User ManualTable of ContentsRevision History2SECTION 1 AX2500/2850 Quick Start11Important Safety Warnings11What you will need11Locating Switches, Wires and Connectors12Connecting to the Batteries and Motors13Important Warning14Using the Power Control Wire14Connecting the R/C Radio14Important Warning15Powering On the Controller15Button Operation16Default Controller Configuration17Checking and Changing Configurations17Connecting the controller to your PC using Roborun18Obtaining the Controller’s Software Revision Number19Exploring further20SECTION 2 AX2500/2850 Motor Controller Overview21Product Description21Technical features22SECTION 3 Connecting Power and Motors to the Controller25Important Warning25Connecting Power25Controller Power26Powering the Controller using the Motor Batteries28Important Warning28Important Warning28Using a Backup Battery29Power Fuses30Important Warning30Wire Length Limits30Important Warning31Electrical Noise Reduction Techniques31Power Regeneration Considerations31Important Warning31Important Warning32Overvoltage Protection32Undervoltage Protection32Using the Controller with a Power Supply32SECTION 4 General Operation35Basic Operation35Input Command Modes35Selecting the Motor Control Modes36Open Loop, Separate Speed Control36Open Loop, Mixed Speed Control36Closed Loop Speed Control37Close Loop Position Control37Current Limit Settings38Continuous and Extended Current Limitation38Temperature-Based Current Limitation39Surge Current Protection40Regeneration Current Limiting40Programmable Acceleration40Important Warning41Command Control Curves42Left / Right Tuning Adjustment43Emergency Shut Down Using Controller Switches44Emergency Stop using External Switch45Inverted Operation45Special Use of Accessory Digital Inputs46Using the Inputs to Activate the Buffered Output46Using the Inputs to turn Off/On the Power MOSFET transistors46Self-Test Mode46Important Warning47SECTION 5 Connecting Sensors and Actuators to Input/Outputs49AX2500/2850 Connections49AX2500/2850’s Inputs and Outputs51I/O List and Pin Assignment52Connecting devices to Output C53Important warning:54Connecting devices to Output D54Connecting Switches or Devices to Input E55Connecting Switches or Devices to Input F55Connecting Switches or Devices to EStop/Invert Input56Connecting Position Potentiometers to Analog Inputs57Important Warning58Connecting Tachometer to Analog Inputs58Important Warning59Connecting External Thermistor to Analog Inputs59Using the Analog Inputs to Monitor External Voltages60Connecting User Devices to Analog Inputs61Internal Voltage Monitoring Sensors62Internal Heatsink Temperature Sensors62Temperature Conversion C Source Code63SECTION 6 Normal and Fault Condition LED Messages65Use of the LED Display65Motor Direction Status66Fault Messages67No Control67Emergency Stop68Self-Test Display68SECTION 7 R/C Operation69Mode Description69Selecting the R/C Input Mode70Typical Wiring70Connector I/O Pin Assignment (R/C Mode)71R/C Input Circuit Description72Supplied Cable Description73Cabling to R/C Receiver using Full Opto-Isolation74Cabling to R/C Receiver with Partial Opto-Isolation75Powering the Radio from the controller76Important Warning77Operating the Controller in R/C mode78Reception Watchdog79Important Notice about PCM Radios79R/C Transmitter/Receiver Quality Considerations79Joystick Deadband Programming80Command Control Curves81Left/Right Tuning Adjustment81Joystick Calibration81Automatic Joystick Calibration82Important Notice83Activating the Accessory Outputs83Data Logging in R/C Mode84SECTION 8 Serial (RS-232) Controls and Operation87Use and benefits of RS23287Connector I/O Pin Assignment (RS232 Mode)88Cable configuration89Extending the RS232 Cable89Communication Settings90Establishing Manual Communication with a PC90Entering RS232 from R/C or Analog mode91Data Logging String in R/C or Analog mode91RS232 Mode if default92RS232 Commands Set92Set Motor Command Value92Set Accessory Outputs93Query Power Applied to Motors93Query Amps Consumed by Motors94Query Analog Inputs94Query Heatsink Temperatures95Query Battery Voltages95Query Digital Inputs95Read and Modify Controller Settings96Apply Parameter Changes97Reset Controller97Optical Encoder Commands97Commands Acknowledge and Error Messages97Character Echo97Command Acknowledgement98Command Error98Watchdog time-out98RS-232 Watchdog98RS232 Accessible Parameter Table99Automatic Switching from RS232 to RC Mode101Analog and R/C Modes Data Logging String Format102Data Logging Cables103Decimal to Hexadecimal Conversion Table104SECTION 9 Analog Control and Operation107Mode Description107Important Notice107Connector I/O Pin Assignment (Analog Mode)108Connecting to a Voltage Source109Connecting a Potentiometer109Important Notice110Selecting the Potentiometer Value110Analog Deadband Adjustment111Important Notice112Power-On Safety112Under Voltage Safety112Data Logging in Analog Mode112SECTION 10 Closed Loop Position Mode115Mode Description115Selecting the Position Mode115Position Sensor Selection116Sensor Mounting116Important Notice:117Potentiometer wiring117Using Optical Encoders in Position Mode117Sensor and Motor Polarity117Important Warning:118Important Safety Warning118Adding Safety Limit Switches119Important Warning120Using Current Limiting as Protection120Control Loop Description120PID tuning in Position Mode122SECTION 11 Closed Loop Speed Mode123Mode Description123Selecting the Speed Mode123Using Optical Encoder for Speed Feedback (AX2850 only)124Tachometer or Encoder Mounting124Tachometer wiring124Speed Sensor and Motor Polarity125Important Warning:125Adjust Offset and Max Speed126Important Warning:126Control Loop Description127PID tuning in Speed Mode128SECTION 12 Installing, Connecting and Using the Encoder Module131Optical Incremental Encoders Overview131Recommended Encoder Types132Installing the Encoder Module133Connecting the Encoder135Motor - Encoder Polarity Matching136Voltage Levels, Thresholds and Limit Switches136Important Warning137Wiring Optional Limit Switches137Using the Encoder Module to Measure Distance138Using the Encoder to Measure Speed139Using the Encoder to Track Position140Important Notice140RS232 Communication with the Encoder Module141RS232 Encoder Command Set142Read Encoder Counter142Set/Reset Encoder Counters and Destination Registers143Read Speed143Read Distance144Read Speed/Distance144Read Encoder Limit Switch Status144Read / Modify Encoder Module Registers and Parameters145Important Note145Important Warning147Register Description147Encoder Hardware ID code147Switch Status148Speed or Distance 1 or 2148Counter Read/Write Mailbox148Counter 1 and 2148Destination Register 1 and 2148Distance 1 and 2148Speed 1 and 2149Time Base 1 and 2149Encoder Threshold149Counter Read Data Format149Encoder Testing and Setting Using the PC Utility150Encoder Module Parameters Setting151Exercising the Motors152Viewing Encoder Data152Updating the Encoder Software152SECTION 13 Configuring the Controller using the Switches153Programming Methods153Programming using built-in Switches and Display153Entering Programming Mode154Important Warning154Changing parameters155The Special Case of Joystick Calibration155Restoring factory defaults155Exiting the Parameter Setting Mode156Programmable Parameters List156Important Notice156SECTION 14 Using the Roborun Configuration Utility159System Requirements159Downloading and Installing the Utility159Connecting the Controller to the PC160Roborun Frame, Tab and Menu Descriptions161Getting On-Screen Help162Loading, Changing Controller Parameters162Controls Settings163Power Settings164Analog or R/C Specific Settings165Closed Loop Parameters166Viewing the Parameters Summary166Important Notes:166Optical Encoder Operation167Running the Motors167Logging Data to Disk170Connecting a Joystick171Viewing and Logging Data in Analog and R/C Modes172Loading and Saving Profiles to Disk172Operating the AX2500/2850 over a Wired or Wireless LAN172Updating the Controller’s Software174Important Warning174Creating Customized Object Files174SECTION 15 Mechanical Specifications177Mechanical Dimensions177Mounting Considerations178Thermal Considerations178Wire Dimensions179Weight179Size: 3.69 MBPages: 180Language: EnglishOpen manual
