So I've been tasked by my professor to use an Arduino and Simulink to run and collect/display data from the ESC for this brush-less motor that powers this fan. The ESC being used is the Castle Phoenix Edge 75. I can make the motor run through the Arduino with the servo library.
The problem is that I'm not sure what kind of data I can extract from the ESC and how. I can display the input to the ESC for motor speed on Simulink with scopes and display blocks. Other than that, I'm clueless. All helps and suggestions appreciated.
You probably need to have some way to measure the motor's shaft velocity, and maybe the motor's input voltage. So when you fire up the motor, you need to be able to gather data to show things like output velocity versus time, and input voltage versus time. Or whatever parameters you need to measure.
The most basic test is standing start. Have no voltage applied to the motor.... and then abruptly apply a constant voltage to the motor. Then start taking measurements. If you take measurements repeatedly at a fast enough pace, then you can later plot the 'step response' of your motor system. And then you might be able to figure out some performance parameters from your measurements.
You got any sensors for measuring things like motor shaft velocity, or motor current etc?
If you have access to a digital storage oscilloscope, then that can help with displaying responses for you conveniently on a LCD screen. Otherwise, if the aim of your project is to just gather measurement values and process later, then maybe need to put together your own measurement system.
I'll need current intake, voltage intake, RPM and Torque. It was mentioned that I could take some of these data straight out of the ESC through serial connection with a Castle Link USB Programming Kit. I'm clueless as to how to do that. Also, I was told to display the data on the computer screen on Simulink.
kuan3:
I'll need current intake, voltage intake, RPM and Torque. It was mentioned that I could take some of these data straight out of the ESC through serial connection with a Castle Link USB Programming Kit. I'm clueless as to how to do that. Also, I was told to display the data on the computer screen on Simulink.
I think what you need to check first is the manual or user guide for your ESC.
Maybe your ESC has a wire (eg. a white coloured wire) that connects to the motor. The motor probably produces analog RPM pulse signals, which then probably go into the white wire, which then goes into the ESC, and the ESC might contain some onboard processing circuitry that processes the RPM pulse signals to give a digital value for the motor's speed (RPM).
This particular ESC probably also has a USB serial link for connecting to a computer. And castle link provides a software that allows you to monitor the RPM information coming in from the white wire. It allows you to do this only if you select (via software) the appropriate monitoring mode.
As for displaying information in simulink, you might need to figure out whether or not it is possible to get the ESC to send (via USB) the RPM information to simulink. If not possible, then you probably need to take the RPM pulses from the white wire, and see whether you can use a micro-controller (such as arduino, and using interrupts) to measure RPM pulses, and then process those pulses to get your own digital RPM information to use. That digital RPM information could also be transferred to simulink.