Roboteq Inc.'s intelligent
controller is capable of directly driving two dc motors up to 150A each at up
to 50V. The HDC2450 is targeted at designers of mobile robots, Automatic Guided
Vehicles (AGVs) or any other high power motor control application.
The controller accepts commands from analog joystick, standard R/C radio, USB
or RS232 interface. Using the USB or serial port, the HDC2450 can be used to
design fully or semi-autonomous robots by connecting it to single board
computers, wireless modems or WiFi adapters.
The HDC2450
incorporates a Basic Language Interpreter capable of executing over 50,000
Basic instructions per second. This feature can be used to write powerful
scripts for adding custom functions, or for developing automated systems
without the need for an external PLC or microcomputer.
The controller's two channels can be operated independently or combined to set
the direction and rotation of a vehicle by coordinating the motors on each side
(tank-like steering). The motors may be operated in open or closed loop speed
or position modes with a 1 kHz update rate. The HDC2450 includes inputs for two
Quadrature Encoders up to 250kHz, for precise speed and traveled distance
measurement.
The HDC2450
features intelligent current sensing that will automatically limit the power output
to 150A in all load conditions. The controller also includes protection against
overheat, stall and short circuits.
The controller includes up to 11 analog, 19 digital and 6 pulse inputs. Eight
1A digital outputs are provided for activating, lights, valves, brakes or other
accessories. The controller's operation can be optimized using nearly 80
configurable parameters, such as programmable acceleration or deceleration,
amps limits, operating voltage range and use of I/O.
A free PC utility is available for configuring, tuning and exercising the
motor. The controller can be reprogrammed in the field with the latest features
by downloading new operating firmware from Roboteq's web site.
The HDC2450
is built into a compact 9.0L x 5.5W x 1.6 inch H (228x 140 x 40mm) robust
extruded aluminum case, which also serves as a heat sink for its output power
stage. The large fin area allows heat dissipation for operation without a fan
in most applications.
