Document Outline

• Revision History
• SECTION 1 Important Safety Warnings
  • Read this Section First
  • This product is intended for use with rechargeable batteries
  • Avoid Shorts when Mounting Board against Chassis
  • Do not Connect to a RC Radio with a Battery Attached
  • Beware of Motor Runaway in Improperly Closed Loop
• SECTION 2 AX500 Quick Start
  • What you will need
  • Locating the Connectors
  • Connecting to the Batteries and Motors
    • Important Warning
    • Important Warning
  • Connecting to the 15-pin Connector
  • Connecting the R/C Radio
    • Important Warning
  • Powering On the Controller
  • Default Controller Configuration
  • Connecting the controller to your PC using Roborun
  • Obtaining the Controller’s Software Revision Number
  • Exploring further
• SECTION 3 AX500 Motor Controller Overview
  • Product Description
  • Technical features
• SECTION 4 Connecting Power and Motors to the Controller
  • Important Warning
  • Power Connections
  • Controller Power
  • Controller Powering Schemes
    • Powering the Controller from a single Battery
    • Powering the Controller Using a Main and Backup Battery
      • Important Warning
  • Connecting the Motors
    • Important Warning
  • Single Channel Operation
    • Converting the AX500 to Single Channel
  • Power Fuses
    • Important Warning
  • Wire Length Limits
    • Important Warning
  • Electrical Noise Reduction Techniques
  • Power Regeneration Considerations
    • Important Warning
    • Important Warning
  • Overvoltage Protection
  • Undervoltage Protection
  • Using the Controller with a Power Supply
• SECTION 5 General Operation
  • Basic Operation
  • Input Command Modes
  • Selecting the Motor Control Modes
    • Open Loop, Separate Speed Control
    • Open Loop, Mixed Speed Control
    • Closed Loop Speed Control
    • Close Loop Position Control
  • User Selected Current Limit Settings
  • Temperature-Based Current Limitation
  • Battery Current vs. Motor Current
    • Important Warning
  • Programmable Acceleration
    • Important Warning
  • Command Control Curves
  • Left / Right Tuning Adjustment
  • Activating Brake Release or Separate Motor Excitation
  • Emergency Stop using External Switch
  • Inverted Operation
  • Special Use of Accessory Digital Inputs
    • Using the Inputs to Activate the Buffered Output
    • Using the Inputs to turn Off/On the Power MOSFET transistors
• SECTION 6 Connecting Sensors and Actuators to Input/Outputs
  • AX500 Connections
  • AX500’s Inputs and Outputs
  • I/O List and Pin Assignment
  • Connecting devices to Output C
    • Important warning:
  • Connecting Switches or Devices to Input E
  • Connecting Switches or Devices to Input F
  • Connecting Switches or Devices to EStop/Invert Input
  • Analog Inputs
  • Connecting Position Potentiometers to Analog Inputs
    • Important Warning
  • Connecting Tachometer to Analog Inputs
    • Important Warning
  • Connecting External Thermistor to Analog Inputs
  • Using the Analog Inputs to Monitor External Voltages
  • Connecting User Devices to Analog Inputs
  • Internal Voltage Monitoring Sensors
  • Internal Heatsink Temperature Sensors
• SECTION 7 Closed Loop Position Mode
  • Mode Description
  • Selecting the Position Mode
  • Position Sensor Selection
  • Sensor Mounting
    • Important Notice:
  • Feedback Potentiometer wiring
    • Feedback Potentiometer wiring in RC or RS232 Mode
    • Feedback Potentiometer wiring in Analog Mode
      • Important Notice
  • Analog Feedback on Single Channel Controllers
    • Feedback Wiring in RC or RS232 Mode on Single Channel Controllers
    • Feedback Wiring in Analog Mode on Single Channel Controllers
      • Important Notice
  • Sensor and Motor Polarity
    • Important Warning:
    • Important Safety Warning
  • Encoder Error Detection and Protection
  • Adding Safety Limit Switches
    • Important Warning
  • Using Current Limiting as Protection
  • Control Loop Description
  • PID tuning in Position Mode
• SECTION 8 Closed Loop Speed Mode
  • Mode Description
  • Selecting the Speed Mode
  • Tachometer or Encoder Mounting
  • Tachometer wiring
  • Speed Sensor and Motor Polarity
    • Important Warning:
  • Adjust Offset and Max Speed
    • Important Warning:
  • Control Loop Description
  • PID tuning in Speed Mode
• SECTION 9 Normal and Fault Condition LED Messages
  • Diagnostic LED
  • Normal Operation Flashing Pattern
  • Output Off / Fault Condition
• SECTION 10 R/C Operation
  • Mode Description
  • Selecting the R/C Input Mode
  • Connector I/O Pin Assignment (R/C Mode)
  • R/C Input Circuit Description
  • Supplied Cable Description
  • Powering the Radio from the controller
    • Important Warning
  • Connecting to a Separately Powered Radio
  • Operating the Controller in R/C mode
  • Reception Watchdog
    • Important Notice about PCM Radios
  • R/C Transmitter/Receiver Quality Considerations
  • Joystick Deadband Programming
  • Command Control Curves
  • Left/Right Tuning Adjustment
  • Joystick Calibration
  • Data Logging in R/C Mode
• SECTION 11 Analog Control and Operation
  • Mode Description
    • Important Notice
  • Connector I/O Pin Assignment (Analog Mode)
  • Connecting to a Voltage Source
  • Connecting a Potentiometer
    • Important Notice
  • Selecting the Potentiometer Value
  • Analog Deadband Adjustment
    • Important Notice
  • Power-On Safety
  • Under Voltage Safety
  • Data Logging in Analog Mode
• SECTION 12 Serial (RS-232) Controls and Operation
  • Use and benefits of RS232
  • Connector I/O Pin Assignment (RS232 Mode)
  • Cable configuration
  • Extending the RS232 Cable
  • Communication Settings
  • Establishing Manual Communication with a PC
    • Entering RS232 from R/C or Analog mode
    • Data Logging String in R/C or Analog mode
    • RS232 Mode if default
  • Commands Acknowledge and Error Messages
    • Character Echo
    • Command Acknowledgement
    • Command Error
    • Watchdog time-out
  • RS-232 Watchdog
  • Controller Commands and Queries
    • Set Motor Command Value
    • Set Accessory Output
    • Query Power Applied to Motors
    • Query Amps from Battery to each Motor Channel
      • Important Notice
      • Important Notice
    • Query Analog Inputs
    • Query Heatsink Temperatures
    • Query Battery Voltages
    • Query Digital Inputs
    • Reset Controller
  • Accessing & Changing Configuration Parameter in Flash
    • Apply Parameter Changes
    • Flash Configuration Parameters List
      • Important Notice
    • Input Control Mode
    • Motor Control Mode
    • Amps Limit
    • Acceleration
    • Input Switches Function
    • RC Joystick or Analog Deadband
    • Exponentiation on Channel 1 and Channel 2
    • Left/Right Adjust
    • Default PID Gains
    • Joystick Min, Max and Center Values
  • Reading & Changing Operating Parameters at Runtime
    • Important Notice:
    • Operating Modes Registers
    • Read/Change PID Values
    • PWM Frequency Register
    • Controller Status Register
    • Controller Identification Register
    • Current Amps Limit Registers
  • Automatic Switching from RS232 to RC Mode
  • Analog and R/C Modes Data Logging String Format
  • Data Logging Cables
  • Decimal to Hexadecimal Conversion Table
• SECTION 13 Using the Roborun Configuration Utility
  • System Requirements
  • Downloading and Installing the Utility
  • Connecting the Controller to the PC
  • Roborun Frame, Tab and Menu Descriptions
  • Getting On-Screen Help
  • Loading, Changing Controller Parameters
    • Control Settings
    • Power Settings
    • Analog or R/C Specific Settings
    • Closed Loop Parameters
  • Running the Motors
    • Logging Data to Disk
    • Connecting a Joystick
  • Using the Console
  • Viewing and Logging Data in Analog and R/C Modes
  • Loading and Saving Profiles to Disk
  • Operating the AX500 over a Wired or Wireless LAN
  • Updating the Controller’s Software
    • Important Warning
    • Updating the Encoder Software
      • Important Warning
  • Creating Customized Object Files
• SECTION 14 Mechanical Specifications
  • Mechanical Dimensions
  • Mounting Considerations
  • Thermal Considerations
  • Attaching the Controller Directly to a Chassis
    • Precautions to observe
  • Wire Dimensions
  • Weight