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Tutorial SMC3 Arduino 3DOF Motor Driver and Windows Utilities

Discussion in 'SimTools compatible interfaces' started by RufusDufus, Dec 1, 2013.

  1. ericRacer

    ericRacer You get old because you stop playing ! Gold Contributor

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    samething :oops: , no change !:roll
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  2. ericRacer

    ericRacer You get old because you stop playing ! Gold Contributor

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    Hi, :)

    I tried testing Rufus advised but it gives no good result to me. :blush

    here it is:
    This is in manuel mode and i move the slider of simtool (axis) slowly and continuously.
    smc3_step_response.jpg

    In mode : motion with SMC3utls only = it is works very well !:thumbs
    smc3_motion.jpg


    and the last one with game motion :
    you can see in the red circle a good response but step response elsewhere
    smc3_game_motion.jpg
    :sos

    Eric :cool:
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    Last edited: Jan 23, 2014
  3. spartan300

    spartan300 New Member

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    This is the test with SMC3. Everything work smooth.
    [​IMG]
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  4. ericRacer

    ericRacer You get old because you stop playing ! Gold Contributor

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    Hi, @spartan300
    Do you use Arduino with FTDI driver or Arduino Uno ?
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  5. RufusDufus

    RufusDufus Well-Known Member

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    OK, I'll continue to investigate.
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  6. spartan300

    spartan300 New Member

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  7. doctorxeno

    doctorxeno Member

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    Hi,

    Simtools works now. The problem wasn't communication. I didn't move the slider as far as 50%.

    When I do so I have same problem as Spartan300.

    Simulator shoots to the limits.
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  8. RufusDufus

    RufusDufus Well-Known Member

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    Hi spartan, as a side note I notice in your screenshot you are getting some tracking lag in a few places. If you look at the yellow PWM signal at each of these instances it is being clipped by your PWMmax setting (see markups). This means the motors aren't getting sufficient power to track fast moving changes. I would suggest your PWMmax signal is too low - usually it would be above 150 and perhaps even close to 255 (maximum allowed) if the motors are under load.

    You will probably find with current setting the tracking will be even worse when you sit in the sim... I am guessing this was a bench test?

    Also once finished testing I would reduce the Max Limits setting to about half the Clip Input setting - the Ard shuts off the motors if they get to the Max Limits setting position

    Lag.JPG
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  9. spartan300

    spartan300 New Member

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    Yes RufusDufus you are right.
    I was planing to reduse Max Limits and increase PWMmax to get better resolts and again yes this was test with no load.
    I wanted first to fix everything in my sim (simtools, axis,game) and than re-tune PID settings.
    Thank you for your help.
    I must say that this is the first time iam to close to make it work. I am making thia sim for about 2 years now and only with your SMC3 i managed to make it alive.
    I hope you can find out what is happening with the simtools and finally start my engine:):)
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  10. RufusDufus

    RufusDufus Well-Known Member

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  11. doctorxeno

    doctorxeno Member

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    Thats great news... can't wait for the release.
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  12. eaorobbie

    eaorobbie Well-Known Member SimTools Developer Gold Contributor

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    Been released. V1.2 is avail for download.
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  13. doctorxeno

    doctorxeno Member

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    Hi,

    First of all thanks for the quick response on these problems.

    I have installed v1.2 but still the same. Checked all my hardware and SMCutils everything works fine.
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  14. RufusDufus

    RufusDufus Well-Known Member

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    Can you explain your setup in some more detail to help fault find...

    Are you running game/Simtools on same computer?
    Are you driving Arduino direct from Simtools comm port or through SMC3Utils using UDP?
    Have you saved the Default Axis profile and what are the settings you have there?
    Can you be more specific as to which of the issues you still have - video if possible?
    Are you using Axis output mode or DOF output mode?
    What version of windows are you running?
    Any other info you think may be useful!

    Thanks,
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  15. doctorxeno

    doctorxeno Member

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    My setup - Modified atx powersupply 48a
    2x polulu 36v20cs h-bridges
    2x hall effect pots 10k
    2x zyt 155-12v motors
    arduino uno running SMC3 firmware mode 1

    All connections made like discribed.

    Simtools runs on 1 pc.
    Arduno direct from Simtools
    Saved default axis profile
    Using Axis output
    Windows 7 ultimate

    The problem still is when I move the sliders of axis1 and axis2 nothing moves untill the slider reaches about 26% and then the motors move to their limits and when sliding back the move to the center.

    Attached Files:

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    Last edited: Jan 26, 2014
  16. ericRacer

    ericRacer You get old because you stop playing ! Gold Contributor

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    Hi,
    me too , i want to thanks for the quick response on these problems.:thumbs

    As Rufus has already explained to me, Simtools manages the communication parameters itself with windows but is it normal that 500kbauds is not in the list of the device manager ? :nerd

    serial_com.jpg
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  17. spartan300

    spartan300 New Member

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    Hi. still the same for me too.The only difference is that it keep the 500kBauds saved :(
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  18. RufusDufus

    RufusDufus Well-Known Member

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    OK, as a double check I just installed everything on another computer from scratch and all is working as expected... I have to assume at this stage I am forgetting to tell you something.

    Here are my interface and axis assignment settings.. and I will continue to investigate possible causes. :think

    retry1.JPG retry2.JPG
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  19. RufusDufus

    RufusDufus Well-Known Member

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    This is what the tuning center should look like when in output testing mode... please check.

    Note: when in Axis output the values in the green area will stay at 0. When in DOF output the values in the green area will change as you move the associated DOF slider from -32767 to 32767 (the slider end points).
    The game selected should say Output testing and all min/max values are -32767 and 32767

    tuningcenter.JPG
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  20. ericRacer

    ericRacer You get old because you stop playing ! Gold Contributor

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    Hi,
    As you know, I have version 1.1.
    I took care to save before "Axis assignments, defaults, roll = 100%" and "COM8, 500k, 8n1, binary, 10ms, [<Axis1> A] [B <Axis2>] [C <Axis3> ]

    I managed to get numbers (32k-32k-) in the green zone only 1 time in manual mode and I do not know why I'm not able to see them any more. I closed, reopened simtools, rebooted the computer, but nothing more.
    In Game mode, I have these numbers:

    game_data.jpg turn_off.jpg manual_mode.jpg
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