Project goal is to be able to control and test the operation of linear actuators powered by stepper motors. For this project I decided to use Arduino UNO microcontroller.
The software should incorporate, steps input, speed input, acceleration, backwards forwards movement, emergency stop button.
For this purpose I chose LabView which has an arduino package ready to install.(LabView Interface for Arduino)
This package allows the Labview to communicate with Arduino board via serial port communication.
There is also an example for controlling stepper motors.
This example works but is limited to, only one way direction (clockwise) and the steps (max distance) I can input is 32000 steps which I cannot understand why?
I want to add these two capabilities to the programme, but my knowledge of labview language is limited.
I would also like to know if this software is able to be programmed on LINX rather than LIFA.
Any help or guidance would be appreciated.
I have attached some pictures to your interest.
1st. Do you believe that the project I wrote above is doable?
2nd. Is it a good start if I start rebuilding the block diagram in LINX, using LIFA stepper example as a guide?
3nd. What learning curve is in this project for someone starting with LabView?
I started doing online tutorials and lesson on it.
tsakitsan:
Ok fair enough so I will raise three questions.
1st. Do you believe that the project I wrote above is doable?
2nd. Is it a good start if I start rebuilding the block diagram in LINX, using LIFA stepper example as a guide?
3nd. What learning curve is in this project for someone starting with LabView?
I started doing online tutorials and lesson on it.
Yes
Yes. The concept is the same. The brains is in the LabVIEW VI that you will write.
That's hard to answer.
The whole reason for using LINX is that the person is very familiar with LabVIEW.
Since you do not know LabVIEW, I am not sure that it is any particular advantage.
It may be just as easy to do everything with just the Arduino and the Serial Monitor.
To my question above about the 32000 steps, here is the answer:
Because the control used is set to I16 datatype, which limits the allowed input range.
I guess that LIFE VI only accepts I16 values here, so you cannot change that…
This type of control can also have a negative input but still it does not rotate in the opposite direction.
Anyway thanks for the answer ieee. I will learn LabView and it will be a piece of cake.
