Happy days,
I am just working my way through some resource material.
I will take on your method of working with one step at a time.
The basic structure will represent something like this (I know it's not proper sketch but I'm just creating the idea of a frame work)
setup is:
Home is a micro switch end stop
Stepper motor 1 = main screw bar with carrier
Stepper motor 2 = locking pins on carrier
Stepper motor 3 = Unlocking pin boom
command A1 // move boom 1 to first position (125mm) on the main boom
stepper motor 1 = travel 15mm // move into place to pick up boom
stepper motor 2 = travel 4mm // locking the carrier to the boom
stepper motor 3 = travel -4mm // unlocking boom from parent boom
stepper motor 1 = travel 125mm // move to first location
stepper motor 3 = travel 4mm // lock boom into parent boom
stepper motor 2 = travel -4mm // unlocking carrier from boom
stepper motor 1 = travel home // carrier moves to the home location as set by end stop switch.
command A2 // move boom 1 to second position (325mm) on the main boom from home
command A3 // move boom 1 to second position (525mm) on the main boom from home
command B2 // move boom 2 to first position (125mm) on boom 1 from home
stepper motor 1 = travel 25mm // move into place to pick up boom
stepper motor 2 = travel 4mm // locking the carrier to the boom
stepper motor 3 = travel -4mm // unlocking boom from parent boom
stepper motor 1 = travel 125mm // move to first location
stepper motor 3 = travel 4mm // lock boom into parent boom
stepper motor 2 = travel -4mm // unlocking carrier from boom
stepper motor 1 = travel home // carrier moves to the home location as set by end stop switch.
I know that I need to add some steps in between to so that I can move the carrier from home to the first position, pick up the boom and then move it to second or third position.
which would make it:
command A5 // move boom 1 to third position (525mm) on the main boom from first position
stepper motor 1 = travel 140mm // move into place to pick up boom
stepper motor 2 = travel 4mm // locking the carrier to the boom
stepper motor 3 = travel -4mm // unlocking boom from parent boom
stepper motor 1 = travel 385mm // move to first location
stepper motor 3 = travel 4mm // lock boom into parent boom
stepper motor 2 = travel -4mm // unlocking carrier from boom
stepper motor 1 = travel home // carrier moves to the home location as set by end stop switch.
hence I think a two character identifier for the commands. allows me to allocate A to boom 1, B to boom 2, C to boom 3 etc...
These commands will be sent using a touchscreen interface, the structure of the commands I am still trying to work out. There are some conditionals I need to have so it prohibits some actions and allow others as long as certain rules are met.
If there is any further reading resources out there I can tap into please let me know. in the mean time I will be reading up on the suggested material.
Many thanks
Rebekah Anderson