Progress on my servo controller

[arvidb]

I made this!

As I wrote in an earlier thread (started june -04 I think) I'm working on a servo controller card. It has four "channels", where each channel will be able to run a position loop (and speed loop if necessary), sending +/-10V to a servo drive. It will also be possible to run a channel in STEP/DIR mode, sending out just step+dir signals without running a servo loop, or a "direct" +/-10V mode for spindle control.

The card relies on the host computer for all heavy math, doing only linear interpolation in hardware. It speaks to the host via RS232.

It's not finished, but all the sub-circuits (main control circuit - an Atmel Cyclone FPGA, DACs, RS422 transcievers for the encoders, and the RS232 interface) tested out just fine! Not bad for a first prototype. Right now it's working as a DRO, displaying motor position on my computer screen!

Arvid

[Stevie]

Hey great; I still say this will be great stuff; and I'd be interested

[sendkeys]

looks cool :P Hay for your next project what about a step generator for mach2-3 :P hehe Been waiting for one for ummmm 2+ years now hehe

[Swede]

Arvid, I really like what you are doing there. I got deep enough into electronics to apreciate the effort you are making. I ultimately used a PIC flash chip for not motion control but for monitoring and controlling a little turbojet. These modern uProcessors have some amazing capabilities indeed.

Nice work, please keep us updated.