Pneumatics Labview

[CrimsonSword]

We are using pneumatics on our robot and we are able to get the compressor working but we can not get the pressure switch to turn off the compressor. So how do do you program pressure switches in LabView? I have looked at some tutorials on how to do program a pressure switch but the VIs in my version of LabView do not have the same inputs. Does that have anything to do with the tutorials not being from this year?

We are using pneumatics to shift gears. I have no clue on how to do that as the team has never programmed a robot that could shift gears before this year. So how do you shift gears with pneumatics in LabView?

[MrBasse]

I generally try to stay as far away from programming as I can, but I'm fairly sure that the code is already present and you just have to wire the pressure switch properly for it to work.

For just shifting gears, do you really want the compressor on the robot? Seems a few storage tanks and an offboard compressor would get the job done there. Unless you plan on shifting a lot of times just to hear the cool noises it makes...

[Alan Anderson]

The Pneumatic Control Module (PCM) takes care of the compressor automatically. In LabVIEW, all you need to do is open a solenoid, and everything else is handled for you. Just connect the compressor power and the pressure switch to the labeled Weidmuller connectors on the PCM, and you'll be good to go.

For shifting gears with LabVIEW, you need to pipe pneumatic tubing to the right places, and you need to wire the solenoid valves to the right connectors on the PCM. Then you need to Open the solenoids appropriately, and you need to Set them appropriately when you want to shift gears. The programming depends on a couple of things. Are you using single solenoids (only one pair of wires) or double solenoids (a pair of wires at each end)? What physical control (gamepad or joystick button, computer keyboard, foot switch, etc.) are you using to command the gear?

[CrimsonSword]

Originally Posted by Alan Anderson

The Pneumatic Control Module (PCM) takes care of the compressor automatically. In LabVIEW, all you need to do is open a solenoid, and everything else is handled for you. Just connect the compressor power and the pressure switch to the labeled Weidmuller connectors on the PCM, and you'll be good to go.

For shifting gears with LabVIEW, you need to pipe pneumatic tubing to the right places, and you need to wire the solenoid valves to the right connectors on the PCM. Then you need to Open the solenoids appropriately, and you need to Set them appropriately when you want to shift gears. The programming depends on a couple of things. Are you using single solenoids (only one pair of wires) or double solenoids (a pair of wires at each end)? What physical control (gamepad or joystick button, computer keyboard, foot switch, etc.) are you using to command the gear?

I am pretty sure we are using single solenoid with joystick button for commanding gears.

P.S. Block diagrams would be helpful

[CrimsonSword]

Could you provide block diagrams for solutions to both problems?

[Alan Anderson]

Is there anything specific you don't understand about the LabVIEW examples?

I think they should show you everything you need to know, but I'm coming from a position of knowledge so I might not recognize something that isn't explained adequately.

[CrimsonSword]

I haven't really found any labview examples for shifting gears so I would like to see how it is done. Just to make sure We are using a joystick button to control a single solenoid which will shift the gears. So can someone show me how to do this and provide the labview code.

[Alan Anderson]

How would you want it to work? There are a number of possibilities. My preference might not be the same as yours. Until you pin down the details, I'm reluctant to give you a specific solution.

So tell me a story. Imagine that it's working as desired. Describe what the driver does in order to shift gears, and explain what happens on the robot as a result. Make sure you detail the action that occurs when a button is pressed, and again when the button is released. If anything special takes place when the button is pressed and held, let us know that too. If the same button does different things at different times, make sure you explain why.

After I know in sufficient detail what you want it to do, I can help you learn exactly how to program the robot to do it.

[bachster]

Originally Posted by MrBasse

I generally try to stay as far away from programming as I can, but I'm fairly sure that the code is already present and you just have to wire the pressure switch properly for it to work.

For just shifting gears, do you really want the compressor on the robot? Seems a few storage tanks and an offboard compressor would get the job done there. Unless you plan on shifting a lot of times just to hear the cool noises it makes...

Just a reminder to everyone who may read this: regardless of whether the compressor is on- or off-board the robot, it still needs to be controlled by the robot. See R78, R80, R85, R88. So the code and wiring to run the compressor is the same either way.