pic: cRIO CAN Jag

[JesseK]

Originally Posted by Gdeaver

The 2009 game did not stress test the Jag. If First opens up the Can control there are very many issues that come into play with serialized control. With the Can control software pallete there are many ways First Teams could place the Jags into a very stressful situation. It would be nice to Know that the Jags are redesigned and robust before opening up the Can can of worms. The build season is short and the thought of battling controller failures and firmware issues should worry the people who will have to deal with product support. The motor controllers are a key piece to the system. They have to be rugged and reliable. I know everyone wants the Can stuff but, sometimes a conservative roll out can be in everyones best interest.

I don't agree with this, not one bit. This is like asking for the FAA-certified fly-by-wire controllers used on airplanes with the pricetag of a Jag. But hey, that's just my opinion. I've witnessed the beauty of CAN first-hand at some recent demos for work ... in the right situations it fulfills everything we ask it to, almost flawlessly. So here's my over-simplified -isms of the day. If we want to throw rapid current fluctuations and voltages changes through a motor controller that are outside the specs, it's not the manufacturer's fault. Furthermore, no matter how much the programming mentors gloat about it, software control cannot make up for bad power design without significant sacrifice to quality and/or goals.

A more probable -ism is that we shouldn't judge a motor by its size, but rather by the end results of the calculations we produce from it. CAN on!