Makeblock mCar User manual

mCar User Guide
I
Contents
I、Equipment necessary before ...............................................................................i
II、Product description.................................................................................................... 2
1. mDrawBot .................................................................................................................. 2
III、Mechanical assembly (see document mDrawBot instruction V1.1 20150704)......... 2
IV、Recommended wiring diagram (Bluetooth communication for Bluetooth version) . 3
V、Definition of mEggBot electronic wiring .................................................................... 3
VI、mDraw software......................................................................................................... 4
1. Description of mDraw functions ................................................................................ 4
2. Software installation .................................................................................................. 4
3. Button function of main software interface .............................................................. 4
4. Use of mCar................................................................................................................ 7
VII、Example of completely using mDraw software.................................................... 10
VIII、See “How to use inkscape+corelDRAW software” for generation of SVG graph file.
12
IX、Please refer to mDrawBot FAQs - V1.3(English) for FAQs. ...................................... 12
X、Contact us: ............................................................................................................... 12

mCar User Guide
i
I、Equipment necessary before
1. Hardware:
①.mDrawBot kit
②. Assemble Instruction V1.1 20150704
2. Software:
a. Necessary software
mDraw
Inksape
B. Software possibly required
Arduino IDE
Makeblock main board drive (Note: If Mac OS system is used, click hyperlink to
load and install the drive)
3. Download software and detained information package
http://learn.makeblock.cc/mdrawbot/
Hint 1
4 assembly modes are used for mDrawBot, the assembly of all movable parts has assembly
accuracy requirement, install and finely adjust the robot strictly as required by the assembly
description, especially adjustment of shaft and rotating part, steering engine and rudder arm, machine
levelness.
Hint 2
The material object may differ from the picture provided in the specification, so the specification
is only for reference, and specification and software may be changed without prior notice. Please
assess the website for detailed change: http://learn.makeblock.cc/mdrawbot/

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II、Product description
1. mDrawBot
mDrawBot is advanced drawing kit designed based on Makeblock open platform and may be
constructed to four types: mScara, mSpider, mEggBot and mCar. In addition to specially designed
hardware structure, we specially equip mDrawBot software –mDraw.
A. mCar
A drawing robot for third wheel structure may draws larger graph on the ground. As
controlled by open loop, error is larger for complex graph, and it is suitable for drawing
simple graph. Of course, it may be modified by some electronic elements to a balance dolly, a
shooting dolly, a detection dolly, etc. (Statement: for open control, the accuracy may not be
too high).
III、Mechanical assembly (see document mDrawBot
instruction V1.1 20150704)

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IV、Recommended wiring diagram (Bluetooth communication
for Bluetooth version)
(Note: When Bluetooth is used as serial port, connect Bluetooth with port 5 OF Makeblock
Orion board.
V、Definition of mEggBot electronic wiring
6P6C RJ25 cable-35cm
Connect to Port 7
A
B
6P6C RJ25 cable-20cm
Connect to Port 1
6P6C RJ25 cable-20cm
Connect to Port 2
Stepper motor A
Stepper motor B
6P6C RJ25 cable-20cm
Connect to Port 5

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VI、mDraw software
1. Description of mDraw functions
mDraw is open source cross-platform software produced by Makeblock and support
Windows system, Mac system and Linux system, and perfectly supports four types of mDrawBot
such as mSpider, mScara, mEggBot and mCar, and supports the steering engine mode and laser
mode of Makeblock XY drawing robot kit V2.0.
Support SVG format, Change BMP to SVG
2. Software installation
Unzip the downloaded file pack, find and double click the file as show in the figure.
3. Button function of main software interface

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（1）Main interface
（2）Button function
: Open the file
: Delete SVG file
: Begin/ suspend
: Stop
: Up and down mirror image
: Left and right mirror image
: Clockwise rotate at 90°
: Anticlockwise rotate at 90°
: Help link
Back to
origin point
Drop-down box of
robot configuration
Update firm
ware for a
new
Wire map
Servo mode

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: Machine returning to initial position
: Robot mode switching button: five modes such as mScara, mSpider, mEggBot, mCar,
XY
: Setting button, mainly used for setting arm length parameter, operation speed, and front
and reverse rotation of motor
: Upgrade firmware button
: Electronic wiring diagram of robot
: Pen lift parameter setting
: Pen fall parameter setting
: Store pen lift and fall parameters on the main board chip
: Select serial port
: Serial port connecting button
: Synchronous position
: Change drawing scale
（3）Function description of plot area
a) After double clicking the main interface, the robot will move with the graph.

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b). Drag the led SVG format to change the size and location of the SVG drawing, or change
the drawing size by directly entering the digit on the low right of the graph.
c). While leading BMP file, the software automatically pop up SVG file change dialog box,
and according to adjustment parameter, change the file to SVG format.
4. Use of mCar
（1）mCar
a）.Inspect and confirm that the wire connection is correct (Note: you may click to
inspect. ). Connect USB with the computer ( Note: if Bluetooth is used, install the
Bluetooth drive on the computer)
b）.Select and connect correct COM port and click burning hardware (note: While the robot is
switched to other drawing type, you are required to click Update Firmware to upgrade the
firmware to ensure The robot can operate in new drawing type.

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c）.Click icon to access the setting interface. Width must be set. Setting method:
measure the distance the centers AB of two wheels by a paper tape or steel rule, and enter it
in the software. At the same time, the pen must be put in the center of AB
d）.The function of Use Hermit interpolation Algorithm check box is distinguished in drawing
Conceal the selection, mainly use it for drawing graph consisting of straight line, and select it
mainly for drawing curve and arc graph. (Statement: for open control, the accuracy may not
be too high).
e）.A button is arranged on the back to change the rotation direction of the stepping motor if
the rotation direction is incorrect.
Meaning of rear view and software parameter
1
2

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f）.Setting of steering engine pen lift and fall parameter
As shown in the figure, respectively enter the value by Pen up and Pen Down of the software,
click PenUp and PenDown. When the following effect is observe and obtained, it is possible to set
pen lift mechanism of the steering engine (note: If the rudder arm of the steering engine does
not have the following angle, remove the rudder arm by a cross screwdriver to adjust installation
angle, the rubber band is adjusted for degree of tightness according to requirement, and
pendown is subject to just contact with the paper. )
Note：Software default
value is here, and the value is
subject to the value set
during debugging during use.
Please pay attention to
direction The set parameter
may be stored in the main
board.
Pen Up
Pen Down
Rudder
arm

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g）.Lead the following test graph, …mDrawBot Download Package\Examples of
Material\Test\Square.svg for effect test. ( If the graph is deformed or not closed, 1.
Inspect whether AB is accurately measured. 2. Adjust the location of the pen to put the pen
point 3. Supply the power by a battery, and pay attention to electric quantity 4. See FAQs for
details. )
h）.After setting the parameters, manually adjust mCar to placing location, and click the button
.
VII、Example of completely using mDraw software
1. When the test is passed as described above, the mCar can operate smoothly. Slightly
complex graph may be drawn.
2. Manually or automatically reset the mCar to desirable location. ( ensure that the
serial port is properly connected, the parameter of the pen lift mechanism is correctly
set, and the power supply is properly connected.

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3. Lead SVG graph, for example, ···\mDrawBot Download Package\Examples of
Material\Examples of Material\ Helix.svg.svg, as shown in the figure.
4. Click the button of mDraw software The mCar begins to work. When the
machine stops operation, the graph has been drawn. The drawing effect is shown
below:

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VIII、See “How to use inkscape+corelDRAW software” for
generation of SVG graph file.
IX、Please refer to mDrawBot FAQs - V1.3(English) for FAQs.
X、Contact us:
[email protected]
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