[FRC Blog] 2017 Motor (and Servo?) Controllers and MXP

[Rich Anderson]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

Sorry we were late making our product page public. You can learn more about it here http://www.revrobotics.com/rev-11-1144/



We don't know what the rules will end up being but this is designed to allow much larger servos on robots, so I would hope the rules are open enough to allow them. In addition to our Smart robot servo, there are plenty of large scale servos available in the open market.

The real added benefits of this come from cost per degree of freedom, since you don't need a separate motor controller for your servos you can save at-least $45 per actuation over a motor by just removing that requirement. We will all learn in January what FIRST will allow this year.

I am working on a prototype turret driven by a pixy cam, and am worried about the servo load on the pixy. Would the motor controller be the answer for an arduino server output too? I am thinking of using a parallel 12v to 5v power supply similar to the LED light hookup on the RioDuino. The servo power supply sounds neat if the game calls for servos this year (I would like to use the Smart servos, which we already have in our inventory).

[EmileH]

How come Analog Devices' ADIS16448 isn't listed as an approved device on the MXP, even though it is available in FIRST Choice?

[bobbysq]

Originally Posted by Rich Anderson

I am working on a prototype turret driven by a pixy cam, and am worried about the servo load on the pixy. Would the motor controller be the answer for an arduino server output too? I am thinking of using a parallel 12v to 5v power supply similar to the LED light hookup on the RioDuino. The servo power supply sounds neat if the game calls for servos this year (I would like to use the Smart servos, which we already have in our inventory).

It should be able to act as an output for any device. If I were to guess, it outputs +6V on the center rail and GND and signal are simply passed through.

Also, remember that in competition servos need to be controlled by the RoboRIO.

[JStein]

Originally Posted by Bkeeneykid

I also couldn't find the new Huskie board either, and that certainly seems interesting. 3061 posted an image of it on their twitter account, but this is all that I've seen of it: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcwNFi2WIAAy5H9.jpg.

I want to touch on this quick, as we weren't quite sure of how the timing on all of this was going to work. Playing With Fusion, Inc. will be manufacturing and handling ordering for the Huskie Board - a product of Huskie Robotics, FRC Team 3061.

We expect to have them in stock by about the 30th and will be pushing information to the PWF website this week as it is available (and organized!). Please feel free to contact us with any questions (CustomerService@PlayingWithFusion.com)

-Justin, Playing With Fusion, Inc

[Bkeeneykid]

Originally Posted by JStein

I want to touch on this quick, as we weren't quite sure of how the timing on all of this was going to work. Playing With Fusion, Inc. will be manufacturing and handling ordering for the Huskie Board - a product of Huskie Robotics, FRC Team 3061.

We expect to have them in stock by about the 30th and will be pushing information to the PWF website this week as it is available (and organized!). Please feel free to contact us with any questions (CustomerService@PlayingWithFusion.com)

-Justin, Playing With Fusion, Inc

I'm certainly excited about this. Two things that I'm personally dying to know

1. I noticed unlike other MXP board like REV's, there's no MXP pass through, so if my team just got the IMU that plugs into the MXP or another board, we could only have one?
2. Any idea on estimated price? The $200 of the spartan board always threw me away, but this seems like it could be worth it into that range just because it can do so many really useful things.

[JStein]

Originally Posted by Bkeeneykid

I'm certainly excited about this. Two things that I'm personally dying to know

1. I noticed unlike other MXP board like REV's, there's no MXP pass through, so if my team just got the IMU that plugs into the MXP or another board, we could only have one?
2. Any idea on estimated price? The $200 of the spartan board always threw me away, but this seems like it could be worth it into that range just because it can do so many really useful things.

1) I'm assuming you mean you want to stack MXP boards. Since the Huskie Board doesn't have a pass-through, this would have to be the top of the stack to work that way.

2) Price for the Huskie Board is $99.95. It's probably worth noting that Huskie Robotics is getting all of the profit on the boards sold. We are assembling the boards 'at or below cost' with components covered by the Huskie team.

-Justin, Playing With Fusion, Inc

[JStein]

The Huskie Board is now in full production with virtually unlimited supply over the course of the season. Our inventory shown is "built and on hand", but most backorder quantities will be 3-5 days. The board is available here: http://playingwithfusion.com/productview.php?pdid=88

The Huskies will be releasing more content shortly, so stay tuned!

Happy New Year!
-Justin, Playing With Fusion, Inc

[Michael Hill]

So I guess nothing came out of the BLDC motor controller being demoed by CTRE at CMP last year?

[Greg Needel]

Originally Posted by Rich Anderson

I am working on a prototype turret driven by a pixy cam, and am worried about the servo load on the pixy. Would the motor controller be the answer for an arduino server output too? I am thinking of using a parallel 12v to 5v power supply similar to the LED light hookup on the RioDuino. The servo power supply sounds neat if the game calls for servos this year (I would like to use the Smart servos, which we already have in our inventory).

Yes, absolutely. The Servo Power Module is designed to inject power to any servo and pass through the signal line. We do interface with the signal line to so you can read status of each channel via LED feedback, but if you are running a PWM signal this will just work.

It is designed to accept a voltage range from 9-20v. ( 7v is the brownout, but 9v is required to start) We just posted our quick start data sheet so people can dig a bit more into it. http://www.revrobotics.com/content/d...11-1144-QS.pdf

And Units are available now at REVrobotics.com and soon to Amazon.

[bobbysq]

Originally Posted by Michael Hill

So I guess nothing came out of the BLDC motor controller being demoed by CTRE at CMP last year?

I'm wondering about this too. Maybe they couldn't convince FIRST to legalize a variety of brushless motors in time? They could also have not finished it for FRC use yet, since it appeared to only have an input for the HERO board.

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Basel A

I notice the NavX Micro isn't on the legal list, that's a bit disappointing.

The NavX Micro isn't an MXP board.

[Basel A]

Originally Posted by Billfred

The NavX Micro isn't an MXP board.

Yeah figured that out about 10 seconds after I posted (that's always how it works of course)

[Bkeeneykid]

Just found that SD540 review. I'd love to get a statement from any of the Mindsensors or team 540 people on if any of these problems are solved with the SD540C.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/review/R1JCF3...toys-and-games

[mman1506]

Originally Posted by Bkeeneykid

Just found that SD540 review. I'd love to get a statement from any of the Mindsensors or team 540 people on if any of these problems are solved with the SD540C.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/review/R1JCF3...toys-and-games

Don't forget this scathing test by CTRE https://www.ctr-electronics.com/down...er-Testing.pdf

[bobbysq]

Originally Posted by mman1506

Don't forget this scathing test by CTRE https://www.ctr-electronics.com/down...er-Testing.pdf

I believe the SD540B has the shutdown feature removed, but the underperformance otherwise is something to consider.

Are there any plans to redo this test with the SD540B/C and the DMC-60?

Edit: The DMC-60 appears to have VERY similar mounting capabilities to the T̶a̶l̶o̶n̶ ̶S̶R̶ Victor SP. The bolt hole distance is the same and there are some zip tie grooves in the same place. It also appears that one could use them as a drop-in replacement for them.