User ManualTable of ContentsRevision History3SECTION 1 Important Safety Warnings11Read this Section First11This product is intended for use with rechargeable batteries11Avoid Shorts when Mounting Board against Chassis11Do not Connect to a RC Radio with a Battery Attached11Beware of Motor Runaway in Improperly Closed Loop11SECTION 2 AX500 Quick Start13What you will need13Locating the Connectors13Connecting to the Batteries and Motors15Important Warning15Important Warning16Connecting to the 15-pin Connector16Connecting the R/C Radio16Important Warning17Powering On the Controller17Default Controller Configuration18Connecting the controller to your PC using Roborun18Obtaining the Controller’s Software Revision Number19Exploring further20SECTION 3 AX500 Motor Controller Overview21Product Description21Technical features22SECTION 4 Connecting Power and Motors to the Controller25Important Warning25Power Connections25Controller Power26Controller Powering Schemes27Powering the Controller from a single Battery27Powering the Controller Using a Main and Backup Battery28Important Warning28Connecting the Motors28Important Warning29Single Channel Operation29Converting the AX500 to Single Channel30Power Fuses30Important Warning30Wire Length Limits31Important Warning31Electrical Noise Reduction Techniques31Power Regeneration Considerations31Important Warning32Important Warning32Overvoltage Protection32Undervoltage Protection32Using the Controller with a Power Supply33SECTION 5 General Operation35Basic Operation35Input Command Modes35Selecting the Motor Control Modes36Open Loop, Separate Speed Control36Open Loop, Mixed Speed Control36Closed Loop Speed Control37Close Loop Position Control37User Selected Current Limit Settings38Temperature-Based Current Limitation38Battery Current vs. Motor Current39Important Warning40Programmable Acceleration40Important Warning41Command Control Curves42Left / Right Tuning Adjustment43Activating Brake Release or Separate Motor Excitation45Emergency 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 transistors46SECTION 6 Connecting Sensors and Actuators to Input/Outputs47AX500 Connections47AX500’s Inputs and Outputs48I/O List and Pin Assignment50Connecting devices to Output C51Important warning:52Connecting Switches or Devices to Input E52Connecting Switches or Devices to Input F52Connecting Switches or Devices to EStop/Invert Input53Analog Inputs54Connecting Position Potentiometers to Analog Inputs54Important Warning55Connecting Tachometer to Analog Inputs55Important Warning56Connecting External Thermistor to Analog Inputs57Using the Analog Inputs to Monitor External Voltages58Connecting User Devices to Analog Inputs59Internal Voltage Monitoring Sensors59Internal Heatsink Temperature Sensors59SECTION 7 Closed Loop Position Mode63Mode Description63Selecting the Position Mode63Position Sensor Selection64Sensor Mounting64Important Notice:65Feedback Potentiometer wiring65Feedback Potentiometer wiring in RC or RS232 Mode65Feedback Potentiometer wiring in Analog Mode65Important Notice66Analog Feedback on Single Channel Controllers66Feedback Wiring in RC or RS232 Mode on Single Channel Controllers66Feedback Wiring in Analog Mode on Single Channel Controllers67Important Notice67Sensor and Motor Polarity67Important Warning:67Important Safety Warning68Encoder Error Detection and Protection68Adding Safety Limit Switches68Important Warning70Using Current Limiting as Protection70Control Loop Description70PID tuning in Position Mode71SECTION 8 Closed Loop Speed Mode73Mode Description73Selecting the Speed Mode73Tachometer or Encoder Mounting74Tachometer wiring74Speed Sensor and Motor Polarity74Important Warning:75Adjust Offset and Max Speed75Important Warning:76Control Loop Description76PID tuning in Speed Mode77SECTION 9 Normal and Fault Condition LED Messages79Diagnostic LED79Normal Operation Flashing Pattern79Output Off / Fault Condition80SECTION 10 R/C Operation81Mode Description81Selecting the R/C Input Mode82Connector I/O Pin Assignment (R/C Mode)82R/C Input Circuit Description83Supplied Cable Description83Powering the Radio from the controller84Important Warning85Connecting to a Separately Powered Radio85Operating the Controller in R/C mode86Reception Watchdog87Important Notice about PCM Radios88R/C Transmitter/Receiver Quality Considerations88Joystick Deadband Programming88Command Control Curves89Left/Right Tuning Adjustment90Joystick Calibration90Data Logging in R/C Mode91SECTION 11 Analog Control and Operation93Mode Description93Important Notice93Connector I/O Pin Assignment (Analog Mode)94Connecting to a Voltage Source95Connecting a Potentiometer95Important Notice96Selecting the Potentiometer Value96Analog Deadband Adjustment97Important Notice98Power-On Safety98Under Voltage Safety98Data Logging in Analog Mode98SECTION 12 Serial (RS-232) Controls and Operation101Use and benefits of RS232101Connector I/O Pin Assignment (RS232 Mode)102Cable configuration103Extending the RS232 Cable103Communication Settings104Establishing Manual Communication with a PC104Entering RS232 from R/C or Analog mode105Data Logging String in R/C or Analog mode105RS232 Mode if default106Commands Acknowledge and Error Messages106Character Echo106Command Acknowledgement106Command Error106Watchdog time-out107RS-232 Watchdog107Controller Commands and Queries107Set Motor Command Value108Set Accessory Output108Query Power Applied to Motors109Query Amps from Battery to each Motor Channel109Important Notice109Important Notice110Query Analog Inputs110Query Heatsink Temperatures110Query Battery Voltages111Query Digital Inputs111Reset Controller111Accessing & Changing Configuration Parameter in Flash112Apply Parameter Changes112Flash Configuration Parameters List113Important Notice114Input Control Mode114Motor Control Mode114Amps Limit115Acceleration116Input Switches Function116RC Joystick or Analog Deadband117Exponentiation on Channel 1 and Channel 2117Left/Right Adjust118Default PID Gains118Joystick Min, Max and Center Values119Reading & Changing Operating Parameters at Runtime119Important Notice:120Operating Modes Registers120Read/Change PID Values121PWM Frequency Register121Controller Status Register121Controller Identification Register122Current Amps Limit Registers122Automatic Switching from RS232 to RC Mode125Analog and R/C Modes Data Logging String Format126Data Logging Cables126Decimal to Hexadecimal Conversion Table127SECTION 13 Using the Roborun Configuration Utility131System Requirements131Downloading and Installing the Utility131Connecting the Controller to the PC132Roborun Frame, Tab and Menu Descriptions133Getting On-Screen Help134Loading, Changing Controller Parameters134Control Settings135Power Settings136Analog or R/C Specific Settings137Closed Loop Parameters138Running the Motors138Logging Data to Disk141Connecting a Joystick142Using the Console142Viewing and Logging Data in Analog and R/C Modes144Loading and Saving Profiles to Disk144Operating the AX500 over a Wired or Wireless LAN144Updating the Controller’s Software146Important Warning146Updating the Encoder Software146Important Warning146Creating Customized Object Files147SECTION 14 Mechanical Specifications149Mechanical Dimensions149Mounting Considerations150Thermal Considerations150Attaching the Controller Directly to a Chassis151Precautions to observe152Wire Dimensions153Weight153Size: 2.48 MBPages: 154Language: EnglishOpen manual
