Hi there, I am using 3 x JRK 12V12 controllers to drive a pan/tilt and nozzle control system for a fountain design. Everything is working fine. My query is with firmware. Is it possible to sign an NDA to give me access to the source code of the controller? I need to add some additional functionality, specifically for safety. For example I would like to add a monitor for feedback direction, it would be relatively easy to determine if the motor is connected backwards because the feedback would not track in the correct direction. I also want to add the ability to determine if the feedback is not moving when it should be and shut down the motor should this be the case.
The reason is that there is no mechanical limit on the pan axis so it is possible for it to wind up the cables to the point of them breaking. This device has a very large mechanical advantage and can move hundreds of kilograms. Also the thrust from the nozzle is in the hundreds of killograms (the pump is in the order of 30 kilowatts, so it pumps a lot of water).
I could possibly get the mechanical engineers to add a mechanic limit and use the current limit, but I would want to add a delay time to this so it doesn’t sit there for ages with the motor stalled at the current limit. And I would want to reset this automatically on a direction change.
Unfortunately I have already designed the micro-controller and power supply assembly, so adding my own monitoring is not really an option at this point. I realise with more forethought I should have just implemented the driver IC alone into the design and implemented the PID myself, but I thought it can’t hurt to ask the question.
Regards,
Daryl.