2012 Beta Hardware (Team 1718 First Impressions)

[Pi Fighter]

This thread is also available at: http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread...3046#post53046.

Today we received the 2012 FRC Beta Hardware, which consisted of:
The new cRIO-II
The new Relay Module
2012 Black Jaguar
Today, we spent most of the time building a test electrical board for the components, as well as looking at the documentation. I'll have more exacts on the cRIO-II by Thursday, but meanwhile I have some information on the new relay and jaguar.

The new relay module (which is named David) is essentially two spikes running off of one power supply. Each side has a 20A fuse, and three wire slots. Instead of using a female quick-connect like the previous spikes, the new relays use the WAGO crimps (the same kind you use to power the cRIO).
For example, the first side of the new relay is marked 'A.' The three power slots are marked (from top to bottom): A1, -, A2. A1 gives forward power, - is negative, and A2 gives reverse power. So, if you want to power a compressor, you would wire the positive to A1, and the negative to -. That way, the compressor motor will never go in reverse. If you use relays to control motors, you would wire the positive to A1, and the negative to A2. By doing that, the motor will receive forward power and reverse power.

The new jaguar doesn't look any different from last year, but the firmware is. To be honest, our team has not used jaguars on our competition robot, mainly because we already had victors, the jaguars were bigger, and we heard they fried easier. This year, the firmware is making it harder to fry them. The new jaguars have the option to be set into Automatic Ramp Mode. While in this mode, the voltage will ramp down (or up) at a rate of 524 steps per millisecond (at that rate, it will take the jaguar 0.125 seconds to go from full forward to full reverse). This mode is optional, so if you already have a ramp function in your programming, this is not mandatory.

I also included some pictures, which have been uploaded to the FIRST Forums post http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread...3046#post53046. They were taken with a camera phone, so I apologize for the bad quality.

Remember that this is still in beta, so it could all change. Don't take anything here as definite.

[biojae]

Originally Posted by Pi Fighter

This year, the firmware is making it harder to fry them. The new jaguars have the option to be set into Automatic Ramp Mode. While in this mode, the voltage will ramp down (or up) at a rate of 524 steps per millisecond (at that rate, it will take the jaguar 0.125 seconds to go from full forward to full reverse). This mode is optional, so if you already have a ramp function in your programming, this is not mandatory.

Hasn't this feature been part of the firmware ever since we have been allowed to use CAN?

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by biojae

Hasn't this feature been part of the firmware ever since we have been allowed to use CAN?

Yes. The change is that is possible to enable it for PWM control.

[biojae]

Originally Posted by Joe Ross

Yes. The change is that is possible to enable it for PWM control.

Oh.
That is very nice, and should help prevent some Jag H-Bridge failures.

Is there a conformal coating on the board?
That would help to prevent failures due to metal shavings.
Victors have had it for a long time.

[jhersh]

Originally Posted by biojae

Is there a conformal coating on the board?
That would help to prevent failures due to metal shavings.
Victors have had it for a long time.

My understanding is that TI attempted to conformally coat this year, but manufacturing issues made it not possible to meet the schedule. Perhaps by next year it will be sorted out. We can all hope.

The 4-slot cRIO is conformally coated! Woot!

Cheers!
-Joe