RoboteQ manual AX500 Motor Controller Overview, Product Description

SECTION 3AX500 Motor

Controller

Overview

Congratulations! By selecting Roboteq’s AX500 you have empowered yourself with the industry’s most versatile, and programmable DC Motor Controller for mobile robots. This manual will guide you step by step through its many possibilities.

Product Description

The AX500 is a highly configurable, microcomputer-based, dual-channel digital speed or position controller with built-in high power drivers. The controller is designed to interface directly to high power DC motors in computer controlled or remote controlled mobile robotics and automated vehicle applications.

The AX500 controller can accept speed or position commands in a variety of ways: pulse-width based control from a standard Radio Control receiver, Analog Voltage commands, or RS-232 commands from a microcontroller or 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 the vehicle. In the speed control mode, the AX500 can oper- ate in open loop or closed loop. In closed loop operation, actual speed measure- ments from tachometers are used to verify that the motor is rotating at the desired speed and direction and to adjust the power to the motors accordingly.

The AX500 can also be configured to operate as a precision, high torque servo con- troller. When connected to a potentiometer coupled to the motor assembly, the controller will command the motor to rotate up to a desired angular position. Depending on the DC motor's power and gear ratio, the AX500 can be used to move or rotate steering columns or other physical objects with very high torque.

The AX500 is fitted with many safety features ensuring a secure power-on start, automatic stop in case of command loss, over current protection on both channels, and overheat protection.

The motors are driven using high-efficiency Power MOSFET transistors controlled using Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) at 16kHz. The AX500 power stages can oper-

AX500 Motor Controller User’s Manual 21