Tutorial Guide to setting up SimTools for use with the Kangaroo motion controller

If you only need to feed them 5vdc then use use the 5v pin on the kangaroo where the pots hook up. If you want to use the "resolution fix" I posted then you will need to drive your pots with a higher voltage from your motors power supply, or a from a dedicated power supply. I don't suggest you try this fix now. It is complicated and it is not necessary to get good motion. It only corrects the ranging issue between the kangaroo and SimTools. Using higher axis values in SimTools than you normally would corrects the issue also which is much easier to do.

I try "tune mode" on live test from DEScribe SW, but nothing happens. I have no feedback. However I measure some electrics values between the right pin of the pots.

Are you using the kangaroo with a syren or sabertooth?

I use it with Sabertooth 2x12.

Right! Some older syrens have fireware issues. I assume you have positive on one side and negative on the other side of your pot with the middle going to the kangaroos input. Also, the leaflet sent with the kangaroo I received shows the motor controller's dip switches set in the opposite positions. 1 & 2 should be set to off and all the others set to on. Let me know if this gets you going.

Edit: You must also have your pot physically connected to the motors output shaft or somewhere else so the pots shaft will turn with it.

Are you using limit switches?

My pots are connected to the motors.
For the DIP setting of the Sabertooth i have this: 1 off ;2 off;3 on; 4 off;5 on;6 on

i don't use it (nothing it's connected on)

How are your pots connected, and how are you then able to move the pots to get min & max ?

Here's a youtube vid of the tune using limits (not very good quality)


and using Describe to control the motor after tuning


regards Terry

The electrical or mechanical connection? I'm not able to move the motor. nothing happens when i turn the power on of the Sabertooth. I move manually the shaft of the motor.



Edit:
i use Bourns pots réf: 6639S-1-103 http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1718055.pdf
pin 1,2,3 of the pots are connected to:

1=B
2=A
3=5v

Your sabertooth is set to address 129. It should be 128. Please try setting them as I said above and let me know what you get.

1 off ;2 off;3 on; 4 on;5 on;6 on

I cant mechanically move my motor, so I've not tried teach tuning, (mode 1). I tried with a wheelchair motor with an encoder on the motor armature, which I used limit switches that I operated by hand, not operated by the motor and that worked ok to set the range.

Personally I would always fit limit switches as its an extra safety if something goes wrong.

That's good advice! However, the kangaroo will automatically stop itself if it perceives an error. For example if your pot gets disconnected from the motor or you get an open wire condition, it will shut itself down. The safety features are a nice benefit with using the kangaroo for motion control.

+1 totally agree.

Ok it's was my mistake, address is 128 (DIP 4 to off).( i've not reading carefully the Sabertooth document)

Now the motors moves!!!! Thank you very much @BlazinH and @telfel.

For the tune mode, how the system store the limit position (min and max)?

It stores it to memory in the kangaroo. To read it back do this:

There are other values in "positioning" also as well as in the other tabs.

The "Tune" mode runs well, but after i have no values in the different tab and i can't do "Live Position".
?

Are you starting auto tune from the describe sw tool?
1, I run auto tune from describe, one chanel at a time
2, Powerdown kangaroo to re-boot
3, Reconnect to kangaroo, and download settings to describe
4, Repeat for the second channel
5, If I then have jitter at the mid position, I then increase the dead-band using describe, then upload to the kangaroo

Big thank you. It's work.

I don't know how i do wrong, maybe the re-boot of Kangaroo and after "connect and download setting".

I can do live test.

Now i can try with Simtools or it's to early? (Maybe i can try with X-sim to see the difference with the K8055 in game)

@BlazinH,

i copy the "code" on "Interface Setting" tab, (with my pots values) but my rig don't move in game.

Is it the problem ***Kangaroo motor range fix for use with SimTools*** that you explain in "getting started" thread?