Gilderfluke & Co Br-EFB User manual

Br-EFB
Four Channel Electronic FeedBack Controller v3.1
An actuator is a mechanical device that moves something. It doesn't matter if the
actuator is powered by hydraulics or compressed air, or directly from an electric motor.
Analog closed loop control of actuators is used when you want to create truly lifelike
animatronic effects. The actuator can be commanded to move slowly or quickly, and
can stop repeatably at any point within its range of movement. If a force is applied to
try to move the actuator, it will fight to return to the original position.
The Br-EFB is used to close up to four Position Feedback loops for four
independent actuators. These can be used in animated shows, lighting, motion base
simulators, pneumatic and hydraulic systems, special effects, signs, fountains, and
more.
Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]
Br-EFB Manual / May 22, 2018 3:28 PM / page 1 of 142

Safety Disclaimer: Any electronic or mechanical
system has a potential to fail. Certain applications using
Gilderfluke & Company equipment may involve
potential risks of death, personal injury, or severe
property, or environmental damage (“Critical
Application”). Gilderfluke & Company equipment is not
designed, intended, authorized, or warranted to be
suitable in life support applications, devices, or
systems, or other critical applications. Inclusion of
Gilderfluke & Company products in such applications is
understood to be fully at the risk of the customer. In
order to minimize risks associated with the customer's
applications, adequate design and operating
safeguards should be provided by the customer to
minimize inherent or procedural hazards.
Gilderfluke & Company assumes no liability for
applications assistance, customer produced design,
software performance, or infringement of patents or
copyrights. Nor does Gilderfluke & Company warrant or
represent that any license, either express, or implied, is
granted under any patent right, copyright, mask work
right, or other intellectual property right of Gilderfluke &
Company covering or relating to any combination,
machine, or process in which Gilderfluke & Company
products or services might be or are used.
Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]
Br-EFB Manual / May 22, 2018 3:28 PM / page 2 of 142

................................................................................Br-EFB Overview!11
..........................................................................................Closing the Servo Loop!16
..............................................................................................................Compliance!19
.......................................................................Br-EFB Indicator LEDs!21
.........................................................................................'A' Trigger Input LED!21
.........................................................................................'B' Trigger Input LED!22
................................................................................................Error/Status LED!22
.............................................................................External Output Enable LED!24
....................................................................................................Heartbeat LED!24
.............................................................................................Ethernet '100' LED!24
..............................................................................Ethernet 'Link Activity' LED!24
..............................................................Indicator LEDs for each ServoLoop Axis!24
......................................................................................ServoLoop Error LEDs!25
...............................................................ServoLoop Position Feedback LEDs!25
.........................................................ServoLoop Compliance Feedback LEDs!25
..........................................................................ServoValve Output Indicators!26
............................................................................Br-EFB Connectors!27
.......................................................................................................Input Connector!27
............................................................................................'A' Trigger Input!28
............................................................................................'A' Trigger Input!28
............................................................................................'B' Trigger Input!28
............................................................................................'B' Trigger Input!28
......................................................................................Error/Status Output!29
......................................................................................Error/Status Output!29
................................................................................External Output Enable!29
................................................................................External Output Enable!29
.............................................................................................- 'Battery' Input!32
............................................................................................+ 'Battery' Input!32
..................................................................................Power Supply Ground!33
...................................................................Power Supply Positive (24vdc)!33
..............................................................................................DMX-512 Input!33
..............................................................................................DMX-512 'Thru'!33
.................................................................................................RS-422 Input!38
.................................................................................................RS-422 'Thru'!38
........................................................................................................Ethernet!40
........................................Power Supply 2.1mm Barrel connector (24vdc)!40
.............................................µSd/µSdHC/µSdXc Flash Memory Card Slot!41
........................................................................................................Mini USB!41
......................................................................................ServoLoop Error LEDs!41
......................................................Output Connectors for each ServoLoop Axis!42
............................................................................#1: Power Supply Ground!42
..............................................................#2: Negative (-) 10 Volt Reference!43
.......................................................................#3: Position FeedBack Input!43
.................................................................#4: Compliance FeedBack Input!46
...............................................................#5: Positive (+) 10 Volt Reference!46
Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]
Br-EFB Manual / May 22, 2018 3:28 PM / page 3 of 142

............................................................................#6: 24 vdc Supply Output!47
...............................#7: Negative (-) ServoValve/Motor Controller Output!47
................................#8: Positive (+) ServoValve/Motor Controller Output!47
..................................................................Web-Based Configuration!51
...................................................Web-Based PID Configuration Tab!53
........................................................Minimum Scale (numeric value & slider)!54
........................................................Maximum Scale (numeric value & slider)!55
......Proportional (P) Gain (numeric value, slider & output voltage display)!55
Integral (I) Gain (numeric value, slider, checkbox & output voltage display)!56
Derivative (D) Gain (numeric value, slider, checkbox & output voltage display)!57
..................................................................Tightness (numeric value & slider)!57
Compliance Feedback Gain (numeric value, slider, checkbox & output voltage
...............................................................................................................................display)!58
........................Compliance Feedback Decay Rate (numeric value & slider)!58
..........................................................Jog (numeric value, slider & checkbox)!58
............................................Position Feedback Phase Reversed (checkbox)!58
........................................Compliance Feedback Input Reversed (checkbox)!58
..................................................Auto Jog While Setting Min/Max (checkbox)!59
......................................Position Feedback A/D Voltage Range (DropDown)!59
................................Compliance Feedback A/D Voltage Range (DropDown)!59
...................................................................................Polarity Wizard (Button)!59
...........................................................................................PID Wizard (Button)!59
......................................................................................................Valve Voltage!61
......................................................................................................Ultimate Gain!61
..................................................................................................Ultimate Period!61
..........................................................Web-Based Card Settings Tab!63
......................................................................................First DMX-512 Address!63
....................................................................................................Serial Address!64
........................................................................................Sequencer Enabled x!64
...................................................................................................DMX-512 mode!64
.............................................................DMX-512 Zero-Based or One-Based x!64
..................................................................................................EaseIn Speed x!65
..................................................................................Output to Test & Adjust x!67
...........................................................................................................Test One x!67
.............................................................................................................Test All x!68
.......................................................................................................Jog Output x!68
...................................................................................Set Power-On Defaults x!68
...........................................................................................................Use DHCP!69
.........................................................................................Restrict Subnet Only!69
..........................................................................................................IP Address!69
..............................................................................................................NetMask!69
..................................................................................................Gateway Server!69
..................................................................................JSON messages!71
.................................................Br-EFB Configuration (Text Menus)!79
......................................................................................First DMX-512 Address!81
Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]
Br-EFB Manual / May 22, 2018 3:28 PM / page 4 of 142

....................................................................................................Serial Address!82
............................................................................................Sequencer Enabled!82
...................................................................................................DMX-512 mode!82
................................................................DMX-512 Zero-Based or One-Based!83
.....................................................................................................EaseIn Speed!83
.....................................................................................Output to Test & Adjust!85
.........................................................................................................Test Output!86
....................................................................................‘Jog’ Outputs to a Value!86
......................................................................................Set Power-On Defaults!86
...........................................Set Minimum, Maximum and ‘Jog’ using Keypad!87
.......................................................................................Set Analog Endpoints!90
.....................................................................................................................Next!90
.....................................................................................................................Last!91
...............................................................................................................More….!91
.................................................................................................................Info….!91
..................................................................................................Reload Defaults!95
............................................................................................................Play/Loop!95
......................................................................................................................Halt!95
...................................................................................................................Verify!95
......................................................................................................................eXit!96
..........................................Br-EFB PID Configuration (Text Menus)!97
......................................................................................................Axis Enabled!98
.........................................................................................proportional (P) gain!98
.............................................................................................set Integral (I) gain!99
.......................................................................................set Derivative (D) gain!99
..........................................................................................Limit Valve Voltage!100
.........................................................................................reverse Axis Output!100
........................................................................................compliance Settings!101
....................................................................................................Error Options!101
...............................................................................................A/D Input Range!101
..................................................................................PID Adjustment Wizards!101
...............................................................................................................More...!101
...................................................................................Output to Test & Adjust!101
.......................................................................................................Test Output!101
...................................................................................................................Next!101
...................................................................................................................Last!101
................................................................................................................Info….!101
................................................................................................Reload Defaults!101
..........................................................................................................Play/Loop!101
....................................................................................................................Halt!101
.................................................................................................................Verify!102
....................................................................................................................eXit!102
..................................................Br-EFB PID Wizards (Text Menus)!103
............................................................................................Set Input Voltages!104
.................................................................................................Polarity Wizard!104
........................................................................................................PID Wizard!104
Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]
Br-EFB Manual / May 22, 2018 3:28 PM / page 5 of 142

..............................................................................Set Min/Max/Jog w/keypad!104
...............................................................................................................More...!104
...................................................................................Output to Test & Adjust!104
.......................................................................................................Test Output!105
...................................................................................................................Next!105
...................................................................................................................Last!105
................................................................................................................Info….!105
................................................................................................Reload Defaults!105
..........................................................................................................Play/Loop!105
....................................................................................................................Halt!105
.................................................................................................................Verify!105
....................................................................................................................eXit!105
.............................................Br-EFB Polarity Wizard (Text Menus)!107
.........................................................................................Run Polarity Wizard!110
...............................................................................................................More...!110
...................................................................................Output to Test & Adjust!110
.......................................................................................................Test Output!110
...................................................................................................................Next!110
...................................................................................................................Last!110
................................................................................................................Info….!110
................................................................................................Reload Defaults!111
..........................................................................................................Play/Loop!111
....................................................................................................................Halt!111
.................................................................................................................Verify!111
....................................................................................................................eXit!111
....................................................Br-EFB PID Wizard (Text Menus)!113
.....................................................................................................'P' Gain only!115
.....................................................................................................'P' & 'I' Gains!115
..............................................................................................'P', 'I' & 'D' Gains!116
.........................................................................................Increase 'Tightness'!116
...........................................................................................Reduce 'Tightness'!116
................................................................................................Run PID Wizard!116
...............................................................................................................More...!116
...................................................................................Output to Test & Adjust!116
.......................................................................................................Test Output!116
...................................................................................................................Next!116
...................................................................................................................Last!116
................................................................................................................Info….!116
................................................................................................Reload Defaults!116
..........................................................................................................Play/Loop!116
....................................................................................................................Halt!116
.................................................................................................................Verify!116
....................................................................................................................eXit!116
...................................Br-EFB Compliance Settings (Text Menus)!117
...........................................................................Compliance Feedback Gain!118
..................................................................................Compliance Decay Rate!118
Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]
Br-EFB Manual / May 22, 2018 3:28 PM / page 6 of 142

..........................................................Compliance Feedback Input Reversed!118
.................................................................................Compliance Input Range!118
...............................................................................................................More...!118
...................................................................................Output to Test & Adjust!118
.......................................................................................................Test Output!118
...................................................................................................................Next!118
...................................................................................................................Last!118
................................................................................................................Info….!118
................................................................................................Reload Defaults!119
..........................................................................................................Play/Loop!119
....................................................................................................................Halt!119
.................................................................................................................Verify!119
....................................................................................................................eXit!119
.............................Br-EFB Following Error Settings (Text Menus)!120
..............................................................................Following Error Threshold!121
...........................................................................................Soft Error Timeout!121
..........................................................................................Hard Error Timeout!122
...............................................................................................................More...!122
...................................................................................Output to Test & Adjust!122
.......................................................................................................Test Output!122
...................................................................................................................Next!122
...................................................................................................................Last!122
................................................................................................................Info….!122
................................................................................................Reload Defaults!122
..........................................................................................................Play/Loop!122
....................................................................................................................Halt!122
.................................................................................................................Verify!122
....................................................................................................................eXit!122
..............................................Br-EFB Network Config (Text Menu)!123
..................................................................................................DHCP enabled!124
.......................................................................................Restrict Subnet Only!124
........................................................................................................IP Address!124
............................................................................................................NetMask!124
................................................................................................Gateway Server!124
.......................................................................................................Time Server!124
...................................................................................Output to Test & Adjust!124
.......................................................................................................Test Output!124
...............................................................................................................More...!124
...................................................................................................................Next!124
...................................................................................................................Last!124
................................................................................................................Info….!124
................................................................................................Reload Defaults!124
..........................................................................................................Play/Loop!124
....................................................................................................................Halt!124
.................................................................................................................Verify!125
....................................................................................................................eXit!125
Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]
Br-EFB Manual / May 22, 2018 3:28 PM / page 7 of 142

........................................Optically Isolated Trigger Input Actions!127
............................................................................................................not used!128
........................................................................................................Start Show!128
........................................................................................................Stop Show!128
.......................................................................................................Stop At End!128
......................................................................................................Pause Show!128
.................................................................................................Continue Show!129
.....................................................................................................E-stop Show!129
......................................................................................................Clear E-stop!129
.......................................................................................Sequential From List!130
...........................................................................................Random From List!130
...................................................................................................Reshuffle List!131
.....................................................................................................Analog Limit!131
..........................................................................................................Binary Bit!132
..................................................Ethernet & Serial Port Commands!133
............................................................................................Echo Commands:!134
.......................................................................................................Card Reset:!134
......................................................................................................Card Status:!135
.............................................................................................Start Commands:!136
.............................................................................................Stop Commands:!136
............................................................................................Loop Commands:!137
.................................................................................Stop at End Commands:!137
................................................................................Select Show Commands:!137
................................................................................Show Pause Commands:!138
.....................................................Br-EFB Dimensions & Mounting!139
.........................................................!!!! Br-EFB Firmware Updates!141
.........................................HEXadecimal to Decimal to Percentage!142
Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]
Br-EFB Manual / May 22, 2018 3:28 PM / page 8 of 142

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Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]
Br-EFB Manual / May 22, 2018 3:28 PM / page 9 of 142

Gilderfluke & Co.• 205 South Flower Street • Burbank, California 91502 • 818/840-9484 • 800/776-5972 • fax [phone]
Br-EFB Manual / May 22, 2018 3:28 PM / page 10 of 142
A note about this manual:
This manual covers the specifics of the Br-EFB. To
program the Br-EFB you will also want to refer to the
PC•MACs manual sections that cover the PC•MACs
software.
The Br-EFB is typically programmed in ‘Software-only’
or ‘Hardwareless RealTime’ mode. If you are using the
USB-DMX for programming your Br-EFB through the
DMX-512 inputs, please refer to the PC•MACs ‘Unlimited’
mode.
The full PC•MACs manual can be downloaded from our
web site at:
http://www.gilderfluke.com