Serial interface for controlling robotic arm.

Dependencies:   Axis mbed

This program uses a LPC1768 processor for controlling a robotic arm. The basis for the program is the Axis () class which uses a PID controller to actuate a DC motor with quadrature encoder feedback.

Youtube video of robotic arm using the 6-axis controller performing an internally programmed gate, then performing the home function.

https://developer.mbed.org/users/jebradshaw/code/Axis/

The Axis Class has 3 dependencies (MotCon, LS7366LIB, and PID). The class encapsulates the required functionality of controlling a DC motor with encoder feedback through pin assignments, an SPI bus, and a pointer for the limit switch source.

The LS7366 encoder interface IC off-loads the critical time and counting requirements from the processor using an SPI bus interface for the class. The Axis class then uses a state machine to perform trapezoidal movement profiles with a Ticker class. Parameters can be adjusted through the serial interface using a FT232RL USB to serial interface IC for computer communication.

The MotCon class is a basic class that defines a PWM output pin and a single direction signal intended to control an H-Bridge motor driver IC. I used an MC33926 motor driver for each motor which are rated at 5.0-28V and 5.0 amp peak, with an RDSon max resistance of 225 milli-ohms. This part also has 3.0V to 5V TTL/CMOS inputs logic levels and various protection circuitry on board. I also liked this particular motor driver chip because you can use a PWM frequency of up to 20KHz, getting the frequency out of the audio range.

/media/uploads/jebradshaw/axiscontroller_protoboardsmall.jpg

Above is the prototype for the controller. Originally, a PCF8574 I/O expander was used to read the limit switches by the I2C bus. This has now been re-written to use 6 external interrupts directly for the limit/homing switches. Six motor driver breakout boards using the MC33926 motor driver chip were used to drive the motors.

I use the mbed online compiler to generate the .bin file, use bin2hex to convert it and upload the hex file using Flash Magic to the processor with the serial bootloader. I prefer to use the FT232RL usb to serial converter IC for PC comms due to the high level of reliability and USB driver support (typically already built in Windows 7+). I've started putting this on a PCB and hope to finish by the end of the month (Dec 2015).

Well 3 months later, I've completed the first PCB prototype. A few minor errors but it's working!!

/media/uploads/jebradshaw/pcb_artwork.jpg Express PCB Artwork

/media/uploads/jebradshaw/6axiscontroller_innerpowerlayer.jpg Inner Power Layer Breakup for motor current

/media/uploads/jebradshaw/6axiscontroller_pcb_prototype_trimmed.jpg First Prototype

/media/uploads/jebradshaw/lpc1768_axiscontroller_part1_20161214.bmp

/media/uploads/jebradshaw/lpc1768_axiscontroller_part2_20161216.bmp

/media/uploads/jebradshaw/lpc1768_axiscontroller_part3_20161216.bmp

/media/uploads/jebradshaw/lpc1768_axiscontroller_part4_20190124_2.jpg

Latest documentation (schematic and parts layout) can be found here Download and open with Adobe /media/uploads/jebradshaw/axiscontroller_schematics_v2.0.pdf

Latest PCB File (Express PCB) /media/uploads/jebradshaw/lpc1768_axiscontroller_20161216.pcb

Parts Layout /media/uploads/jebradshaw/silkscreen_top_stencil.jpg /media/uploads/jebradshaw/axiscontroller_bottommirrorimage_20161216.jpg

Python script for converting mbed .bin output to intel hex format (no bin2hex 64K limit) https://pypi.python.org/pypi/IntelHex

Example batch script for speeding up conversion process for FlashMagic (http://www.flashmagictool.com/) programming of board /media/uploads/jebradshaw/axisconvert.bat

https://os.mbed.com/users/jebradshaw/code/axis_ScorbotController_20180706/

Latest firmware: 20190823 - /media/uploads/jebradshaw/axis_scorbotcontroller_20190823_velocity_test.lpc1768.bin

Files at this revision

API Documentation at this revision

Comitter:
jebradshaw
Date:
Mon Dec 28 19:59:24 2015 +0000
Parent:
3:1892943e3f25
Commit message:
20151228 - Removed PCF8574 I/O Expander and used direct external interrupt inputs for limit/homing switches

Changed in this revision

PCF8574.lib Show diff for this revision Revisions of this file
lpc_axis.cpp Show annotated file Show diff for this revision Revisions of this file
diff -r 1892943e3f25 -r 890c104546e9 PCF8574.lib
--- a/PCF8574.lib	Thu Dec 17 19:47:39 2015 +0000
+++ /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
@@ -1,1 +0,0 @@
-http://developer.mbed.org/users/bborredon/code/PCF8574/#6d75da25c179
diff -r 1892943e3f25 -r 890c104546e9 lpc_axis.cpp
--- a/lpc_axis.cpp	Thu Dec 17 19:47:39 2015 +0000
+++ b/lpc_axis.cpp	Mon Dec 28 19:59:24 2015 +0000
@@ -5,18 +5,20 @@
 // 20150731
 // 20150827 - Got Ticker Trapeziodal profile command working (moveTrapezoid, muveUpdate) 
 // 20150924 - Port from the mbed to the LPC1768 processor for the 6 axis robotic arm controller
+// 20151218 - Eliminated PCF8574 I2C I/O expander and attached limit switches to P0_22 - P0_17
+//             pins as external interrupts.
 
 #include "mbed.h"
 #include "Axis.h"
 #include "stdlib.h"
-#include "PCF8574.h"    //library for the I/O expander (limit switches)
 
 #include <string>
 
 #define PI 3.14159
-#define PCF8574_ADDR 0    // I2c PCF8574 address is 0x00
 #define SP_TOL 100  // SET POINT TOLERANCE is +/- tolerance for set point command
 
+// Assign interrupt function to pin P0_17 (mbed p12)
+
 DigitalOut led1(P1_18); //blue
 DigitalOut led2(P1_20); //
 DigitalOut led3(P1_21);
@@ -24,6 +26,20 @@
 Serial pc(P0_2, P0_3);    //pc serial interface (USB)
 SPI spi(P0_9, P0_8, P0_7);        //MOSI, MISO, SCK
 
+DigitalIn limit1_pin(P0_22);
+DigitalIn limit2_pin(P0_21);
+DigitalIn limit3_pin(P0_20);
+DigitalIn limit4_pin(P0_19);
+DigitalIn limit5_pin(P0_18);
+DigitalIn limit6_pin(P0_17);
+
+InterruptIn limit1_int(P0_22);
+InterruptIn limit2_int(P0_21);
+InterruptIn limit3_int(P0_20);
+InterruptIn limit4_int(P0_19);
+InterruptIn limit5_int(P0_18);
+InterruptIn limit6_int(P0_17);
+
 int limit1, limit2, limit3, limit4, limit5, limit6;         //global limit switch values
 float axis1_I,axis2_I,axis3_I,axis4_I,axis5_I,axis6_I;
 int streamFlag=0;
@@ -36,56 +52,9 @@
 Axis axis5(spi, P1_28, P2_1, P1_9, P1_30, &limit5, 5000);      //pitch/roll
 Axis axis6(spi, P1_29, P2_0, P1_10, P1_31, &limit6, 5400);     //grip
 
-PCF8574 pcf(P0_10,P0_11,PCF8574_ADDR,false);  // Declare PCF8574 i2c with sda and scl (p28,p27) (10K pullups!)
-//uint8_t data;
 Ticker pulse;
 Ticker colCheck;
 
-static void myerror(std::string msg)
-{
-  printf("Error %s\n",msg.c_str());
-  exit(1);
-}
-
-void updateLimitSwitches(int state){
-    if((state & 0x01) == 0x01)
-        limit1 = 1;
-    else
-        limit1 = 0;
-        
-    if((state & 0x02) == 0x02)
-        limit2 = 1;   
-    else
-        limit2 = 0;
-
-    if((state & 0x04) == 0x04)
-        limit3 = 1;   
-    else
-        limit3 = 0;
-
-    if((state & 0x08) == 0x08)
-        limit4 = 1;   
-    else
-        limit4 = 0;
-        
-    if((state & 0x10) == 0x10)
-        limit5 = 1;   
-    else
-        limit5 = 0;
-
-    if((state & 0x20) == 0x20)
-        limit6 = 1;   
-    else
-        limit6 = 0;
-}
-    
-void pcf8574_it(uint8_t data, PCF8574 *o)
-{
-    int state;
-    state = pcf.read();
-    //printf("PCF8574 interrupt data = %02x\n",state);
-    updateLimitSwitches(state);
-}
 
 void zero_axis(int axis){
     switch(axis){                                        
@@ -456,27 +425,115 @@
     axis5.axisOff();
     axis6.axisOff();     
 }
+
+void limit1_irq(void){
+    limit1 = limit1_pin;
+    
+    if(limit1)
+        limit1_int.fall(&limit1_irq);
+    else
+        limit1_int.rise(&limit1_irq);        
+}
+
+void limit2_irq(void){
+    limit2 = limit2_pin;
+    
+    if(limit2)
+        limit2_int.fall(&limit2_irq);
+    else
+        limit2_int.rise(&limit2_irq);
+}
+
+void limit3_irq(void){
+    limit3 = limit3_pin;
+    
+    if(limit3)
+        limit3_int.fall(&limit3_irq);
+    else
+        limit3_int.rise(&limit3_irq);
+}
+
+void limit4_irq(void){
+    limit4 = limit4_pin;
+    
+    if(limit4)
+        limit4_int.fall(&limit4_irq);
+    else
+        limit4_int.rise(&limit4_irq);
+}
+
+void limit5_irq(void){
+    limit5 = limit5_pin;
+    
+    if(limit5)
+        limit5_int.fall(&limit5_irq);
+    else
+        limit5_int.rise(&limit5_irq);
+}
+
+void limit6_irq(void){
+    limit6 = limit6_pin;
+    
+    if(limit6)
+        limit6_int.fall(&limit6_irq);
+    else
+        limit6_int.rise(&limit6_irq);
+}
+void init_limitSwitches(void){
+    
+    //Limit switch 1 initial state
+    limit1 = limit1_pin;
+    if(limit1)
+        limit1_int.fall(&limit1_irq);
+    else
+        limit1_int.rise(&limit1_irq);
+                
+    //Limit switch 2 initial state
+    limit2 = limit2_pin;
+    if(limit2)
+        limit2_int.fall(&limit2_irq);
+    else
+        limit2_int.rise(&limit2_irq);
+        
+    //Limit switch 3 initial state
+    limit3 = limit3_pin;
+    if(limit3)
+        limit3_int.fall(&limit3_irq);
+    else
+        limit3_int.rise(&limit3_irq);
+
+    //Limit switch 4 initial state
+    limit4 = limit4_pin;
+    if(limit4)
+        limit4_int.fall(&limit4_irq);
+    else
+        limit4_int.rise(&limit4_irq);
+
+    //Limit switch 5 initial state
+    limit5 = limit5_pin;
+    if(limit5)
+        limit5_int.fall(&limit5_irq);
+    else
+        limit5_int.rise(&limit5_irq);
+
+    //Limit switch 6 initial state
+    limit6 = limit6_pin;
+    if(limit6)
+        limit6_int.fall(&limit6_irq);
+    else
+        limit6_int.rise(&limit6_irq);
+
+}
 //------------------- MAIN --------------------------------
 int main()
 {        
     wait(.5);
     pulse.attach(&alive, 2.0); // the address of the function to be attached (flip) and the interval (2 seconds)
-    //colCheck.attach(&collisionCheck, .05);
  
     pc.baud(921600);
     pc.printf("\r\n%s\r\n", __FILE__); //display the filename (this source file)
     
-    // Set all IO port bits to 1 to enable inputs and test error
-    pcf = 0xff;
-    if(pcf.getError() != 0)
-        myerror(pcf.getErrorMessage());    
-    
-    // Assign interrupt function to pin P0_17 (mbed p12)
-    pcf.interrupt(P0_17,&pcf8574_it);
-    updateLimitSwitches(pcf.read());
-  
-    if(pcf.getError() != 0)
-        myerror(pcf.getErrorMessage());
+    init_limitSwitches();   //get initial states of limit switches
       
     axis1.init();
     axis2.init();
@@ -485,8 +542,8 @@
     axis5.init();
     axis6.init();
     
-    axis6.Pk = 80.0;
-    axis6.Ik = 30.0;
+    axis6.Pk = 40.0;
+    axis6.Ik = 20.0;
     
  //   axis1.debug = 1;
  //   axis2.debug = 1;