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AMC1280USB Motion Simulator Controller

Discussion in 'SimTools compatible interfaces' started by Thanos, Jul 6, 2017.

  1. SeatTime

    SeatTime Well-Known Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
    AC motor, Motion platform
    Slowing getting mine all wired up - just so busy this time of year :)- As I am now using Sabertooth, for safety my limit switches are wired up to relays to independently disable power to each motor when they are tripped. I recall that The 1280 kill switch has two settings - drive to station, or disable motors, which one have you selected? I also have a master 5V relay (enables the 12v power to the motor limit relays) to ensure that the 1280 is on line before the motors can drive. As you know, the Sabertooth can have a mind of its own if it is not receiving a signal from the controller. I'm unsure how the Sabertooth will react to the different 1280 kill commands - need to do some testing.
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2017
  2. SilentChill

    SilentChill Problem Maker

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    My Motion Simulator:
    DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    I set kill to kill signal and also tried hold start position neither do anything.

    I tried the different sensor directions but surely if its set to POS for all axis and each motor wired up as + to + and - to - that should be correct. I have set the 10bit analogue in with 360 degree range, and the 12bit out with the uni option. I have grounded the 2x60 to the 1280 with a jumper wire and then put the 12bit PWM jumper wires into s1 and s2.

    I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. Setting different dip switches doesn't seem to make any difference either so I have left it with just 1 switched on.
  3. SeatTime

    SeatTime Well-Known Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Ok thanks for the heads up, unfortunately this is a very different setup to my old 1280/MMs - so most of it is pretty new to me too. Will take baby steps with a cro/multi-meter and see what is going on
    • Agree Agree x 1
  4. SilentChill

    SilentChill Problem Maker

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    My Motion Simulator:
    DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    Yayyyyyy !!!!

    Ok so the instructions to set it to UNI was wrong I just set it to BI-DI and its working !!! jesus christ what a few hours I was ready to throw it in the bin
    • Informative Informative x 2
  5. SeatTime

    SeatTime Well-Known Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    My hair (what's left of it) thanks you.. :).
    • Funny Funny x 2
  6. SeatTime

    SeatTime Well-Known Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
    AC motor, Motion platform
    Thank's for the info, although it is not meant to work that way, as the Sabertooth is meant to require a Unidirectional Analog input (0-5v) o_O. - I will have to have a look at the signals when I'm ready to see what is going on .
    • Like Like x 1
  7. SeatTime

    SeatTime Well-Known Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Hi @SilentChill What version of firmware are you running on the 1280?
  8. SeatTime

    SeatTime Well-Known Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    You need to be on Version 2.4 Rev 3.0. Press the reset button on the 1280 and it will display the Software version and revision number on startup.
    • Informative Informative x 1
  9. SilentChill

    SilentChill Problem Maker

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Yes I am on v2.4 I will test more today and see how it goes but I was just happy to stop the things flying off the end last night
  10. SilentChill

    SilentChill Problem Maker

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    My Motion Simulator:
    DC motor, Arduino, Motion platform, 6DOF
    Oh BTW I have the sabertooth dip switches just set to #4 on all the rest are off.
  11. SeatTime

    SeatTime Well-Known Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    Ok, just checking that you updated from V2.4 Rev 1.0 to V2.4 Rev 3.0. It made a difference to my 1280.
  12. SeatTime

    SeatTime Well-Known Member

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    I have all the switches off and it then puts out voltages as it should in Uni-direction. But if it is working for you as is, then ignore me :confused:. If I put Dip switch 4 on under Rev 3.0 it runs stupid... @Thanos , is this a correct setup for sabertooth?
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2017
  13. Thanos

    Thanos Building the Future one AC Servo at a time... or 6

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    My Motion Simulator:
    AC motor, Motion platform, 4DOF, 6DOF
    According to the manual for the Sabertooth 2x60:
    https://www.dimensionengineering.com/datasheets/Sabertooth2x60.pdf

    simplified connections sabertooth.png

    You need to connect the Ground and S1 and S2, do not tie together the 5V from the Sabertooth to the AMC1280USB 5v...

    Also the DIP switches on the Sabertooth should be as above, as it will make the response smoother around the zero speed of the motor.

    If the output signal from the AMC1280USB is a little lower than 2.5v and the motor doesn't stop, you can adjust that using the:
    12-1.png
  14. SeatTime

    SeatTime Well-Known Member

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    I have not got that far yet.. Just measuring voltages out of the 1280. No use worrying about the Sabertooth, if the voltages from the 1280 are rubbish. FI, I am measuring voltages from those points. If I have dipswitch 4 on under Rev 3 it puts out rubbish - seems OK with it off. Thanks for the Sabertooth setup. Won't know more until I finish all my wiring.
  15. Thanos

    Thanos Building the Future one AC Servo at a time... or 6

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    On the AMC1280USB Dip switches?
    No! This will put the AMC1280USB in output test mode... do you see the numbers scrolling in the lcd?

    Dip switches on AMC1280USB should be:

    Sw1: On
    Sw2: Off
    Sw3: Off
    Sw4: Off
  16. BlazinH

    BlazinH Well-Known Member

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    On a 2x60 I was going to say all should be on except for #4 but I suppose you should know how to set it for use with your controller. So you like switch 5 off to use exponential response vs. linear? I would think one would want a linear response. And switch 4 being on is using mixed mode. I thought your controller outputs 0-5v signals to S1 and S2 for controlling 2 motors? In mixing mode, "The analog signal fed into S1 controls the forward/back motion of the vehicle, and the analog signal fed into S2 controls the turning motion of the vehicle".
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2017
  17. SilentChill

    SilentChill Problem Maker

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    No i meant on the Sabertooth I had just #4 down. On the 1280 I have just put it back to just #1 being on.

    Some reason its now not communicating with simtools lol jeeez
  18. Thanos

    Thanos Building the Future one AC Servo at a time... or 6

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    The switch4 does what it says, mixes the two channels together...

    But the AMC1280USB does not mix the outputs. So no.

    The exponential response is recommended as its complimentary to the pid control and allows small movements around target position.

    See Markus example here:
    http://6dof.my.primusnetz.de/thanos/
    http://6dof.my.primusnetz.de
  19. SilentChill

    SilentChill Problem Maker

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    It was my limit switches stopping it working , durrrrrrr.

    @Thanos should it be set to 16bit or 8bit for USO data ?
  20. riton

    riton Active Member

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    @Thanos, nothing works for me on the 2 AMC, I posted you a message on your forum.
    config:
    AC motors / frequency converter / Potentiometer/10 bits input / 12 bits output /
    to check I also need cabling switches, solder pads, and menus from the AMC.

    Thank you in advance.