SD540 Motor Controller

[FarmerJohn]

Can someone outside of Virginia comment on their experiences with these motor controllers? Just looking to eliminate any potential regional bias.

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by FarmerJohn

Can someone outside of Virginia comment on their experiences with these motor controllers? Just looking to eliminate any potential regional bias.

Per http://www.firstinspires.org/robotic...-the-numbers-2 only 7 teams uses SDS540s. Of those 3 used it as their only motor controller, 2 used it as their primary motor controller, and 2 used it for 50% or less of their motor controllers.

[RyanN]

I'm not affiliated with the company, but I do those that used it to post Amazon reviews. That's a strong factor in me selecting or not selecting a part.

Currently, there is only one review and it's very negative.

[Michael Corsetto]

Originally Posted by RyanN

I'm not affiliated with the company, but I do those that used it to post Amazon reviews. That's a strong factor in me selecting or not selecting a part.

Currently, there is only one review and it's very negative.

Here is a link to that review.

This review echoes many of the concerns myself and others had when this product was initially announced.

-Mike

[geezloueez]

I read that Amazon review. That may have been an earlier model. The single banks that we used had a black molded case and held up very well. We also used two double banks. They were 3-D printed, but they too had no issues.

[marshall]

Originally Posted by Michael Corsetto

Here is a link to that review.

This review echoes many of the concerns myself and others had when this product was initially announced.

-Mike

I'm glad they attached pictures to the review but wish they had provided a better one of the soldering.

[cbale2000]

Originally Posted by geezloueez

...The single banks that we used had a black molded case and held up very well...

Pictures?

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by geezloueez

I read that Amazon review. That may have been an earlier model. The single banks that we used had a black molded case and held up very well. We also used two double banks. They were 3-D printed, but they too had no issues.

Were they 3D printed or were they molded?

[geezloueez]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

Were they 3D printed or were they molded?

The single banks we used had black molded casings. The multi-bank options had the 3-D printed casings. All controllers worked great. The product page has pictures of the older gray 3-D printed casings and the black molded casings that we received.

Here is the link:
http://www.mindsensors.com/frc/135-s...roller-for-frc

[AdamHeard]

I just don't see how to get over this huge difference in performance;
http://www.ctr-electronics.com/downl...er-Testing.pdf

[Sperkowsky]

I truly hope they didn't lose too much money with these things. Frc doesn't need more motor controllers at this point and there was really nothing special about these that made them worth the risk..

Frc could use more cots components however.

[JesseK]

I remember these being the cheapest when they came out, but perhaps the SPARKs came out after the SD540's and dove below the price point? Am I remembering this correctly?

Originally Posted by Sperkowsky

I truly hope they didn't lose too much money with these things. Frc doesn't need more motor controllers at this point and there was really nothing special about these that made them worth the risk..

Frc could use more cots components however.

Aren't all legal motor controllers COTS components? So simultaneously FRC does and doesn't need more motor controllers?

[Anupam Goli]

Originally Posted by Sperkowsky

I truly hope they didn't lose too much money with these things. Frc doesn't need more motor controllers at this point and there was really nothing special about these that made them worth the risk..

Really? I thought the multi-bank feature sounded pretty cool. Sure the other specs of the controller are less desirable but maybe the next iteration will be better.

[Sperkowsky]

Originally Posted by JesseK

I remember these being the cheapest when they came out, but perhaps the SPARKs came out after the SD540's and dove below the price point? Am I remembering this correctly?

Aren't all legal motor controllers COTS components? So simultaneously FRC does and doesn't need more motor controllers?

Iirc the sparks came out a month or so before at a lower price point.

[JesseK]

Originally Posted by Anupam Goli

Really? I thought the multi-bank feature sounded pretty cool. Sure the other specs of the controller are less desirable but maybe the next iteration will be better.

QFT - usually tech gets better with more iterations, and this one definitely has a niche that isn't seen elsewhere. For performance, there's "THE FASTEST!" vs 'fast enough', and I think the SD540's demonstrated the latter just fine.