BOE Shield + Arlo Control System Adjustments

Arlo Control System Adjustments

Integration and deadzone are part of a group of values that may need to be tuned to accommodate certain payload weights, gearbox play, and to optimize performance at certain speeds. 

If your battery is charged, and the payload is small, the default settings should be fine.  If payloads increase and decrease during runtime, you may wish to programmatically adjust those constants, either to give it some extra push to get to each final goal, or to apply less push toward the final goal to prevent oscillations (repeated over corrections). 

The next example sketch adjusts two of those constants, named KI and DZ.  Thier values can be read from the DHB-10 with the ArloRobot readConfig function, and pass “KI” to read the KI constant, DZ to read the DZ constant.  For example, Arlo.readConfig(“KI”) returns the DHB-10 motor controller’s current KI value.  To modify those values, use the ArloRobot writeConfig function.  For example Arlo.writeConfig(“KI”, 65) sets the value of KI to 65. 

Arlo.storeConfig calls for making the changes semi-permanent by writing them to the DHB-10’s EEPROM have been commented out.  For example, Arlo.storeConfig(“KI”) would make whatever value has been most recently loaded into the DHB-10 the default when it starts up.  So, long as you keep the lines with STORE commented, the changes only affect performance until the DHB-10 is restarted.  You can restart the DHB-10 by pressing and releasing its Reset button or turning the Motors power off, and then back on.

NOTE: For more information, see the DHB-10 command set in the DHB-10 Motor Controller Firmware Guide. 

  • No need to run this sketch unless you want to observe different possible Arlo behaviours as it approaches its final distance destination.
/*
  Arlo-Tune-Integral-Constants
 
  Set control system constants that give the extra push to get to the
  final position and control the allowable positional error.
*/

#include <ArloRobot.h>                        // Include Arlo library
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>                   // Include SoftwareSerial library

// Arlo and serial objects required
ArloRobot Arlo;                               // Arlo object
SoftwareSerial ArloSerial(12, 13);            // Serial in I/O 12, out I/O 13

void setup()                                  // Setup function
{
  tone(4, 3000, 2000);                        // Piezospeaker beep
  Serial.begin(9600);                         // Start terminal serial port
 
  ArloSerial.begin(19200);                    // Start DHB-10 serial com
  Arlo.begin(ArloSerial);                     // Pass to Arlo object

  int ki = Arlo.readConfig("KI");             // Check KI
  Serial.print("KI = ");                      // Display KI
  Serial.println(ki);

  int dz = Arlo.readConfig("DZ");             // Check DZ
  Serial.print("DZ = ");                      // Display DZ
  Serial.println(dz);

  Arlo.writeConfig("KI", 65);                 // Change KI
  Arlo.writeConfig("DZ", 1);                  // Change DZ

  // Uncomment code below to store new settings to the DHB-10's EEPROM.
  // Tip: To uncomment, replace the two * characters with / characters.
 
  /*
  Arlo.storeConfig("KI");                    // New KI to DHB-10 EEPROM
  Serial.println(Arlo.lastExchange);

  Arlo.storeConfig("DZ");                    // New DZ to DHB-10 EEPROM
  Serial.println(Arlo.lastExchange);
  */
}

void loop() {}                                // Nothing for main loop