2DoF Sim with Roboteq motors controller

Hi all,
I would like to build a 2Dof seat simulator for X-Sim2, my goal is to create a sim like Christian`s 2DOF Simulator powered by wipermotorshttp://www.x-simulator.de/forum/post7783.html#p7783, at the moment I have two wipermotors with potentiometers.

I'm looking for a solution that is able to parser the X-Sim2 RS232 output (ex: 8bit values for motor1 and motor2 every 25ms), and to drive wipermotors to reach the given 8bit position according to the potentiometer value.

I found Roboteq products that should fit my needings:

weblink Roboteq AX500 (2x15A) http://www.roboteq.com/brushed-dc-m...ower-2-x-15a-brushed-dc-motor-controller.html
weblink Roboteq AX1500 (3x30A) http://www.roboteq.com/brushed-dc-m...ized-2-x-30a-brushed-dc-motor-controller.html

Since I'm a Noob : , I'm not sure if my understanding is correct, does anyone know (or has anyone tried) if the Roboteq AX controllers can be use with X-Sim2 (via RS232)?

Thank you all,

Regards,
Viga

Hi Viga,

Welcome to our forum. :hi:

I had researched in the past the possibility to interface Roboteq motor controllers with x-sim, but Roboteq company is somehow cryptic about their products and their manuals!!! In fact you have to purchase a Roboteq controller first to be able to register as customer and gain access to their manuals!!! I have never seen that kind of handling...

So unless you can give us one of their manual that describes the serial protocol these controllers use we cant help you much...

One other possibility is to use their Analog Interface (2 inputs, 0V - 2.5V center - 5V) or their R/C Inputs (1.0ms - 1.5ms center - 2ms, Adjustable).

My oppinion is that they are too high price for the performance they provide after all. If you are handy with electronics you can try our DIY way...


Regards, Thanos

I've decided to buy the Roboteq AX500 from an UK distributor. Reading the X-SIM on-line manual & Wiki, I'm not sure if I can output from a PC running X-SIM analog interfaces... (0V - 2.5V center - 5V). :

The Synaptrix dialog and a generic PC LTP do what I need? (two analog outputs, one for X and one for Y)

Thank you

Regards,
Viga

Hi Viga,

From a quick look in the manual (thanks for that), I found the serial commands you need to send to drive it through x-sim.

The bad news is that the command string they use is a little strange....
Let me show some examples of commands you can use in USO:

!A~a01~ Turns the motor to one direction (position if you use the closed loop feedback potentiometer option)
...where ~a01~ is the value in HEX.

But to turn to the other direction you have to use a small A :
!a~a01~ Turns the motor to the other direction.

Second motor can be controlled too by using B in the string:
!B~a02~ for one direction and !b~a02~ for the other direction.


The problem is that the USO is designed to output 1 byte values, from 0 - 255 values, but 0-127 is for one direction and 128-255 is for the other direction or rotation. The Roboteq controller uses 0-255 for each direction with indication to change direction just the Upper and Lower case of the motor letter (A,a and B,b).

Perhaps Sirnoname could think of some way to overcome this. Or Write a plugin specifically for Roboteq controllers as well instead of using the USO??

Regards Thanos

Hi Thanos,

I'm not sure about it, do you mind if I try to summarize what I've understood so far?

From a logical point of view, X-SIM & USO can provide 8bit resolution for X-Y to pass to the hardware simulator (microcontroller + motors + feedbacks/encoders).

If the USO is passing 020 value for X axis, the hardware sim should move motors as fast as it can, till this sentece became true:
Feedback/encoder X value = 20

Does it make sense?

This is true for X-Sim1.

X-Sim 2 offers up to 32bit.

Regards
Christian

Hi all,
Since the Roboteq RS232 commands are a bit different from the standard X-SIM USO output, to be able to continue with my Sim project I think I should do:

Use GPL software to emulate a com port on my PC. (for example emulation of Com8)
Set x-Sim to use the emulated com port (com8).
Write a simple program to read the virtual com (com8) and to output the roboteq syntax to a real RS232 (com1) connected to my roboteq controller.

I think I can do the above list but it's not very efficient (USO -> Virtual com port -> parser program -> real Com port ). Is there any other possibility?

Thank you for the help.

Hi all,
I'm new to this forum.
I have a Roboteq controller AX2550 and is a very nice controller, but I think is a bit expensive for this project don't you think?
I use roboteq to build a wifi robot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgm4qoLL5wU

cheerio

Freddy