RoboteQ AX2850 user manual

AX2550

AX2850

Dual Channel

High Power

Digital Motor

Controller

User’s Manual

v1.9b, June 1, 2007

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

Contents

Main Page Revision History Page SECTION 1 SECTION 2 SECTION 3 SECTION 4 SECTION 5 SECTION 6 SECTION 7 SECTION 8 SECTION 9 SECTION 10 SECTION 11 SECTION 12 SECTION 13 SECTION 14 SECTION 15 SECTION 16 Page SECTION 1 Important Safety Warnings Read this Section First This product is intended for use with rechargeable batteries Do not Connect to a RC Radio with a Battery Attached Beware of Motor Runaway in Improperly Closed Loop Page Quick Start What you will need Locating the Switches, Wires and Connectors Page Connecting to the Batteries and Motors Connecting to the 15-pin Connector Connecting the R/C Radio Powering On the Controller Button Operation Default Controller Configuration Connecting the controller to your PC using Roborun Obtaining the Controllers Software Revision Number Exploring further = Software version 1.9b SECTION 3 AX2550 Motor Controller Overview Product Description Technical features Page Page Page Controller Power Page Controller Powering Schemes Powering the Controller from a single Battery Powering the Controller Using a Main and Backup Battery Connecting the Motors Single Channel Operation Converting the AX2550 to Single Channel Power Fu ses Wire Length Limits Electrical Noise Reduction Techniques Power Regeneration Considerations Overvoltage Protection Undervoltage Protection Using the Controller with a Power Supply Page Operation Basic Operation Input Command Modes Selecting the Motor Control Modes Open Loop, Separate Speed Control Open Loop, Mixed Speed Control Closed Loop Speed Control Close Loop Position Control User Selected Current Limit Settings Temperature-Based Current Limitation Position Sensor Gear box Position Feedback Battery Current vs. Motor Current Regeneration Current Limiting Off On Programmable Acceleration Command Control Curves Left / Right Tuning Adjustment Page Activating Brake Release or Separate Motor Excitation Emergency Shut Down Using Controller Switches Emergency Stop using External Switch Inverted Operation Special Use of Accessory Digital Inputs Using the Inputs to Activate the Buffered Output Using the Inputs to turn Off/On the Power MOSFET transistors Self-Test Mode = Software version 1.9b Page Page Page AX2550s Inputs and Outputs I/O List and Pin Assignment Connecting devices to Output C Connecting Switches or Devices to Input E Connecting Switches or Devices to Input F Connecting Switches or Devices to EStop/Invert Input Analog Inputs Connecting Position Potentiometers to Analog Inputs Connecting Tachometer to Analog Inputs Page Connecting External Thermistor to Analog Inputs Using the Analog Inputs to Monitor External Voltages Connecting User Devices to Analog Inputs Internal Voltage Monitoring Sensors Internal Heatsink Temperature Sensors AX2550 Motor Controller Users Manual 69 Temperature Conversion C Source Code FIGURE 39. Analog reading by controller vs. internal heat sink temperature Temperature Conversion C Source Code Reported Analog Value Page SECTION 7 Installing, Connecting and Using the Encoder Module Optical Incremental Encoders Overview Recommended Encoder Types Installing the Encoder Module Page Connecting the Encoder Cable Length and Noise Considerations Motor - Encoder Polarity Matching Voltage Levels, Thresholds and Limit Switches Page Wiring Optional Limit Switches Wiring Limit Switches Without Encoders Effect of Limit Switches Using the Encoder Module to Measure Distance Using the Encoder to Measure Speed Using the Encoder to Track Position RS232 Communication with the Encoder Module Page Page SECTION 8 Closed Loop Position Mode Selecting the Position Mode Position Sensor Selection Sensor Mounting Position Sensor Gear box Position Feedback Important Notice: Feedback Potentiometer wiring Feedback Potentiometer wiring in RC or RS232 Mode Feedback Potentiometer wiring in Analog Mode Analog Feedback on Single Channel Controllers Feedback Wiring in RC or RS232 Mode on Single Channel Controllers Feedback Wiring in Analog Mode on Single Channel Controllers Using Optical Encoders in Position Mode Sensor and Motor Polarity Important Safety Warning Encoder Error Detection and Protection Adding Safety Limit Switches Page Using Current Limiting as Protection Control Loop Description - PID tuning in Position Mode Page SECTION 9 Closed Loop Speed Mode Selecting the Speed Mode Using Optical Encoder for Speed Feedback (AX2850 only) Tachometer or Encoder Mounting Tachometer wiring Speed Sensor and Motor Polarity Adjust Offset and Max Speed Control Loop Description - PID tuning in Speed Mode Fault Condition LED Messages Use of the LED Display Motor Direction Status Fault Messages No Control MOSFET Transistors are OFF Temporary Faults Permanent Faults Self-Test Display Page Page SECTION 11 R/C Operation Selecting the R/C Input Mode Connector I/O Pin Assignment (R/C Mode) Pin1 8 15 9 R/C Input Circuit Description Supplied Cable Description Powering the Radio from the controller Page Connecting to a Separately Powered Radio Operating the Controller in R/C mode Reception Watchdog Important Notice about PCM Radios R/C Transmitter/Receiver Quality Considerations Joystick Deadband Programming Command Control Curves Left/Right Tuning Adjustment Joystick Calibration Automatic Joystick Calibration Activating the Accessory Outputs Data Logging in R/C Mode R/C Operation 122 AX2550 Motor Controller Users Manual Version 1.9b. June 1, 2007 FIGURE 82. Modified R/C cable with RS232 output for data logging to a PC SECTION 12 Analog Control and Operation Connector I/O Pin Assignment (Analog Mode) Connecting to a Voltage Source Connecting a Potentiometer Selecting the Potentiometer Value Analog Deadband Adjustment Power-On Safety Under Voltage Safety Data Logging in Analog Mode Page Controls and Operation Use and benefits of RS232 Connector I/O Pin Assignment (RS232 Mode) Cable configuration TX Data Extending the RS232 Cable RX Data Data Out Data In GNDGND DB9 Female To PC Communication Settings TX Data 9600 bits/s, 7-bit data, 1 Start bit, 1 Stop bit, Even Parity Establishing Manual Communication with a PC RX Data Data Out Data In GNDGND RS232 Communication with the Encoder Module Entering RS232 from R/C or Analog mode Data Logging String in R/C or Analog mode RS232 Mode if default Commands Acknowledge and Error Messages Character Echo Command Acknowledgement Command Error RS-232 Watchdog Controller Commands and Queries Set Motor Command Value Set Accessory Output Query Power Applied to Motors Query Amps from Battery to each Motor Channel Query Analog Inputs Query Heatsink Temperatures Query Battery Voltages Query Digital Inputs Reset Controller Accessing & Changing Configuration Parameter in Flash Apply Parameter Changes Flash Configuration Parameters List Input Control Mode Motor Control Mode Amps Limit Acceleration Input Switches Function RC Joystick or Analog Deadband Exponentiation on Channel 1 and Channel 2 Left/Right Adjust Default Encoder Time Base 1 and 2 Default Encoder Distance Divider Default PID Gains Joystick Min, Max and Center Values Reading & Changing Operating Parameters at Runtime Important Notice: Operating Modes Registers Read/Change PID Values PWM Frequency Register Controller Status Register Controller Identification Register Current Amps Limit Registers RS232 Encoder Command Set Read Encoder Counter Set/Reset Encoder Counters and Destination Registers Read Speed Read Distance Read Speed/Distance Read Encoder Limit Switch Status Read / Modify Encoder Module Registers and Parameters Important Note Page Register Description Encoder Hardware ID code Switch Status Speed or Distance 1 or 2 Counter Read/Write Mailbox Counter 1 and 2 Destination Register 1 and 2 Distance 1 and 2 Speed 1 and 2 Time Base 1 and 2 Encoder Threshold Distance Divider Counter Read Data Format Encoder Testing and Setting Using the PC Utility Page Automatic Switching from RS232 to RC Mode : 00 11 22 33 44 55 66 77 88 99 AA BB CC Analog and R/C Modes Data Logging String Format Data Logging Cables Decimal to Hexadecimal Conversion Table Page Page Page SECTION 14 Configuring the Controller using the Switches Programming Methods Programming using built-in Switches and Display Entering Programming Mode Changing parameters The Special Case of Joystick Calibration Restoring factory defaults Exiting the Parameter Setting Mode Programmable Parameters List Page Page Configuration Utility System Requirements Downloading and Installing the Utility Connecting the Controller to the PC Roborun Frame, Tab and Menu Descriptions Getting On-Screen Help Loading, Changing Controller Parameters Control Settings Power Settings Analog or R/C Specific Settings Closed Loop Parameters Encoder Setting and Testing Encoder Module Parameters Setting Exercising the Motors Viewing Encoder Data Running the Motors Page Page Logging Data to Disk Connecting a Joystick Using the Console Viewing and Logging Data in Analog and R/C Modes Loading and Saving Profiles to Disk Operating the AX2550 over a Wired or Wireless LAN Updating the Controllers Software Updating the Encoder Software Creating Customized Object Files Page Page Mounting Considerations Thermal Considerations Attaching the Controller Directly to a Chassis Wire Dimensions Weight