Quanser Accessories:

UPM-15-03, UPM-24-05, and UPM-180-25B

Universal Power Module (UPM)

User Manual
UPM User Manual

Table of Contents
1. Introduction..........................................................................................................................1
2. Linear Amplifier Modules: UPM-15-03 and UPM-24-05...................................................2
2.1. Specifications...............................................................................................................2
2.2. System Description......................................................................................................3
2.3. Wiring..........................................................................................................................6
2.3.1. Cable Nomenclature.............................................................................................6
2.3.2. Common Connections..........................................................................................9
2.3.3. Circuit Schematic.................................................................................................9
3. PWM Module: UPM-180-25B..........................................................................................10
3.1. Specifications.............................................................................................................10
3.2. Description.................................................................................................................11
3.3. Safety Features...........................................................................................................14
3.3.1. Limit Switches....................................................................................................14
3.3.2. Emergency Stop Switch.....................................................................................15
3.4. Typical Connections..................................................................................................15
3.4.1. Cable Nomenclature...........................................................................................16
3.4.2. Wiring Procedure...............................................................................................17
3.5. Using the UPM-180-25B...........................................................................................17
3.5.1. Initialization.......................................................................................................17
3.5.1.1. Initialization Procedure using WinCon......................................................18
3.5.1.2. Initialization Signals...................................................................................19
3.5.1.3. Simulink Model: q_boot_upm_zz.mdl.......................................................20
3.5.2. Enabling.............................................................................................................20
3.5.2.1. Enabling Signals.........................................................................................20
3.5.2.2. Simulink Model..........................................................................................21
3.5.3. Calibration..........................................................................................................22
3.5.3.1. Calibration Signals.....................................................................................22
3.5.3.2. Simulink Model..........................................................................................23
3.6. Troubleshooting Guide..............................................................................................24
4. Obtaining Support..............................................................................................................25
5. References..........................................................................................................................25

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1. Introduction
The Quanser Universal Power Module (UPM) is a power amplifier that is designed to drive
the actuators of various Quanser experiments. Every UPM consists of the following
components:
Power amplified analog output
Regulated ±12 V DC power supply at 1-Ampere
Analog sensor inputs

Table 1 summarizes the different UPM models available and some general specifications.

Model Max Output Voltage Max Continuous Type Mode

(V) Current (A)
UPM-15-03 ±15.0 3.0 Linear Voltage
UPM-24-05 ±24.0 5.0 Linear Voltage
UPM-180-25B ±169.7 25.0 PWM Current
Table 1 UPM models.

The UPM-15-03 and the UPM-24-05 are both linear voltage-controlled amplifiers. The
UPM-15-03 device, pictured in Figure 1, is capable of delivering a maximum continuous
voltage of ±15 V and a maximum continuous current of 3 A. For actuators requiring more
power, the UPM-24-05 has a maximum continuous voltage of ±24 V and a maximum
continuous current of 5 A.

In more high-powered applications such as the Quanser Shake Table II or the Quanser
High-Fidelity Linear Cart, the UPM-180-25B shown in Figure 2 is used. The UPM's
onboard current-controlled pulse-width modulated amplifier outputs pulse amplitudes of
169.7 V and it can deliver a maximum continuous current of 25 A.

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Figure 1 Quanser UPM-15-03 Figure 2 Quanser UPM-180-25B

2. Linear Amplifier Modules: UPM-15-03

and UPM-24-05
In this section, the linear voltage-controlled amplifiers UPM-15-03, shown in Figure 1,
and UPM-24-05 are described. As mentioned, the output of these module are made to be
connected with the actuator of various Quanser experiments. Typically the output of the
UPM is connected to a DC motor (with or without an internal gearbox) such as in the
SRV02 or IP02 experiments. It can also be used to drive an electromagnet as in the Quanser
Maglev plant or a pump like in the Quanser Coupled-Tanks experiment.

2.1. Specifications
The UPM-15-03 device has a linear power amplifier that is capable of supplying a
continuous voltage of ±15 V and continuous currents of up to 3 A. The amplifier is in
voltage-mode thus an input voltage of 1 V results in a regulated voltage of Kv in the
connected motor. See Table 2 for the main specifications associated with the UPM-15-03.

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Symbol Parameter Value Units

Kv Amplifier Voltage Gain 1,3, or 5 V/V
Vmax Amplifier Maximum Continuous Voltage ±15 V
Ia_max Amplifier Maximum Continuous Line DC Current 3 A
Vdc DC Output Voltage Supply ±12 V
Idc_max DC Output Maximum Current Supply 1 A
Vin Supply AC Voltage 100/120/ V
230/240
Table 2 Specifications of the UPM-15-03 device.

The UPM-24-05 is a more powerful version of the UPM-15-03 that is capable of supplying
a continuous voltage of ±24V and a maximum continuous current of 5 A. Its specifications
are given in Table 3.

Symbol Parameter Value Units

Kv Amplifier Voltage Gain 1,3, or 5 V/V
Vmax Amplifier Maximum Continuous Voltage ±24 V
Ia_max Amplifier Maximum Continuous Line DC Current 5 A
Vdc DC Output Voltage Supply ±12 V
Idc_max DC Output Maximum Current Supply 1 A
Vin AC Supply Voltage 100/120/ V
230/240
Table 3 Specifications of the UPM-24-05 device.

2.2. System Description

The components on the front panel of the UPM-15-03 and the UPM-24-05 is depicted in
Figure 3. Each component on the UPM has an identification number that corresponds to a
the short description given in Table 4.

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Figure 3 Front panel of UPM-15-03 / UPM-24-05.

ID # Description ID # Description
1 Breadboard 11 Analog sensor input 3 connector.
2 UPM Power LED. 12 Analog sensor input 4 connector.
3 -12 V terminal of DC power supply. 13 Analog signals available to DAC
device.
4 Ground terminal of DC power supply. 14 Input control signal from DAC.
5 12 V terminal of DC power supply. 15 Negative power amplifier input
terminal.
6 Analog sensor input 1 terminal. 16 Positive power amplifier input
terminal.
7 Analog sensor input 2 terminal. 17 Amplifier output terminal.
8 Analog sensor input 3 terminal. 18 Amplifier ground.
9 Analog sensor input 4 terminal. 19 Amplifier output connector to
actuator.
10 Analog sensor input 1 and 2 connector.
Table 4 Front panel components on UPM-15-03 / UPM-24-05.

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As depicted in Figure 3, a breadboard (component #1) is mounted on top of each UPM.

This can be used to construct analog circuits such as a low-pass filter using operational
amplifiers. As previously mentioned, the UPM also contains an independent ±12 power
supply with three -12 V (ID #3), Ground (ID #4), and +12 V (ID #5) terminals. This can of
course be used with the breadboard circuit to power an integrated circuit.

The "From Analog Sensors" connectors are used to connect analog sensors such as
potentiometers, pressure sensors, and accelerometers. The UPM-15-03 and UPM-24-05
devices have three 6-pin mini DIN connectors labeled "S1 & S2", "S3", and "S4" with ID
#10, 11, and 12, respectively. These connectors provide a ±12 VDC bias to analog sensors
and carry their voltage signals back to the UPM. The sensor signals can be measured from
the four "Test Points" connectors, labeled #6-9 in Figure 3, or the "To A/D" connector, ID
#13 in Figure 3. The "Test Points" connectors are useful when it is desired to interface the
sensor signals with an analog circuit or monitor the signals externally using an oscilloscope.
On the other hand, the "To A/D" connector is handy to connect the analog sensor signals to
a data-acquisition terminal board.

The control signal that is outputted from the digital-to-analog output channel on the DAC
board is usually connected to the UPM "From D/A" connector (ID #14). Alternatively, it
may be easier to connect a control signal coming from an analog circuit to the "-", ID #15,
and/or "+", ID #16, connectors underneath the "Power Amplifier #1" label in the front panel
of the UPM. The resulting amplified signal is available at the "OUT" (ID #17) terminal and
the "To Load" connector (ID #19). The "OUT" terminal may be used to feed the amplified
signal to an analog circuit or to monitor external using a voltmeter. The "To Load" 6-pin-
DIN connector is typically used to interface the amplified with the a Quanser plant.

The gain of the UPM-15-03 and the UPM-24-05 power amplifier, either 1, 3, or 5, is set by
using the appropriate "To Load" gain cable of 1, 3, or 5. The cable contains the feedback
resistor of the amplifier that effectively sets its amplification factor. See Table 5 in Section
2.3.1 for a description of the gain cables.

CAUTION: Always ensure you are using the correct "To Load" gain cable! The linear
amplifier voltage gain in both the UPM-15-03 or the UPM-24-05 is set using the "To Load"
cable. If the cable is labeled 3 or 5 then using that cable sets the amplifier gain to 3 V/V or
5 V/V, respectively.

CAUTION: Always ensure a gain cable is connected to the "To Load" connector. If
the amplified signal is interfaced with an experiment though the "OUT" terminal of the
UPM, make sure the correct "To Load" gain cable is connected. If no cable is connected to
the "To Load" connector, the UPM will output its the maximum voltage to the attached

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load, i.e. 15 V with the UPM-15-03 or 24 V with the UPM-24-05.

As indicated in Table 2, the UPM-15-03 and UPM-24-05 can be configured to accept an

input AC voltage of 100 V, 120 V, 230 V, and 240 V. The module is usually configured for
the designated country before being shipped. However, the setting can be changed by
swapping the fuse situated on the back panel of the UPM, as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4 Fuse on back panel of UPM-15-03/UPM-24-05.

2.3. Wiring
Section 2.3.1 summarizes the cables used with the UPMs and the typical connections with
those cables are described in Section 2.3.2. See Section 2.3.3 for a schematic of the internal
circuit in the UPM.

2.3.1. Cable Nomenclature

Table 5 provides a description of the standard cables that connect with the UPM-15-03 and
UPM-24-05.

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Cable Type Description

5-pin- Connects the analog output of the data
DIN to acquisition system to the UPM for am-
RCA plification.

Figure 5 "From Digital-to-Analog" cable

4-pin- Connects the output of the UPM after

DIN to 6- amplification to the actuator of the
pin-DIN experiment. The UPM-end of this
cable has a resistor that sets the
amplifier gain to either 1, 3, or 5.
When the cable has no label and both
connectors are black, as shown in
Figure 6 "To Load" cable with gain 1
Figure 6, the amplifier gain is set to 1.

4-pin- See the description above. This cable

DIN to 6- resembles the gain 1 cable described
pin-DIN previously except, as depicted in Fig-
ure 7, it is labeled "3". This cable sets
the gain of the amplifier to 3.

Figure 7 "To Load" cable with gain 3

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Cable Type Description

4-pin- See the description of the "To Load"
DIN to 6- cable with gain 1. This cable
pin-DIN resembles the gain 1 cable described
previously except, as depicted in
Figure 8, it has a gray UPM-side
connector and is labelled "5". This
cable sets the gain of the amplifier to
5.
Figure 8 "To Load" cable with gain 5

6-pin- This cable can be used to connect any

mini-DIN potential plant sensor to the UPM such
to 6-pin- as potentiometers and accelerometers.
mini-DIN It provides a ±12 VDC bias to analog
sensors and carry their voltage signals
back to the DAC via the UPM.
Figure 9 "From Analog Sensors" Cable

5-pin- Carries the analog signals from the

DIN to UPM, which are connected to the S1
4xRCA & S2, S3, and S4 inputs, to the digital-
to-analog input channel of the data-ac-
quisition terminal board.

Figure 10 "To Analog-To-Digital" cable.

Table 5 Cables often used with the UPM-15-03 and UPM-24-05 systems.

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2.3.2. Common Connections

Some typical connections on the UPM-1503 or UPM-2405 are and listed in Table 6.

Cable Type From To Function

"From Digital-to- Analog Output "From D/A" Control signal generated by
Analog" Cable: 5- (D/A) #0 on the Connector on controller running on PC
pin-DIN to RCA Terminal Board 1503/2405 UPM that needs to be amplified.
"To Load" Cable: 4- "To Load" Actuator Amplified control signal
pin-DIN to 6-pin- Connector on Connector on applied to experiment
DIN 1503/2405 UPM plant. actuator.
"From Analog Analog Input "S1 & S2" Connects the analog
Sensors" Cable: 6- (A/D) #0 on the Connector on the sensors to the UPM
pin-mini-DIN to 6- Terminal Board 1503/2405 UPM. (provides bias and
pin-mini-DIN protection).
"To Analog-To- "To A/D" Analog Input Carries the analog signals
Digital" Cable: connector on the Channels #0-3 on from the sensors to the
5-pin-DIN to UPM. the Terminal data-acquisition device.
4xRCA Board.
Table 6 Common UPM connections.

2.3.3. Circuit Schematic

The power amplifier circuit yielded after connecting the UPM to a load, as described in
Section 2.3.2, is shown in Figure 11 .

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Figure 11 Power amplifier schematic of UPM-15-03 / UPM-24-05.

3. PWM Module: UPM-180-25B

As previously mentioned, the Universal Power Module model 180-25B that is shown in
Figure 2 is used for more high-powered Quanser plants such as the Shake Table II and the
High-Fidelity Linear Cart systems. It consists of a current-controlled power amplifier, an
independent DC power supply, an analog input interface, and embedded safety circuitry.
The UPM-180-25B specifications are detailed in Section 3.1 and a component overview is
given in Section 3.2. Section 3.3 goes through the various safety features of the UPM. The
typical connections that are used with a Quanser plant are discussed in Section 3.4. Lastly,
Section 3.5 explains how to initialize, enable, and calibrate the UPM.

3.1. Specifications
The UPM-180-25B device has a 3-phase PWM brushless power amplifier that is capable of
supplying continuous currents up to 25 A. The amplifier is in current-mode thus an input
voltage results in a controlled current through the connected load. Table 7 lists and

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characterizes the main specifications associated with the UPM180-25B system.

Symbol Parameter Value Units

Ka PWM Amplifier Current Gain 5 A/V
Vbus PWM Amplifier Bus Voltage ±169.7 V
Ia_max PWM Amplifier Maximum Continuous Line DC Current 10 A
Ia_peak PWM Amplifier Peak Line DC Current 25 A
Vdc DC Output Voltage Supply ±12 V
Idc_max DC Output Maximum Current Supply 1 A
Vin UPM AC Supply Voltage 120 V
Table 7 UPM-180-25B specifications

The amplifier current gain, Ka, is given in Table 7. Thus applying one Volt at the amplifier
input results in Ka Amperes in the attached motor. Note that the maximum voltage that is
applied to the motor however is limited by the BUS voltage, Vbus, as specified in Table 7.

3.2. Description
The front panel of the UPM-180-25B is shown in Figure 12. The identification number of
each component correspond to a short description in Table 8.

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Figure 12 Front panel of UPM-180-25B.

ID # Description ID # Description
1 UPM Power LED. 14 Safety override switch.
-12 V terminal of DC power supply. Amplifier output connector to
2 15 brushless motor.
3 Ground terminal of DC power supply. 16 Left limit LED.
4 +12 V terminal of DC power supply. 17 Home limit LED.
5 Analog sensor input #1 terminal. 18 Right limit LED.
6 Analog sensor input #2 terminal. 19 Calibrate mode LED.
7 Analog sensor input #3 terminal. 20 Amplifier driving OK LED.
8 Analog sensor input #4 terminal. 21 Enable mode LED.
Analog sensor input #1 6-pin-mini-DIN Connects to Quanser Q8 board for
9 connector. 22 motor and sensor signals.

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ID # Description ID # Description
Analog sensor input #2 6-pin-mini-DIN Reset switch.
10 connector. 23
Analog sensor input #3 6-pin-mini-DIN Connects to plant circuit board to
11 connector. 24 feedback sensor signals.
Analog sensor input #4 6-pin-mini-DIN E-Stop connector
12 connector. 25
Analog signals available to DAC
13 device.
Table 8 UPM-180-25B font panel component description.

Apart from driving the connected brushless DC motor, the UPM-180-25B also contains an
independent 1-Ampere ±12-Volt regulated DC power supply. It has a three terminals: -12 V
(ID #2), Ground (ID #3), and +12 V (ID #4) terminals that can be used to power
instrumentation and/or external analog sensors such as accelerometers, strain gages,
potentiometers, or also proximity sensors.

Analog sensors can be attached to the "S1", "S2", "S3", and "S4" 6-pin-mini-DIN
connectors, labeled ID #9-12 in Figure 12. As explained in Section 2.2 for the UPM-15-03 /
UPM-24-05, these connectors provide a ±12 VDC bias to analog sensors and carry their
voltage signals back to the UPM. The sensor signals are avaible to be read from the four
terminals labelled #5-8 in Figure 12 or the "To A/D" connector, ID #13 in Figure 12. The
terminals are useful to connect the sensor signals to an analog circuit, for instance, and the
"To A/D" connector can be used to connect to a data-acquisition system.

The 3-phase "Motor" connector, ID #15, connects to a high-powered brushless motor. See
Figure 14 in Table 10 for a description of this heavy-duty cable.

The "Safety Overide" switch, ID #14, is used to enable or disable the safety features
embedded in the UPM. The "Left", "Home", and "Right" LEDs identified with #16, #17,
and #18, respectively, indicate when each corresponding proximity sensor has been
engaged. For example, when the Home limit sensor is triggered the Home LED will be
bright green. The Left and Right LEDs are also used to indicate whether the UPM has been
initialized. If both LEDs are flashing then the UPM has to be initialized.

The "Cal", "OK", and "Enable" LEDs, shown in Figure 12 with ID #19, 20, and 21,
describe the status of the amplifier. Table 9 describes the mode of UPM-180-25B based on
the LEDs.

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Cal OK Enable Mode Description

OFF OFF OFF Not initialized. Left and Right limit switches are flashing and
amplifier is not ready-to-be-enabled.
OFF OFF ON Ready-to-be Amplifier has been initialized and is ready to
enabled drive the motor.
OFF ON ON Enabled Motor is being driven. Amplifier is de-
activated when the Left or Right sensor is
triggered.
ON ON ON Calibration Motor is being driven. Amplifier is de-
activated when the Home sensor is triggered.
Table 9 Status of UPM-180-25B based on Cal, OK, and Enable LEDs.

The "From MultiQ" connector, ID #22, is designed to connect easily with the Quanser Q8
Extended Terminal Board with the DB-25 parallel cable shown in Figure 16 in Table 10.
The "To Device" connector, ID #24, attaches to the plant circuit board using the DB-15
parallel cable illustrated in Figure 15 in Table 10.

3.3. Safety Features

The UPM-180-25B is typically used to control high-powered devices that can achieve high
accelerations and velocities. As a result, it has some safety features that disable the
amplifier in case of emergency. Section 3.3.1 describes how the Left, Right, and Home
proximity signals are used to disable the amplifier and Section 3.3.2 describes the
Emergency Stop switch.

3.3.1. Limit Switches

The UPM-180-25B has a PIC micro-controller circuit that performs several safety functions
and helps prevent the connected plant from being damaged. These safety functions include:
1. Processing of the limit sensor signals. End of travel limit sensors (either Left or
Right) disable the amplifier when in the Enabled mode (described in Table 9).
The only way to reset the amplifier is then to trigger the Home proximity sensor
by manually moving the system back to its mid-stroke position. The Shake Table
II and High-Fidelity Linear cart systems have limit sensors installed that interface
with the UPM-180-25B.
2. Conversely when the UPM is in Calibration mode the amplifier is instead

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disabled when the table reaches the Home sensor. In this mode, the amplifier
remains enabled when the Left or Right sensors are triggered, since the plant uses
those for auto-centering.
3. After power up, the amplifier is ready-to-be-enabled only if a sequence of pulses
originating from the DAC board is applied to the micro-controller. Refer to
Section 3.5.1.1 for the procedure to initialize the UPM-180-25B.

Keep the Safety Override switch in the OFF position. Turning it on enables the UPM
independently of any safety circuitry. It is intended only if the safety circuitry fails and you
still want to perform some experiments. With Safety Override ON, nothing protects the
table from damage!

3.3.2. Emergency Stop Switch

The UPM-180-25B amplifier can only be placed in the Enabled mode if the Emergency
Stop, or E-Stop, switch is connected to the UPM as shown in Figure 13 and the knob is in
the released, de-pressed position. The knob in the E-stop switch can be placed in the upright
position by rotating it in the clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrows on the top of
the red button, until it is released upwards.

Figure 13 Deadman Switch

PRESS DOWN on the RED BUTTON of the E-Stop switch in case of emergency. If
something goes wrong during an experiment, pressing the red button of the Emergency
Stop button disables the amplifier and shuts off the DC motor power.

3.4. Typical Connections

The UPM-180-25B interfaces with the Quanser Q8 Extended Terminal Board. The terminal

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board connects the UPM with the Q4 or Q8 data-acquistion system. See Reference [1] for
more information about the Q4 or Q8 control board.

3.4.1. Cable Nomenclature

Table 10, below, provides a description of the standard cables that connect with the UPM-
180-25B.

Cable Description
The "Motor" cable corresponds to the 3-phase
motor power leads. This cable is designed to
connect from the UPM-180-25B (i.e. the output of
the power module after signal amplification) to
the desired brushless DC motor.

Figure 14 "Motor" Cable

The "To Device" cable corresponds to a DB15

cable. It connects the plant circuit board to the
UPM. It carries to the UPM all three proximity
sensors' signals, the motor encoder signals, as
well as the brushless motor hall sensor signals
used by the amplifier for proper commutation. It
also supplies the DC power required by the
different sensors.
Figure 15 "To Device" Cable

The "From MultiQ" cable connects the UPM to

the data acquisition card terminal board. It is com-
patible with Quanser's quick-connect system. It
carries the motor encoder signals, limit sensor sig-
nals (right, left, and home), calibrate signal, and
the S1, S2, S3, and S4 analog signals from the
UPM. The cable also carries the control signal (to
be amplified and sent to the cart motor) as well as
the calibrate and enable digital signals sent from
the DAC.
Figure 16 "From MultiQ" Cable

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Cable Description
The "Emergency Stop" or E-Stop cable has a 6-
pin-mini-DIN connector to be plugged into the
side of the UPM. The UPM can be enabled if and
only if E-Stop is connected to the UPM and the
remote safety pushbutton switch is in the
depressed position.

Figure 17 "Emergency Stop" Cable

The "From Analog Sensors" cable is a 6-pin-mini-

DIN-to-6-pin-mini-DIN cable that can be used to
connect any potential plant sensor to the UPM
such as accelerometers. It can provide a ±12VDC
bias to analog sensors and carry their voltage sig-
nals to the DAC terminal board via the UPM.
Figure 18 "From Analog Sensors" Cable

Table 10 Typical cables used with the UPM-180-25B.

3.4.2. Wiring Procedure

See the corresponding User Manual of the experiment for connection instructions.

3.5. Using the UPM-180-25B

3.5.1. Initialization
The UPM must first be initialized in order to be ready-to-be-enabled. When first powering
the UPM, the Left and Right LEDs on the front panel should be blinking. To stop the LEDs
from flashing follow the procedure given in Section 3.5.1.1. The signal required to initialize
the UPM-180-25B is detailed in Section 3.5.1.2. The Simulink Model used to generate the
initialization signals is presented in Section 3.5.1.3.

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3.5.1.1. Initialization Procedure using WinCon

Before being able to run an experiment, the UPM180-25B must be started in the following
sequence:
Step 1. Ensure that the Safety Override switch, located on the UPM front panel, is OFF.
Step 2. Connect the Emergency Stop cable to the connector on the side panel of the UPM,
as shown in Figure 13. Pull up on the red knob until released in the upright position.
Step 3. Connect the UPM to an AC outlet and turn on the main power switch, which is
located at the back of the unit. The red LED on the top-left corner should be lit.
Step 4. After power up, the UPM system is still not ready as there is no guarantee that it is
connected to a computer. The Left and Right LEDs, on the UPM front panel, should
be blinking. If the lights are NOT flashing turn off the power on the UPM,
disconnect the "Terminal Board-To-UPM" cable, and then turn it back on again.
The two LEDs should be blinking. If so, turn off the UPM, re-connect the "Terminal
Board-To-UPM" cable, turn on the UPM, and proceed to the next step.
Step 5. Load the WinCon Server software (typically placed under Quanser | WinCon in the
Windows START menu).
Step 6. Open the q_boot_upm_zz.wcp WinCon project that is supplied. The zz suffix
denotes the type of data-acquisition card being used. For example, if zz is q4 then
the file is meant to be used with the Quanser Q4 control board. Alternatively, if zz is
q8 then the file is to be used with the Quanser Q8 data-acquisition system.
Step 7. Run the initialization controller by clicking on the green START button in the
WinCon Server window.
Step 8. The Left and Right LEDs should stop flashing and the window shown in Figure 19
should be prompted. The UPM amplifier is now in the ready-to-be-enabled mode.

Figure 19 Message prompt after running q_boot_upm_ZZ

Step 9. Another (and not recommended!) way to stop the flashing of the LEDs is to push the
Reset button located on the UPM front panel. This bypasses the need for the
previously described UPM initialization procedure. However, this is not the
recommended way of operation as it overrides the UPM safety watchdog put in
place to detect whether the UPM system is properly connected to your computer.

This initialization procedure does not enable the amplifier and therefore the motor cannot

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be driven yet. The amplifier is only enabled when running the corresponding WinCon
controller for the experiment. The amplifier is disabled when the WinCon controller
terminates. The digital signals required to initialize the UPM and the signals used to enable
the amplifier are described in Section 3.5.1.2.

3.5.1.2. Initialization Signals

The q_boot_upm_zz WinCon controller generates and sends the enable and calibration
signals shown in Figure 20 to the UPM's AMP_EN and AMP_CAL control lines,
respectively. The enable and calibrate signals are both initialized at 0V in WinCon. The
WinCon controller then brings the UPM's AMP_CAL line high, connected to Digital Output
#8, and sends a low pulse for 200 milliseconds. It also pulls the AMP_EN line, connected
to Digital Output #9, to low. WinCon automatically stops the real-time code after 0.5
seconds. This should stop the flashing and make the amplifier ready to be enabled. You can
now exit WinCon without saving the project.

Figure 20 UPM Initialization Signals

Attention MultiQ-3 Users: The AMP_EN and AMP_CAL lines when using the MultiQ-3
data acquisition board are different than when using the Q4 or Q8 boards. The amplifier
enable is on Digital Output Channel #0 and the amplifier calibration is on Digital Output
Channel #1.

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3.5.1.3. Simulink Model: q_boot_upm_zz.mdl

The q_boot_upm_zz.wcp WinCon Project file that is used to initialize the UPM-180-25B as
described in Section 3.5.1.1 is built using a corresponding Simulink Model called
q_boot_upm_zz.mdl. For instance, to build q_boot_upm_q4.wcp the Simulink Model shown
in Figure 21 is used. For instructions on building a new WinCon Project see Reference [2].

Figure 21 Simulink model used to initialize UPM-180-25B.

3.5.2. Enabling
Once the UPM is initialized, it can be enabled and used to drive the experiment actuator.
The signals required to enable the UPM-180-25B device are explained in Section 3.5.2.1
and the Simulink subsystem used to generate these signals is given in 3.5.2.2.

3.5.2.1. Enabling Signals

The UPM is in the enable state when the Enable and OK LEDs are lit and the signals
required to place it in this mode are shown in Figure 22.

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Figure 22 Digital signals needed to enable the UPM-180-25B device.

The UPM's AMP_CAL line is connected to Digital Output #8 of the Q4/Q8 DAQ board and
AMP_EN line is connected to Digital Output #9 of the Q4/Q8 control card. The enable and
calibrate signals are both initialized to 0V. The UPM's AMP_CAL line is set to 0V for the
duration of the controller running. The AMP_EN is initially set to 1V and after 0.5 seconds
is pulsed down to 0V for 200 milliseconds. The UPM amplifier remains enabled as long as
AMP_CAL sits at 0V and the AMP_EN stays at 1V. The PIC in the UPM disables the
amplifier when these lines values are changed, for example if AMP_CAL and AMP_EN are
brought down to 0V, or if the Left or Right proximity sensors are activated.

Note: This series of signals is required to drive the motor of any experiment connected to
the UPM180-25B and the amplifier is only enabled after 0.7 seconds.

Attention MultiQ-3 Users: The AMP_EN and AMP_CAL lines when using the MultiQ-3
data acquisition board are different than when using the Q4 or Q8 boards. The amplifier
enable is on Digital Output Channel #0 and the amplifier calibration is on Digital Output
Channel #1.

3.5.2.2. Simulink Model

The Simulink subsystem used to enable the UPM-180-25B device with the Q4 control
board is shown in Figure 23. This subsystem needs to be included in the main Simulink
model that generates a current to be fed to the connected motor.

The subsystem generates the enabling signals described in Section 3.5.2.1 and shown in

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Figure 22. Upon controller exit, both digital outputs are brought down to 0V and this
disables the amplifier.

Figure 23 Simulink subsystem used to enable UPM-180-25B using Q8 board.

3.5.3. Calibration
This section illustrates the sequence needed to place the UPM in calibration mode. In this
mode, the PIC does not disable the amplifier when the Left or Right limit switch is trig-
gered. For example, this is used to automatically center the stage of the Shake Table II sys-
tem.

3.5.3.1. Calibration Signals

The UPM is in calibration mode when its Cal, Enable, and OK LEDs are lit. In normal
operation, the amplifier is disabled when the Left or Right proximity sensors are triggered.
In this case, the amplifier is disabled when the Home sensor is activated. The enable and
calibration signals needed to place the UPM in the calibration mode is depicted in Figure
24.

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Figure 24 UPM Calibration Signals

The UPM's AMP_CAL line is connected to Digital Output #8 of the Q4/Q8 DAQ board and
AMP_EN line is connected to Digital Output #9 of the Q4/Q8 control card. The enable and
calibrate signals are both initialized at zero in WinCon. The WinCon controller brings the
UPM's AMP_CAL line to high and then brings it to 0V after 1.1 seconds. The AMP_EN is
initially set to 1V and after 1.2 seconds is pulsed down to 0V for 200 milliseconds. After
this initial sequence, the amplifier in the UPM remains enabled as long as AMP_CAL sits at
0V while AMP_EN stays at 1V. The WinCon controller stops when the Home position has
been reached and it sets the AMP_CAL and AMP_EN control lines back down to 0V before
terminating, effectively disabling the amplifier.

Attention MultiQ-3 Users: The AMP_EN and AMP_CAL lines when using the MultiQ-3
data acquisition board are different than when using the Q4 or Q8 boards. The amplifier
enable is on Digital Output Channel #0 and the amplifier calibration is on Digital Output
Channel #1.

3.5.3.2. Simulink Model

The Simulink subsystem used to place the UPM-180-25B in calibration mode with the Q8
hardware-in-the-loop card is shown in Figure 25. This subsystem needs to be included in
the main Simulink model that generates a current to be fed to the connected motor.

The subsystem generates the calibration signals described in Section 3.5.3.1 and shown in
Figure 25. Upon controller exit, both digital outputs are brought down to 0V and this

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disables the amplifier.

Figure 25 Simulink subsystem used to generate the calibration signals using the Q8 board.

3.6. Troubleshooting Guide

This section provides a list of issues that may be encountered when using the UPM-180-
25B. More troubleshooting information may be offered in the user manual of the
experiment being used with the amplifier.

Q1. Why are the Left and Right LEDs on the UPM flashing?
The UPM has not been initialized yet. See Section 3.5.1.1 for the UPM180-25B
initialization procedure.

Q2. Why is the Left or Right LED lit after undergoing the UPM initialization procedure?
Either the Left or Right proximity sensors was triggered when the boot-up
procedure was ran. See the corresponding experiment user manual for
instructions on how to calibration the device (either using an automated program
or simply moving the plant manually back to Home position).

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Q3. Why is the OK LED on the UPM not lit when running a WinCon controller?
The Emergency Stop button is either pressed down (disabling the amplifier) or
improperly connected to the UPM. Stop the WinCon controller and turn off the
UPM. Then, verify that the E-Stop switch and the UPM are properly connected
and ensure the E-stop button is in the released upright position.

Q4. Why is the Enable LED on the UPM not lit when running a WinCon project?
This indicates that the UPM amplifier is not ready to be enabled. Go through the
UPM initialization procedure detailed in Section 3.5.1.1.

4. Obtaining Support
Note that a support contract may be required to obtain technical support. To obtain
support from Quanser, go to http://www.quanser.com and click on the Tech Support link.
Fill in the form with all requested software version and hardware information and a descrip-
tion of the problem encountered. Be sure to include your email address and a telephone
number where you can be reached. A qualified technical support person will contact you.

5. References
[1] Q4 or Q8 User Manual.
[2] WinCon User Manual.

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