Creative Conners Stagehand Mini2 User manual

creativeconners, inc.
Stagehand Mini
2
Manual
Version 1.0
Copyright © 2014. Creative Conners, Inc. All rights reserved.

Stagehand Mini2Manual
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Stagehand Mini2Manual
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TableofContents
GettingStarted..........................................................................................................................................................4
What’sinthebox?.................................................................................................................................................4
StagehandMiniFeatures.......................................................................................................................................5
Installation...............................................................................................................................................................11
RackMount.........................................................................................................................................................11
ElectricalConnections.............................................................................................................................................11
PowerInputConnection......................................................................................................................................11
Showstopper(EmergencyStop)Connection........................................................................................................12
EncodersandLimitsConnections........................................................................................................................13
EthernetConnection............................................................................................................................................19
UsingtheStagehand................................................................................................................................................23
JogtheMotor......................................................................................................................................................23
BrakeTesting...........................................................................................................Error!Bookmarknotdefined.
Auto‐Tuning.............................................................................................................Error!Bookmarknotdefined.
UnderstandingtheStatusDisplay.......................................................................................................................24
SetanIPAddressforSpikemarkCueing..............................................................................................................26
BatteryBackupforEncoderPosition...................................................................................................................27
Troubleshooting......................................................................................................................................................28
CommonProblems...............................................................................................................................................28
TechnicalSupport................................................................................................................................................29
Specifications...........................................................................................................................................................31
ElectricalSpecifications.......................................................................................................................................31
PerformanceSpecifications.................................................................................................................................32
PhysicalSpecifications.........................................................................................................................................33
DefaultMitsubishiParameters................................................................................Error!Bookmarknotdefined.
PLCLadderforMitsubishi........................................................................................Error!Bookmarknotdefined.
WiringDiagram...................................................................................................................................................33
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GettingStarted
TheStagehandMini2isthemostversatilecontrollerinourStagehandfamily.TheMini2isbuilttocontrola
widevarietyofmachinesfromsmallDCmotors,tolargebrushlessservomotors,tohydraulicproportional
valves.UnlikeourotherStagehands,theMini2doesnotincludeanybuilt‐inamplifiertopoweramachine
directly,butratheritoutputsastandardizedcontrolsignalthatcanbeusedwithmanythird‐partyamplifiers.
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TheMini2packstwoindependentmotioncontrollersinasingle,convenient,3Urackmountenclosure.This
double‐headedapproachallowsyoutocontroltwomachinesfromasingleStagehand,whichisanother
uniquefeatureoftheMini2thatmakesthiscontrolleragreatchoiceformanyshows.
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Thismanualwillguideyouthrough:
 Unpacking
 Installation
 Poweringup
 Operation
 Troubleshooting
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Ifyouneedhelpalongthewaycontactusonourwebsite(creativeconners.com),viaemail
([email protected]),orbyphone(401‐289‐2942)
What’sinthebox?
Insidetheboxyoushouldfind:
 Referencemanual(thisdocument)
 StagehandMini2motioncontroller
 Two(2)controlcordsforconnectingtheMini2toyouramplifier
 LockingIECpowercable
 Two(2)D‐Sub15‐pinshortingplugstodisableBrakeFaultandDriveFaultinputs
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Ifanyoftheseitemsaremissing,pleasecontactusimmediatelyforareplacement.
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Ifyoupurchasedanypowercables,encoders,limitswitches,orotheraccessories,thoseitemsarepackaged
separately.

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StagehandMini2Features
TheStagehandMini2isessentiallytwomotioncontrollersbuiltintoasingle3Urackcase.Themotion
controllersareidenticaltothebrainsfoundinsidetheStagehandProandisthemostversatilecontrollerwe
haveeverproduced.Itfeatures:
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Figure1
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Figure2

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TypicalApplications
TheStagehandMini2cannotpoweramachinedirectly.UnlikeourStagehandProAC,StagehandAC,or
StagehandDC,theMini2lacksaninternalpoweramplifieroptinginsteadtooutputlow‐powercontrolsignals
thatcanbeusedwithalmostanyexternalamplifier.Thisoffersenormousflexibility,atthecostofrequiringyou
tofabricatehousingsfortheamplifieryouwanttouseandthendoabitmorewiringtoconnectthepieces
together.
TherearetwocommonreasonstochooseaStagehandMini2foranautomationproject.Thefirstisthatyou
needtocontrolapieceofequipmentthatcan’tbepoweredbyadedicatedStagehand.Examplesofsucha
machine(asofJuly2014)are:abrushlessdcmotor,anelectro‐hydraulicvalve(servoorproportional),amotor
withahorsepowerratinghigherthan10HP.ThesecondcommonreasontochooseaStagehandMini2isthat
youmayhaveanexistinginventoryofamplifiers(VFD’sorDCregendrives)andwanttopreservethat
investment.Ineithersituation,theMini2isagreatwaytogetyourmachinerunningontheStagehandplatform
andcueitwithourSpikemarksoftware.
TheprimarycontroloutputfromtheStagehandMini2isaspeedsignalandanenablecircuitforeachofitstwo,
independentcontrollers.Theenablecircuitinformstheamplifierwhenitshouldstartlisteningtothespeed
signalsupplypowertothemachinery.Thespeedsignalindicatesbothhowfastandinwhatdirectionthe
machineryshouldmove.
Tosensehowtheamplifierandmachineryarerespondingtothecontroloutput,theMini2expectsaquadrature
encodersignalasinput.Thatsignalisusefulinmeasuringhowfarandfastthemachineryismoving.The
controloutputandencoderinputformtheminimumclosed‐loopsystemthatisrequiredformotion.Any
machine/drivecombinationthatyouconnecttotheMini2mustacceptthecontrolsignalsandprovidean
encodersignalinreturn.
Let’stakealookatsomecommonscenariosthatshowhowthisworksinpractice.Keepinmindthatsincethe
Mini2hastwoindependentcontrollers,youcanhookuptwodifferentmachinestotheMiniandcueeachfrom
Spikemark.
StagehandMini2withaVariableFrequencyDrive(VFD)
WhetheryouhaveanoldVFDthatyou’dliketocontrolwithSpikemark,oryouhaveabrand‐new20HPVFD
yoursystemwilllooksimilartothediagrambelow.

Stagehand Mini2Manual
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Figure3

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StagehandMini2withaElectro‐HydraulicValve
Hydraulicsystemshaveaseveralattractivetraitsthatmakethemtemptingtouseonstage.Youcankeepthe
HPU(hydraulicpowerunit)inaremotelocationoutofearshotandrunhosestoactuatorsonstagereducingthe
noiseofthemotiontopracticallynothing.Hydraulicsystemsalsooffertremendouspowertobepackedinto
relativelysmallactuators.However,automatinghydraulicswithprogrammablespeedandpositioninghas
traditionallybeentricky.However,usingaeitheraservovalveorelectricproportionalvalveeitherwithon‐
boardelectronics(OBE)oradiscretevalvedriverandaStagehandMini2makestheprocesspainless…well…if
wearehonesthydraulicsarestillfinickyandabittricky,butatleastitispossiblewithsomeplanningand
patience.
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Figure4

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StagehandMini2withDCDrive
DCmotorsusedtobeastapleofstageautomation.Althoughtheirpopularityhaswanedovertheyearsas
quieterACinductionmotorsandVFD’shavebecomemoreeconomicalandprovideabettersolutioninmanner
situations.However,thereisstillalotofDCequipmentwithausefullifeleftandusingaMini2tobreathenew
lifeintooldequipmentcanbeagreatwaytoexpandyourautomationcapacity.ThehookupissimilartoaVFD,
withtheadditionofasignalisolatorcardwhichprotectstheMini2fromdangerousvoltagelevels.

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Figure5
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