Desktop UI for Rheology experiment Nanotec PD4-C Motor Controller

This software is designed to control Nanotec PD4-C Stepper Motors, with a user friendly LabVIEW Graphical User Interface. It allows users to Start & Stop the motor, change the rotation speed and direction and obtain an estimated Torque value for the motor under load.

Proper function of the software relies on the correct NanoJ program to be installed on the PD4-C Stepper motor. This program can be found in the PD4-C NanoJ Program folder.

Inside this folder is the C++ like NanoJ program vmmcode.cpp and a copy of the nanotec.h library. It also contains an additonal folder called CURRENT MOTOR FIRMWARE which contains the latest working copy of the contents of the PD4-C Motor Flash storage drive. This includes:

• CFG.TXT Config file for motor initialisation
• INFO.BIN Hardware generated file
• VMMCODE.USR Compiled NanoJ program using Plug & Drive Studio

The NanoJ software can be updated and programmed into the PD4-C Motor using Nanotec's Plug & Drive Studio.

1. Copy the contents of Rheology Motor Controller V1.0 directory into a suitable location on the working PC
2. Connect motor to PC using Micro USB B cable
3. Run Rheology Motor Controller.exe

When the motor is first powered on, it will immediatly start running the internal NanoJ program. This allows the motor to be controlled via the supplied hardware controller. This has 3 controls:

• Enable Motor (On/Off)
• Speed (0-100 RPM)
• Direction (CW/CCW)

To start the software controller. Connect the the DC4-C Motor to the PC with a Micro-B USB Cable, then open the .exe file Rheology Motor Controller.

The software will set up the motor in a stable configuration, including zeroing the speed and disabling drive.

When the motor is ready for use, the Motor Status will highlight Motor Paused with an amber light.

The speed can be set using the Set Speed RPM control, which will send a new velocity command to the motor when the Apply Speed button is pressed.

The speed currently set in the motor internal storage is indicated by the Actual Speed RPM gauge. The speed can be set to positive values for clockwise movement, or negative values for anti-clockwise movement.

To start the motor, click Start Motor. It will start turning at the speed indicated by the Actual Speed RPM gauge. The Motor Status window will indicate Motor Running with a green light. The speed can be adjusted while the motor is running.

To halt the motor, click the Halt Motor button.

Torque values are calculated via the Max Torque Nm value, and the percentage of max current the motor is reporting using. The max current the motor will consume is set via the internal registers, and the value displayed in the Max Motor Current mA window is the value interrogated from the internal registers. This value can be changed using Nanotec Plug & Drive Studio, or by updating the CFG.TXT File saved on the motors flash storage.

To obtain an accurate Torque Nm reading, the correct value for the maximum torque available from the motor at Max Motor Current mA must be input into the Max Torque Nm input box. This may be found by measuring the torque delivered by the motor during a stall.

To start Torque Measurements, click Read Torque The data will be output to the graph and displayed on the Motor Current mA, Torque % and Torque Nm indicator boxes.

To Exist the desktop app, click Exit Program This will shut down the motor and leave it in a safe state.

To show the full engineering display, click the Engineering Mode button. Additional controls and indicators will appear. To hide the additional controls, click this button again.

To restart the internal NanoJ program in order to use the hardware controller, the Start NanoJ button can be pressed, or the motor can be re-powered. Pressing this button will grey out the motor controls. The Stop NanoJ button can be used if NanoJ has been restarted at any point to resume software control.

Fom any state, pressing the Exit Program button will perform a safe stop and shutdown of the motor before exiting the software.