RoboteQ Dual Channel Digital Motor Controller AX2550 Instruction manual

AX2550
AX2850
Dual Channel
High Power
Digital Motor
Controller
Quick Start Manual
v1.9b, June 1, 2007
visit www.roboteq.com to download the latest revision of this manual
©Copyright 2003-2007 Roboteq, Inc.

AX2550Motor Controller User’s Manual2
SECTION 1 Important Safety
Warnings
Read this Section First
The AX2550 is a high power electronics device. Serious damage, including fire,
may occur to the unit, motors, wiring and batteries as a result of its misuse.
Please review the User’s Manual for added precautions prior to applying full
battery or full load power.
This product is intended for use with rechargeable batteries
Unless special precautions are taken, damage to the controller and/or power supply
may occur if operated with a power supply alone. See“Power Regeneration Consid-
erations”on page 37 of the Users Manual. Always keep the controller connected
to the Battery. Use the Power Control input to turn On/Off.
Do not Connect to a RC Radio with a Battery Attached
Without proper protection, a battery attached to an RC Radio may inject its voltage
directly inside the controller’s sensitive electronics. See
Beware of Motor Runaway in Improperly Closed Loop
Wiring or polarity errors between the feedback device and motor in position or
closed loop position mode may cause the controller to runaway with no possibility
to stop it until power is turned off.

AX2550Motor Controller User’s Manual3
SECTION 2 AX2550
Quick Start
This section will give you the basic information needed to quickly install, setup and
run your AX2550 controller in a minimal configuration. The AX2850 is a version of
the AX2550 controller with the addition of Optical Encoder inputs.
What you will need
For a minimal installation, gather the following components:
•One AX2550 Controller and its provided cables
•12V to 40V high capacity, high current battery
•One or two brushed DC motors
•One R/C to DB15 connector (provided)
•Miscellaneous wires, connectors, fuses and switch
Locating the Switches, Wires and Connectors
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the controller’s wires, switches and con-
nectors.

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4AX2550Motor Controller User’sManual Version 1.9b. June 1,2007
The front side (shown in Figure 1) contains the buttons and display needed to operate and
monitor the controller. The 15-pin connector provides the connection to the R/C radio, joy-
stick or microcomputer, as well as connections to optional switches and sensors.
At the back of the controller (shown in the figure below) are located all the wires that must
be connected to the batteries and the motors.
Program Set
Reset
Connector to Receiver/Controls
and sensors
Operating Status
and Program LED
Display
Controller Configu-
ration buttons
FIGURE 1. Front Controller Layout
Connector to
Optical Encoders
(AX2850 only)
Controller Power
Ground (-)
Black
(top)
Power Control
Yellow
Motor 2
12 to 40V (+)
Red
Ground (-)
Black
Motor(+)
Yellow or
White
Motor (-)
Green
Motor 1
12 to 40V (+)
Red
Motor (-)
Green
Motor (+)
White
FIGURE 2. Rear Controller Layout

AX2550Motor Controller User’s Manual5
Connecting to the Batteries and Motors
Connecting to the Batteries and Motors
Connection to the batteries and motors is shown in the figure below and is done by con-
necting the set of wires coming out from the back of the controller.
1- Connect each motor to one of the two M+ and M- cables pairs. Make sure to respect
the polarity, otherwise the motor(s) may spin in the opposite direction than expected
2- Connect the two thick black wires to the minus (-) terminal of the battery that will be
used to power the motors. Connect the two thick red wires the two VMot terminals to the
plus (+) terminal of the battery. The motor battery may be of 12 to 40 Volts. There is no
need to insert a separate switch on Power cables, although one is suggested for Emer-
gency disconnect. See “Controller Power”on page 30 for a detailed discussion and more
wiring options.
Avoid extending the length of wires from the battery to the controller as the added induc-
tance may cause damage to the controller when operating at high currents. Try extending
the motor wires instead since the added inductance on the motor side of the controller is
not harmful.
The two red wires are connected to each other inside the controller. The same is true
for the black wires. You should wire each pair together as shown in the diagram
above.
3- The yellow Power Control wire and the thin black wire MUST be connected to Ground to
turn the Controller Off. For turning the controller On, even though the Power Control may
be left floating, whenever possible pull it to an unfused12V or higher voltage to keep the
controller logic solidly On. You may use a separate battery to keep the controller alive as
the main Motor battery discharges. Refer to the chapter “Connecting Power and Motors to
12V to 24V
Motor Battery
Power switch
On
Off
Optional
Emergency
Disconnect
Optional
Diode
-
-
+
+
Motor1
Motor2
Controller
Fuse
VMot VMot
M1-
M1+
PwrCtrl
GND GND GND
M2+
M2-
Notes:
- The Battery Power connection are doubled in order to provide the maximum current to the controller. If
only one motor is used, only one set of motor power cables needs to be connected.
- Typically, 1, 2 or 3 x 12V batteries are connected in series to reach 12, 24 or 36V respectively.
- The Power Control wire MUST be used to turn On and Off the controller.
FIGURE 3. AX2550 Electrical Power Wiring Diagram

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6AX2550Motor Controller User’sManual Version 1.9b. June 1,2007
the Controller”on page 29 for more information about batteries and other connection
options.
Important Warning
Do not rely on cutting power to the controller for it to turn off if the Power Control is
left floating. If motors are spinning because the robot is pushed are pushed or
because of inertia, they will act as generators and will turn the controller, possibly in
an unsafe state. ALWAYS ground the Power Control wire to turn the controller Off
and keep it Off.
Important Warning
The controller includes large capacitors. When connecting the Motor Power Cables,
a spark will be generated at the connection point. This is a normal occurrence and
should be expected.
Connecting to the 15-pin Connector
The controller’s I/O are located on it’s standard 15-pin D-Sub Connector. The functions of
some pins varies depending on controller model and operating mode. Pin assignment is
found in the table below.
Pin
Signal
RC Mode RS232 Mode Analog Mode
1 2A Digital Output C (same as pin 9)
2TxData
3 RC Ch1 RxData Unused
4 RC Ch 2 Digital Input F
5 Ground Out
6 Ground In
(Unused on RevB Hardware)
7 +5V In
(Unused on RevB Hardware)
8 Digital Input E (Not available when Encoder module is present)
and Analog Input 4 (on RevB hardware only)
9 2A Digital Output C (same as pin 1)
10 Analog Input 2
11 Analog Input 1
12 Analog Input 3 (on RevB hardware)
13 Ground Out
14 +5V Out (100mA max.)
15 Emergency Stop or Invert Switch input

AX2550Motor Controller User’s Manual7
Connecting the R/C Radio
Connecting the R/C Radio
Connect the R/C adapter cables to the controller on one side and to two or three channels
on the R/C receiver on the other side. If present, the third channel is for activating the
accessory outputs and is optional.
When operating the controller in “Separate”mode, the wire labelled Ch1 controls Motor1,
and the wire labelled Ch2 controls Motor2.
When operating the controller in “Mixed”mode, Ch1 is used to set the robot’s speed and
direction, while Ch2 is used for steering.
See “R/C Operation”on page 109 of the User’s Manual for a more complete discussion on
R/C commands, calibration and other options.
This wiring - with the wire loop uncut - assumes that the R/C radio will be powered by the
AX2550 controller. Other wiring options are described in “R/C Operation”on page 109 of
the User’s Manual.
Important Warning
Do not connect a battery to the radio when the wire loop is uncut. The RC battery
voltage will flow directly into the controller and cause permanent damage if its volt-
age is higher than 5.5V.
Connecting the optional channel 3 will enable you to turn on and off the accessory output.
See “Connecting Sensors and Actuators to Input/Outputs”on page 55 and “Activating the
Accessory Outputs”on page 120 of the User’s Manual.
8
9
15
Pin 1
Channel 1
Wire loop bringing power from
controller to RC radio
Channel 2 3: Channel 1 Command Pulses
4: Channel 2 Command Pulses
6: Radio battery (-) Ground
7: Radio battery (+)
8: Channel 3 Command Pulses
Channel 3
FIGURE 4. R/C connector wiring for 3 channels and battery elimination (BEC)

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8AX2550Motor Controller User’sManual Version 1.9b. June 1,2007
Powering On the Controller
Important reminder: There is no On-Off switch on the controller. You must insert a switch
on the controller’s power wire as described in section“Connecting to the Batteries and
Motors”on page 17.
To power the controller, center the joystick and trims on the R/C transmitter. In Analog
mode, center the command potentiomenter or joystick.Then turn on the switch that you
have placed on the on the Power Control input.
If the R/C transmitter and/or receiver is powered off, the display on the controller will alter-
nate the letters spelling “no ctrl”to indicate that it is On but is not receiving a control sig-
nal.
Turn the R/C transmitter On. The “no ctrl”scrolling message will disappear and the display
will show steady patterns depending on the motor’s selected direction.
Move the joystick on the transmitter to activate the motors to the desired speed and direc-
tion.
See “R/C Operation”on page 109 of the User’s Manual for a detailed description of the
many features and options available in the R/C mode.
Button Operation
The AX2550 has three buttons: Set, Program and Reset. These buttons are not needed
for normal operation, as the controller is immediately operational upon power up.
The Reset button will restart the controller. This button is recessed and you will need a
paper clip to press it. Reset is also accomplished by turning the controller’s power Off and
back On.
The Set and Program buttons have the following functions depending how and when they
are pressed:
TABLE 1. AX2550 Buttons Function
Prog and Set button status Function
Press and hold Program alone during reset or power up Enter the Programming Mode.
Press and hold Set alone during reset of power up Enter Self-Test mode. See “Self-Test
Mode”on page 53 of the User’s Manual
Press and hold Program and Set together during reset or
power up
Reset configuration parameters to factory
default
FIGURE 5. “no control”scroll message indicates no valid R/C signal is present

AX2550Motor Controller User’s Manual9
Default Controller Configuration
Default Controller Configuration
Version 1.9b of the AX2550 software is configured with the factory defaults shown in the
table below. Although Roboteq strives to keep the same parameters and values from one
version to the next, changes may occur from one revision to the next. Make sure that you
have the matching manual and software versions. These may be retrieved from the
Roboteq web site. See “Configuring the Controller using the Switches”on page 171 of the
User Manual for a complete configuration parameter list and their possible values.
Any one of the parameters listed in Table 2, and others not listed, can easily be changed
either using the controller’s buttons or the PC with the Roboteq Configuration Utility. See
“Using the Roborun Configuration Utility”on page 177.
The example below shows how to use the buttons to select and change the Motor Control
mode from “separate”to “mixed”. See “Configuring the Controller using the Switches”on
page 171 of the User’s Manual for a complete list of all the AX2550’s parameters and their
meanings.
Press Program while Programming Mode Accept previous parameter change and
select next parameter
Press Set while in Programming mode Change value of selected parameter
Press Program pressed alone during normal operation No effect
Press Set alone during normal operation No effect
Press Program and Set together during normal operation Emergency stop
TABLE 2. AX2550 Default Settings
Parameter Default Values Letter
Input Command mode: (0) = R/C Radio mode I
Motor Control mode (0) = Separate A, B, speed control, open loop C
Amp limit (5) = 105A A
Acceleration (2) = medium-slow S
Input switch function (3) = no action U
Joystick Deadband (2) = 16% d
Exponentiation on channel 1 (0) = Linear (no exponentiation) E
Exponentiation on channel 2 (0) = Linear (no exponentiation) F
Left / Right Adjust (7) = no adjustment L
TABLE 1. AX2550 Buttons Function
Prog and Set button status Function

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10 AX2550Motor Controller User’sManual Version 1.9b. June 1,2007
Connecting the controller to your PC using Roborun
Connecting the controller to your PC is not necessary for basic R/C operation. However, it
is a very simple procedure that is useful for the following purposes:
•to Read and Set the programmable parameters with a user-friendly graphical inter-
face
•to obtain the controller’s software revision and date
•to send precise commands to the motors
•to read and plot real-time current consumption value
•Save captured parameters onto disk for later analysis
•to update the controller’s software
Restart
Press & hold Prog
Press and hold the Prog button for 10 seconds while
resetting or powering on the controller
After 10 seconds, the controller will enter the program-
ming mode and flash alternatively the current parame-
ter (I= Input Mode) and its value (0= R/C mode).
Program mode entered
after 10 seconds
Press the Prog button to move to the next parameter
(C= Motor Control Mode) and its value (0= Separate)
Press Prog to select
next parameter
Press the Set button to change the parameter’s value
(1= Combined)
Press Set to select
next value for parameter
Press the Prog button record the change and move to
the next parameter (A= Amps limit) and it’s value (2=
75A)
Press the Reset button or power off/on the control to
restart the controller using the new parameters.
Press Prog to store change
and select next parameter
Reset controller
to exit

AX2550Motor Controller User’s Manual11
Obtaining the Controller’s Software Revision Number
To connect the controller to your PC, use the provided cable. Connect the 15-pin connector
to the controller. Connect the 9-pin connector to your PC’s available port (typically COM1) -
use a USB to serial adapter if needed. Apply power to the controller to turn it on.
Load your CD or download the latest revision of Roborun software from
www.Roboteq.com, install it on your PC and launch the program. The software will auto-
matically establish communication with the controller, retrieve the software revision num-
ber and present a series of buttons and tabs to enable its various possibilities.
The intuitive Graphical User Interface will let you view and change any of the controller’s
parameters. The “Run”tab will present a number of buttons, dials and charts that are used
for operating and monitoring the motors.
Obtaining the Controller’s Software Revision Number
One of the unique features of the AX2550 is the ability to easily update the controller’s
operating software with new revisions downloaded from Roboteq’s web site at
www.roboteq.com. This is useful for adding features and/or improving existing ones.
Each software version is identified with a unique number. Obtaining this number can be
done using the PC connection discussed previously.
FIGURE 6. Roborun Utility screen layout

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12 AX2550Motor Controller User’sManual Version 1.9b. June 1,2007
It is also possible to get the controller to display the software version number by following
these simple steps
•Disconnect the power from the motor batteries. Power the controller only via the
Power Control input.
•Press and hold the Set button while powering or resetting the controller.
The LED will display a sequence of two numerical digits and an optional letter separated by
dashes as shown in the examples below.
After these digits are displayed, the controller will attempt to power the motors as part of
the self test mode (see “Self-Test Mode”on page 53 of the User’s Manual for a more
detailed explanation). This is why the motor’s battery must be disconnected. After about
30 seconds, the software revision number will be displayed again the cycle will repeat.
You will need to reset, or power down and up, the controller to exit and resume normal
operation.
Now that you know your controller’s software version number, you will be able to see if a
new version is available for download and installation from Roboteq’s web site and which
features have been added or improved.
Installing new software is a simple and secure procedure, fully described in “Updating the
Controller’s Software”on page 194 of the User’s Manual.
Exploring further
By following this quick-start section, you should have managed to get your controller to
operate in its basic modes within minutes of unpacking.
Each of the features mentioned thus far has numerous options which are discussed further
in the complete User’s Manual, including:
•Self test mode
•Emergency stop condition
•Joystick calibration
•Using Inputs/Outputs
•Current limiting
•Closed Loop Operation
•Software updating
•and much more
= Software version 1.9b
FIGURE 7. Press and hold “Set”to display version number and enter self-test