Forklift

[DarthMaulCIS]

So we have a forklift on our robot that my team wants to be controlled by the joystick instead of a button. I don't know how i would go about that, as far as teleop.vi programming.

[Invictus3593]

Tell us a little bit more about the forklift mechanism. How is it driven? What does it do?

[DarthMaulCIS]

"Two miniCIM motors are connected to two sprockets via #25 chain. The motors are run in tandem to move the forks." As dictated by my teammate.

[DarthMaulCIS]

They want it to be tied to the x-axis of our joystick. I am thinking it would be easier for everyone to have two buttons lower/lift the forklift instead.

[Invictus3593]

You can read the joystick axis like a potentiometer (-1 to 1), then map the position of the forklift with a PID loop and some encoders using the joystick axis as the setpoint.

If you don't know how to use PID or what it is, a quick search on this site will bring up many helpful links.

[Alan Anderson]

Do you want the joystick to control the speed of motion of the motors? You can just get the joystick x-axis value and wire it to a motor set function. That way, if the joystick is centered the motor does not turn, and the farther away from center the joystick is moved, the faster the motor turns.