

Page 55: ...ands and Queries on page 128 for more information 10 Analog in RC RS232 Ana in 2 Channel 2 speed or position feedback input Analog Command 2 Analog command for channel 2 11 Analog in RC RS232 Ana in 1...

Page 56: ...ead in the RS232 mode with the i command string The con troller will respond with three sets of 2 digit numbers The status of Input E is contained in the first set of numbers and may be 00 to indicate...

Page 57: ...ut becomes a gen eral purpose input like the other two described above This input is a high impedance input with a pull up resistor built into the controller There fore it will report an On state no e...

Page 58: ...r types of analog sensors These inputs can be read at any time using the p query for Analog inputs 1 and 2 and the r query for Inputs 3 and 4 The fol lowing section show the various uses for these inp...

Page 59: ...t Note that while you are doing these tests the potentiometer must be loosely attached to the motor s axle so that it will not be forced and broken by the motor s uncontrolled rotation in case it was...

Page 60: ...ing during the first installation Since in closed loop control the measured speed is the basis for the controller s power out put i e deliver more power if slower than desired speed less if higher an...

Page 61: ...Ohm Negative Coefficient Thermistor NTC with the temperature resistance characteristics shown in the table below Thermistors are non linear devices Using the circuit described on Figure 30 the control...

Page 62: ...the voltage information but merely makes it avail able to the host microcomputer via the RS232 port The recommended schematic is shown in Figure 32 Using these resistor values it is possible to measur...

Page 63: ...f the analog inputs can be read through the controller s RS232 port Internal Voltage Monitoring Sensors The AX1500 incorporates voltage sensors that monitor the Main Battery voltage and the Internal 1...

Page 64: ...ntroller and that it may be temporarily be different than the temperature measured outside the case Temperature Conversion C Source Code The code below can be used to convert the analog reading into t...

Page 65: ...r Controller User s Manual 65 Internal Heatsink Temperature Sensors else LoTemp i 5 40 HiTemp LoTemp 5 lobound TempTable i hibound TempTable i 1 temp LoTemp 5 AnaValue lobound 100 hibound lobound 100...

Page 66: ...Connecting Sensors and Actuators to Input Outputs 66 AX1500 Motor Controller User s Manual Version 1 9b June 1 2007...

Page 67: ...n pulses or by the number of pulses within a given time period Because they are digital devices incremental encoders will measure distance and speed with perfect accuracy Since motors can move in forw...

Page 68: ...the zero reference for all subsequent moves Recommended Encoder Types The module may be used with most incremental encoder module as long as they include the following features Two quadrature outputs...

Page 69: ...larger than the first one The formula below gives the pulse frequency at a given RPM and encoder resolution in Pulses per Revolution Pulse Frequency in Hz RPM 60 PPR 4 Example a motor spinning at 10 0...

Page 70: ...next to one of the two header and solder the other en inside the matching hole on the encoder module as shown on Figure 39 Connecting the Encoder The Encoder module uses a widely available 8 pin RJ45...

Page 71: ...d on the power supply TABLE 12 Encoder Connector Pinout Pin Name Cable Color when using standard network cable 1 Encoder 2 Channel B Optional Limit Switch 4 Orange White 2 Encoder 2 Channel A Optional...

Page 72: ...tor This will cause the motor to rotate in the opposite direction Voltage Levels Thresholds and Limit Switches The encoder module s input uses a comparator to reshape the encoder s output signal If th...

Page 73: ...ection condition Important Warning When a limit switch is activated the encoder signal that is shared with the switch is no longer visible by the encoder module and pulse counting and speed measure me...

Page 74: ...eter and or oscilloscope be used to verify that the right volt age levels are created as the encoder rotates and the switches activate You may also use the Encoder setup test function in the Roborun u...

Page 75: ...f stopping the motor when a limit is reached while allowing motion in the other direction away for that limit TABLE 13 Effects of Limit Switches 1 and 2 on Motor 1 SW1 SW2 Motor 1 Fwd Motor 1 Rev OFF...

Page 76: ...via the controller s serial port See RS232 Encoder Com mand Set on page 145 on page 78 Using the Encoder to Measure Speed The encoder module will automatically compute rotation speed for each encoder...

Page 77: ...sponds to the following measurable min actual RPM values RPM at Min Measurable Speed Value 1 58593 75 4 1 200 58 6 RPM The Roborun Utility automatically makes the above calculations when setting up th...

Page 78: ...e point where the motor shaft was at power up It is typically necessary to have the motors moved to a home position and reset the counters at that reference point RS232 Communication with the Encoder...

Page 79: ...e PC Utility Encoder Testing and Setting Using the PC Utility Extensive diagnostic calibration setting and testing support is provided in the Roborun PC utility Basic instructions on how to install an...

Page 80: ...Installing Connecting and Using the Encoder Mod 80 AX1500 Motor Controller User s Manual Version 1 9b June 1 2007...

Page 81: ...rive steering columns robotic arms life size models and other heavy loads The AX1500 incorporates a full featured Proportional Integral Differential PID control algorithm for quick and stable position...

Page 82: ...g Proper mounting of the sensor is critical for an effective and accurate position mode opera tion Figure 48 shows a typical motor gear box and sensor assembly The sensor is composed of two parts a bo...

Page 83: ...itical applications Optical encoders may also be used when operated as discussed in Using the Encoder to Measure Speed on page 76 Feedback Potentiometer wiring When using a potentiometer it must be wi...

Page 84: ...lay Rev B on the screen Analog inputs 3 and 4 have different characteristics than inputs 1 and 2 and so require a lower resistance potentiometer in order to guarantee accuracy Important Notice This wi...

Page 85: ...g of the feedback must be done as shown in the figure below Feedback Wiring in Analog Mode on Single Channel Controllers When the controller is configured in Analog mode the analog input 1 is used for...

Page 86: ...pping it other than cutting the power or hitting the Emergency Stop button Determining the right polarity is best done experimentally using the Roborun utility see Using the Roborun Configuration Util...

Page 87: ...motor If such an error occurs the controller will halt permanently until its power is cycled or it is reset An Encoder error is one of the conditions that is sig nalled by the diagnostic LED rapidly...

Page 88: ...nly for the short time needed for the motor to move away from the limit switches Another method uses the AX1500 s Emergency Stop input to shut down the controller if any of the limit switches is tripp...

Page 89: ...justments to the Power Output based on the difference measured between the desired position set by the user and the actual position captured by the position sensor Figure 55 shows a representation of...

Page 90: ...value The differential component will also help dampen any overshoot and oscillation The Integral component of the algorithm performs a sum of the error over time In the posi tion mode this component...

Page 91: ...the Applied Power should be Applied Power Command Value Actual Position Proportional Gain Experiment first with the motor electrically or mechanically disconnected and verify that the controller is m...

Page 92: ...Closed Loop Position Mode 92 AX1500 Motor Controller User s Manual Version 1 9b June 1 2007...

Page 93: ...Integral Differential PID control algorithm for quick and stable speed control Selecting the Speed Mode The speed mode is selected by changing the Motor Control parameter in the controller to either...

Page 94: ...al for an effective and accurate speed mode operation Figure 56 shows a typical motor and tachometer or encoder assembly Tachometer wiring The tachometer must be wired so that it creates a voltage at...

Page 95: ...e using the PC utility This will cause the motors to run in Open Loop for now 3 Launch the Roborun utility and click on the Run tab Click the Start button to begin communication with the controller Th...

Page 96: ...and its wiring be extremely robust If the tachometer reports an erroneous voltage or no voltage at all the controller will con sider that the motor has not reached the desired speed value and will gr...

Page 97: ...i e measured speed is near to or at the desired value PID tuning in Speed Mode As discussed above three parameters Proportional Gain Integral Gain and Differential Gain can be adjusted to tune the Cl...

Page 98: ...ved by the motor is not fixed tune the PID with the mini mum expected load and tune it again with the maximum expected load Then try to find values that will work in both conditions If the disparity b...

Page 99: ...on board DC DC converter is functioning It provides no infor mation regarding the controller s operation Diagnostic LED The AX1500 features a single diagnostic LED which helps determine the controller...

Page 100: ...s A rapid continuously flashing pattern indicates that the controller s output is Off and will remain off until reset or power is cycled Activating the emergency stop will cause the con troller to sto...

Page 101: ...compatible with all popular brands of R C transmitters A third R C channel can be used to control the On Off state of two outputs that may be con nected to electrical accessories valves lights weapons...

Page 102: ...5 connector are mapped as described in the table below TABLE 16 Connector pin out in R C mode Pin Number Input or Output Signal Description 1 and 9 Output Output C 2A Accessory Output C 2 Output RS232...

Page 103: ...ied Cable Description The AX1500 is delivered with a custom cable with the following wiring diagram 14 Power Out 5V 5V Power Output 100mA max 15 Input Input EStop Inv Emergency Stop or Invert Switch i...

Page 104: ...e controller s connector may be used to power the R C radio The wire loop is used to bring the controller s power to the the radio as well as for powering the optocoupler stage Figure 66 below shows t...

Page 105: ...one wired in the R C cable deliv ered with the controller 8 9 15 Pin 1 Channel 1 Wire loop bringing power from controller to RC radio Channel 2 3 Channel 1 Command Pulses 4 Channel 2 Command Pulses 6...

Page 106: ...ntroller in R C mode In this operating mode the AX1500 will accept commands from a Radio Control receiver used for R C models remote controls The speed or position information is communicated to the A...

Page 107: ...lse width values From this is generated a number ranging from 127 when the joystick is in the min position to 0 when the joystick is in the center position to 127 when the joystick is in the max posit...

Page 108: ...deration is the R C receiver s ability to operate in an electrically noisy environment the AX1500 switches high current at very high frequencies Such tran sients along long battery and motor wires wil...

Page 109: ...ves The AX1500 can also be set to translate the joystick motor commands so that the motors respond differently depending on whether the joystick is near the center or near the extremes Five different...

Page 110: ...e full travel of your joystick i e minimum 100 reverse maximum 100 for ward It also ensures that the joystick s center position does indeed correspond to a 0 motor command value Joystick calibration i...

Page 111: ...ing the fol lowing operating parameters Captured R C Command 1 and 2 Power Applied to Controller s output stage Values applied to Analog inputs 1 and 2 Amps on channel 1 and 2 Internal Heat Sink tempe...

Page 112: ...output wire and connector that will be connected to the PC s communication port Figure 74 and below shows the wiring diagram of the modified R C cable for connection to a PC 1 2 3 4 7 8 9 5 1 2 3 4 5...

Page 113: ...0 at 2 5V and 127 at 5V This value in turn becomes the com mand input used by the controller This command input is subject to deadband threshold and exponentiation adjustment Analog commands can be us...

Page 114: ...the PC for data logging 3 Data In Input unused 4 Input F Input See Special Use of Accessory Digital Inputs on page 50 5 Ground Out Power Output Controller ground 6 Unused Unused 7 Unused Unused 8 Inpu...

Page 115: ...ition in case the input is not connected The applied voltage must have suffi cient current low impedance so that it is not affected by these resistors Connecting a Potentiometer Figure 76 shows how to...

Page 116: ...stance at its two extremes For a 1K potentiometer the current is I U R 5V 1000 Ohms 0 005A 5mA For all practical purposes a 1K potentiometer is a good minimal value If the value of the potentiometer i...

Page 117: ...f the potentiometer s position This is to ensure that 100 motor speed is achieved in all circumstances Table 19 below shows the effect of the different deadband parameter val ues Changing the deadband...

Page 118: ...led until the analog commands are centered to the midpoint 2 5V on each input Data Logging in Analog Mode While in Analog Mode the AX1500 will continuously send a string of characters on the RS232 out...

Page 119: ...cable must be modified to add an RS232 output wire and connector that will be connected to the PC s communication port Figure 78 below shows the wiring diagram of the modified cable for connection to...

Page 120: ...Analog Control and Operation 120 AX1500 Motor Controller User s Manual Version 1 9b June 1 2007...

Page 121: ...less modems This connection can be used to both send commands and read various status information in real time from the controller The serial mode enables the design of autono mous robots or more soph...

Page 122: ...t Data In RS232 Data In from PC 4 Input Input F Digital Input F readable RS232 mode Dead man switch activation 5 and 13 Power Out Ground Controller ground 6 Unused Unused Unused 7 Unused Unused Unused...

Page 123: ...232 Cable The AX1500 is delivered with a 4 foot cable adapter which may be too short particularly if you wish to run and monitor the controller inside a moving robot RS232 extension cables are availab...

Page 124: ...connector Once connected you will need a Terminal Emulation program to display the data received from the controller on the PC s screen and to send characters typed on the keyboard to the controller...

Page 125: ...e hardware and can be ignored RS232 Communication with the Encoder Module The Encoder Module contains its own Microcontroller and firmware in Flash The Encoder s MCU communicates with the one on the m...

Page 126: ...ode and that it is now ready to accept commands Note that for improved safety the RS232 watchdog is automatically enabled when entering the RS232 in this way See RS 232 Watchdog on page 128 When reset...

Page 127: ...ller is not in the RS232 mode the controller is Off the controller may be defective Command Acknowledgement The AX1500 will acknowledge commands in one of two ways For commands that cause a reply such...

Page 128: ...and queries are composed of a series of 2 or 4 characters followed by the enter carriage return code The controller will send back echo every character it is receiving By checking that the returned ch...

Page 129: ...l digits from 00 to 7F Examples A00 channel 1 to 0 B7F channel 2 100 forward a3F channel 1 50 reverse Notes The hexadecimal number must always contain two digits For example a5 will not be recognized...

Page 130: ...rheat detection or mixed mode is currently active No forward or reverse direction information is returned by this query This query is most useful for providing feedback to a microcontroller commanding...

Page 131: ...a signed hexadecimal number where 0 to 127 is represented by 00 to 7F and 1 to 127 is represented by FF to 80 respectively Query Heatsink Temperatures Description This query will cause the controller...

Page 132: ...oller to return the state of the controller s two accessory inputs inputs E and F and the state of the Emergency Stop Inverted input See Connect ing Sensors and Actuators to Input Outputs on page 51 f...

Page 133: ...from RS232 to RC Mode on page 155 Reading and writing parameters is done using the fol lowing commands Read parameter Syntax mm Reply DD Where mm parameter number DD current parameter value Example 00...

Page 134: ...r FF 05 reserved 06 Joystick Deadband or Analog Deadband Reset or FF 07 Exponentiation on channel 1 Instant 08 Exponentiation on channel 2 Instant 09 Reserved 0A Left Right Adjust Reset or FF 0B Encod...

Page 135: ...he fly All parameters in Flash except for the Amps calibration are reset to their default values every time new firmware is loaded into the controller Input Control Mode Address 00 Access Read Write E...

Page 136: ...ugh the motors may be higher Bit Definition See pages 2 0 Motor Control Mode 0 A B separate speed open loop default 1 A B mixed speed open loop 2 A speed open loop B position 3 A B position 4 A B sepa...

Page 137: ...ect of the controller s Digital Inputs and other settings Bit Definition See pages 7 0 0 very slow 1 slow 2 medium slow default 3 medium 4 fast 5 fastest See Programmable Acceleration on page 45 for c...

Page 138: ...1 and Channel 2 Address 08 Channel 1 09 Channel 2 Access Read Write Effective Instantly 5 4 Input E Unavailable when Encoder Module is present 00 No action default 01 Cut FET power when Input E is Lo...

Page 139: ...e Encoder Time base values that are loaded after the controller is reset or powered on Time Bases are used to determine rotation speed depending on the Encoder s resolution Time Bases can be changed a...

Page 140: ...n Access Read Write Effective After Reset or FF These parameters are the Gains values that are loaded after the controller is reset or pow ered on These Gains apply to both channels Gains can be chang...

Page 141: ...at are stored in Flash see above the Operating Parameters are stored in RAM and can be changed indefinitely After reset the Operating Parameters are loaded with the values stored in the Configuration...

Page 142: ...6ms iteration loop After reset these bits get initialized according to the configuration contained in Flash Values are in Hexadecimal Example 00000101 Hex 05 Read Change PID Values Address 82 P1 83 I1...

Page 143: ...The frequency is 15 625 Hz 255 Register Value The controller s default frequency provides the best efficiency and should be changed only if absolutely required and only if operating the controller in...

Page 144: ...ent time This limit normally is the one that is preset by the user except when the controller is operating at high temperature in which case the allowable current drops as temperature rises See Temper...

Page 145: ...can be read as Absolute or Relative An Absolute counter read will return the full counter value after every read query In a Relative counter read the counter value is immediately cleared immediately...

Page 146: ...rly received and executed if an error occurred Examples Q2 Reset both counters Q5 Load value contained in buffer into counter 2 Q0 followed by Q1 Read counter 1 and copy its value into counter 2 Read...

Page 147: ...ll cause the controller to return either the speed or the distance computed by the Encoder module depending on the operating mode that is selected This command is similar to either of the two previous...

Page 148: ...stored in the Encoder s module MCU RAM While this command provides unrestricted access to up to 256 memory locations a small number of these locations should never be read or altered Parameter addres...

Page 149: ...Code 1 byte Full 85 Switches Status 1 byte Full 86 Speed or Distance 1 depending on operating mode 1 byte Full 87 Speed or Distance 2 depending on operating mode 1 byte Full 88 Counter Read Write Mail...

Page 150: ...Distance 1 or 2 Address 86 Channel 1 87 Channel 2 98 Destination Register 1 MSB bits 31 to 24 4 bytes Full 99 Destination Register 1 bits 23 to 16 9A Destination Register 1 bits 15 to 8 9B Destinatio...

Page 151: ...e which then copies the counter value into the mailbox The mailbox system can be used in the same way for reading and writing the des tination register In practice reading a counter is done by a singl...

Page 152: ...ned 8 bit value 127 to 127 that represents the motor speed relative to a maximum speed which in turn depends on the number of encoder counts and time base settings as described in Using the Encoder to...

Page 153: ...igher than 7 i e 8 to F to signify that the number is positive For negative numbers the Encoder module will insert an F ahead of any number string starting with a digit value lower than 8 i e 0 to 7 T...

Page 154: ...154 AX1500 Motor Controller User s Manual Version 1 9b June 1 2007...

Page 155: ...l 3 is activated the relay turns On and brings the RC radio signal 1 to the shared input The second relay contact brings a discharged capacitor onto the Power Control wire causing the controller to re...

Page 156: ...the R C mode and on page 119 for the Analog mode This string is composed of a start character delimiter followed by two digit Hexadecimal numbers representing internal parameter values and ending wit...

Page 157: ...exadecimal is related to the binary system that is used at the very heart of micro computers Functions for converting from decimal to hexadecimal are readily available in high level languages such as...

Page 158: ...24 18 56 38 88 58 120 78 25 19 57 39 89 59 121 79 26 1A 58 3A 90 5A 122 7A 27 1B 59 3B 91 5B 123 7B 28 1C 60 3C 92 5C 124 7C 29 1D 61 3D 93 5D 125 7D 30 1E 62 3E 94 5E 126 7E 31 1F 63 3F 95 5F 127 7F...

Page 159: ...9 D1 15 241 F1 110 146 92 78 178 B2 46 210 D2 14 242 F2 109 147 93 77 179 B3 45 211 D3 13 243 F3 108 148 94 76 180 B4 44 212 D4 12 244 F4 107 149 95 75 181 B5 43 213 D5 11 245 F5 106 150 96 74 182 B6...

Page 160: ...160 AX1500 Motor Controller User s Manual Version 1 9b June 1 2007...

Page 161: ...with a 9 pin female connector An Internet connection for downloading the latest version of the Roborun Utility or the Controller s Software 5 Megabytes of free disk space If there is no free serial po...

Page 162: ...ting and Testing on page 168 Most computers have at least one but often times two serial ports Look for one or two connectors resembling the illustration in Figure 87 If a serial port connector is alr...

Page 163: ...will automatically be updated with an indication that a free communication port was found and opened by the utility If no free communication port is available on your computer it will be indicated in...

Page 164: ...ame also contains the button needed to initiate a software update to the controller 5 View Controller Connector Pinout Clicking on this link will conveniently pop a window containing the Controller s...

Page 165: ...le from this screen 1 Controller Input This pull down menu allows the user to select the RS232 R C or Analog mode of opera tion If the RS232 mode is selected a check box will appear allowing you to en...

Page 166: ...e Motor Excitation on page 49 Power Settings The screen shown in Figure 91 is used to view and change the power parameters of the controller 1 Amps limit This slider will let you select the max amps t...

Page 167: ...some of these menus will turn gray but will remain active 1 Deadband This slider will let you set the amount of joystick motion off its center position before the motors start moving The slider will...

Page 168: ...commands These parameters are used in the Position mode see page 81 and the Closed Loop speed mode see page page 93 Encoder Setting and Testing Extensive diagnostic calibration setting and testing su...

Page 169: ...speed computation 3 Setting Divider for computing relative distance 4 Measure and display speed and relative distance 5 Measure and display counter values 6 Detect and display optional limit switch st...

Page 170: ...he threshold level parameter and its operation is described in Voltage Levels Thresholds and Limit Switches on page 72 Exercising the Motors A set of buttons and sliders is provided to start stop comm...

Page 171: ...elow the slider The stop button will cause the slider to return to the middle stop position and a 0 value command to be sent to the controller The and buttons will cause the slider to move by 1 or 10...

Page 172: ...Transistors for each channel The Bat Volt field displays the main battery s voltage voltage applied at the Vmot tabs The Ctrler Volt field displays the controller s internal regulated 12V voltage 4 Re...

Page 173: ...on can be pressed at any time to clear the local RAM from its content Clearing the log also has the effect of resetting the timer 3 Log Fill Status This gray text box indicates whether the local RAM l...

Page 174: ...her verify that the joystick is properly installed in the PC and is fully operational Using the Console The console screen allows you to communicate with the controller using raw ASCII data This funct...

Page 175: ...haracters for data logging If in RS232 mode the controller will output an OK prompt and is ready to accept com mands 2 Command Entry This window is used to prepare up to 3 command string and send them...

Page 176: ...gnize the controller as being present However when in the Run tab and the Run button activated Roborun will be receiving the strings sent by the controller and display the various parameters in the ri...

Page 177: ...nuously move data between the network and the COM port When launched the screen shown below appears The second computer runs the Roborun utility To establish contact with the server pro gram click on...

Page 178: ...be asked to reset it while connected 5 Press the Program button to start programming Do not interrupt or cut the power to the controller while the new program is loading into Flash memory 6 After a ve...

Page 179: ...required by the application Creating a custom object file can easily be done using the Objectmaker utility This short program is automatically installed in the Start menu when installing the Roborun...

Page 180: ...Using the Roborun Configuration Utility 180 AX1500 Motor Controller User s Manual Version 1 9b June 1 2007 8 Install the new object file in the controller using the Roborun utility...

Page 181: ...t Board The board includes connectors for direct connection to the Optical Encoders and to the Radio Joy stick or microcomputer on one side On the other side can be found Fast on tabs for high current...

Page 182: ...ing sufficient heat dissipation for operation without a fan in most applications When mounting the board and if current is expected to be above 15A on average ensure that there can be a natural or for...

Page 183: ...rculate air around the controller Attaching the Controller Directly to a Chassis The AX1500 can be attached to a metal chassis to improve heat dissipation For this pur pose the board has holes at the...

Page 184: ...uching the heat sinks of the power MOS an from damaging the PCB and making contact with the copper layers underneath Should the board be expected to experience heavy vibrations then use plastic should...

Page 185: ...s These connectors are rated to support the controller s maximum specified current It is rec ommended that you use AWG12 wire for all power connections to ground batteries and motors The Power Control...

Page 186: ...Mechanical Specifications 186 AX1500 Motor Controller User s Manual Version 1 9b June 1 2007...

Search results

Summary of Contents for Dual Channel Digital Motor Controller AX2550

Reviews:

RoboteQ Dual Channel Digital Motor Controller AX2550, User Manual, Page: 1 / 186

Search results

Summary of Contents for Dual Channel Digital Motor Controller AX2550

Reviews: