copley controls and softmotion

[jimmyinCT]

Sorry, looks like i broke the link on my old example problem.

Ill attach an example that stays permanent.

Least i can do with all the help ive gotten from this userforum.

For serial, you can use hyperterminal, but i wouldnt recommend it, especially as it sounds tricky to automate.

its pretty trivial to just automate it the serial commands and initializations in NI.

I think I just made  a sub VI for reading and writing to the serial port.

If you use it outside the loop, as in the example, you can initialize the drive as needed.

Then inside the main loop, the copley registers are set as needed durign run time, this allows me to do things such as read position as it moves.

I have a toggle in there so that I dont write or read to the serial until a value changed (via shift register) as repeated writing rate limit the program as serial writes are not fast as becoe a bottleneck.

 This program is alot more advanced than you need.

You will probably get errors about not having all the VIS but should be able to ignore them.

If you want a more simple example, let me know.

This is a fully functional program though, but its only meant to be used as an example for serial port..

good luck

[LGF]

JimmyinCT,

Thanks for the help and the quick reply!  I think we are still having some trouble with the documentation for the Copely Nexus controller and we have not been able to get much help from the sales rep.  Do you have a technical contact at Copely that you can recommend?  Thanks again,

Luke 

[jimmyinCT]

hi,

Ive used jim woodward, he is great.

I personally drove to boston one time just to thank him.

That code i posted is for an copley accelnet.

Ive worked with a few different models at copley (ie copley xenus too) and the serial initialization code is nearly identical.So what I posted should be a really good starting point for you.

The learning curve on getting started with those drives is not trival.

But after a while all the manuals make sense.

Feel free to ask me any questions too.

jim

[LGF]

Wow!  Thanks Jimmy, we seem to have most of our hardware communications issues worked out now.  By the way, we found a frustrating glitch in our Copely CME 2 software that might be of help to others.  If you use the F12 key, or otherwise disable the Nexus Amplifier, you must go into the Control Panel under Amplifier settings and re-enable all the amplifier settings each time.  You can't simply toggle the enable/disable function.  I will let you know how we do with the LabView VI's.  Thanks,  

Luke

[jimmyinCT]

yup, i rememeber enable and disable, was one of the first things i learned.

there are a lot of errors you can create that will auto disable the drive.

im pretty sure that serial code i gave you will automatically clear the errors in the initializations though so you dont have to open CME2  😉

I think it sends a command to the u controller onboard the copley to do it via serial.

that way if you trip a fault, you cant just restart the progam to clear it.

good luck

[poohe]

LOVE YA JIMMY!!! I was having the same problem until I came accross to your solution. Saved me a bucklet load of time!

[Amy1000]

EDIT: never mind -- new codes on page 2! thanks anyhow 🙂

Hi Jimmy,

I am trying to do the same thing you seem to have accomplished -- connecting labview to a xenus drive, so that I can develop a control system in labview. I came upon this page while researching different ways to do it, but you seem to have taken down the final code you posted before. Would it be possible for you to repost it? It would help a lot. Thanks!

Amy

[jimmyinct3]

sorry about the confusion.

let me know if you have quesitons..

[donkdonk]

thanks for the vi's

Meanwhile someone with a somewhat more elaborate labview driver set?

(I noticed the post is quite old, still hoping for someone to react..)