Hi all,
I have got a problem concerning running a stepper motor at constant speed and reading the sensor value from a DHT22 in one scetch.
For the project I am working on the main goal is to run a stepper motor at a constant speed with a defined rpm. Since I expect the motor driver Pololu DRV8825 to heat up during operation a fan shall be activated if the air temperature above the board exceeds 50 °C. Therefore I measure the temperature with a DHT22 Temperature and Humidity Sensor. Moreover I want to send the temperature and board information via serial to my PC to track the operation stati in the serial monitor.
Now my problem ist that reading the DHT22 sensor value takes so long that the stepper motor is "stuttering" at lower rpm as set. The "stuttering" increases (rpm decreases) if the serial connection is used.
I fixed the problem by reading the DHT22 sensor value and sending data via serial only once per minute by using an if query with millis() to add the commands to the loop only once per minute.
Unfortunately that leads to that the motor stops once per minute for about a second, before it starts running again. This solution is okay, but I would prefer doing those tasks without the stepper motor stopping.
I would be glad to get any hints on how or if this issue can be fixed.
Thanks for all ideas.
I'm using the following equipment:
- arduino uno rev.3
- arduino protoshield
- stepper motor (Nema 17 ST4209L1704-A)
- gear (GP42-S1-4-SR)
- stepper motor driver DRV8825
- temperature and humidity sensor DHT22 (AM2302)
- 2x red/greed LED
- 2x standard LED
- 2x switch
- 1x button
- 1x pc fan
- 1x potentiometer
- serial via usb
This is my actual coding
//------Pin-Layout
int redPin1=11;
int greenPin1=9 ;
int redPin2=5;
int greenPin2=10;
int FanPin=7;
int input_rpm=A0;
int max_rpm=80;
float poti_value=;
float rpm=map(poti_value,0,1023,0,max_rpm);
bool switched = true; // switched is for saving the switch state of a button for de-activating the stepper motor
bool switcher=false; // switched is for saving the switch state of a switcher for de-activating the stepper motor
bool Fan=false;
int ledPin = 13;
int ScrewSwitchPin = 8;
int Emergency_ShutdownPin=6;
float TempandHumidity;
float Temperature;
float Temp_Fan_crit=50; //Temperature when Fan should be activated
float Humidity;
unsigned long previousMillis=0;
unsigned long currentMillis;
const long Measuring_frequency=60000; //time between 2 temperature and humidity measurements
//------Variables
int i=0;
int z=0;
//------Temperature and Humidity Sensor
#include "DHT.h"
#define DHTPIN 2
#define DHTTYPE DHT22
DHT dht(DHTPIN, DHTTYPE); //use function for accessing data base
//------Stepper Motor
#include <AccelStepper.h>
AccelStepper stepper(AccelStepper::DRIVER, 12, 4);
int DIR_pin=4; //Routing pin for direction control
float gear_ratio=3.93;
float step_angle=0.9;
float steps_per_revolution=360/0.9;
float n_eff=0.0; //desired rotation frequency on gear-side
float steps_per_second=0.0; //steps per second corresponding to n_eff
//------settings LED
void setColor1(int redValue1, int greenValue1) {
analogWrite(redPin1, redValue1);
analogWrite(greenPin1, greenValue1);
}
void setColor2(int redValue2, int greenValue2){
analogWrite(redPin2, redValue2);
analogWrite(greenPin2, greenValue2);
}
void setup() {
//------Routing Switch for stepper motor and emergency shutdown
pinMode( ScrewSwitchPin, INPUT);
pinMode( ledPin, OUTPUT);
pinMode( Emergency_ShutdownPin, INPUT_PULLUP);
//------Temperature and humidity sensor
Serial.begin(9600);
Serial.print("Temperature, humidity and Screw Status"); //header for serial monitor
Wire.begin(); //initiate wire library
//--------
dht.begin(); //initiate dht library
//------Routing-LEDs
pinMode(redPin1, OUTPUT);
pinMode(redPin2, OUTPUT);
pinMode(greenPin1, OUTPUT);
pinMode(greenPin2, OUTPUT);
//------Routing-FAN
pinMode(FanPin, OUTPUT);
//------settings stepper motor
stepper.setMaxSpeed(2200.0); //set max speed in steps/second (Angle of Stepper is 0.9° so there are 400 Steps per revolution) 2200 (84 rpm)!
pinMode(DIR_pin, OUTPUT);
digitalWrite(DIR_pin, LOW); //Direction pin low lets motor turn clockwise, direction pin high lets motor turn counter clockwise
digitalWrite(FanPin, LOW);
void loop() {
if(Temperature>Temp_Fan_crit){Fan=true;}
else{Fan=false;}
if (Fan==true){
digitalWrite(FanPin, HIGH);
}
else {digitalWrite(FanPin, LOW);}
Switch_Stepper_Motor:
//------Switch Stepper Motor-State
if (digitalRead(ScrewSwitchPin) == LOW)
{switcher=false;
}
else {switcher=true;
}
//------Button Emergency Shutdown - State
if (digitalRead(Emergency_ShutdownPin) == LOW) // query if button is pressed
{
if (switched == false) { // if button is not pressed, query if switch was switched of
switched = false; // if query reveals that the switch was switched off, than it remains switched off, since the button was not pressed.
}
}
else { // query if button is pressed
if (switched == false) { // if button is pressed, query if switch was switched of
switched = true; // if query reveals that the switch was switched off, than it is switched on, since the button was pressed.
}
else
switched = false; // if query reveals that the switch was switched on, than it is switched off, since the button was pressed.
}
//------Switch Stepper Motor - Control
if (switcher==true&&switched==true) { // if the switch is switched on, than the LED should shine
// LED and Serial Monitor
digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);
//Stepper Motor
n_eff=39.0;//set velocity to n_eff in rpm
setColor2(0,255);
}
else if (switcher==false||switched==false) { // if the switch is switched on, than the LED should not shine
// LED
digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);
//Stepper Motor
n_eff=0;//set velocity to 0 rpm (stop motor)
setColor2(255,0);
}
Run_Stepper_Motor:
//Stepper Motor
steps_per_second=n_eff*gear_ratio*steps_per_revolution/60;//steps per second corresponding to n_eff (desired rotation frequency on gear-side)
stepper.setSpeed(steps_per_second); //set speed in steps/second (Angle of Stepper is 0.9° so there are 400 Steps per revolution)
stepper.runSpeed();
//------Temperature and humidity sensor
float temp_hum_val[2] = {0}; //Show data with 2 decimal places
// Reading temperature or humidity takes about 250 milliseconds!
currentMillis=millis();
if (currentMillis-previousMillis>Measuring_frequency) {
TempandHumidity=dht.readTempAndHumidity(temp_hum_val);
Humidity = dht.readHumidity(); //read sensor data for Humidity
Temperature = dht.readTemperature(); //read sensor data for Temperature
previousMillis=currentMillis;
//------Show data in serial monitor
if (!dht.readTempAndHumidity(temp_hum_val)) { //If signal is received
Serial.print("Humidity: ");
Serial.print(Humidity);
Serial.print("%\t");
Serial.print("Temperature: ");
Serial.print(Temperature);
Serial.print("*C");
Serial.print("\t\t");
}
else{
Serial.print("Failed to get temperature and humidity value."); //error if no signal is received
Serial.print("\t\t");
Serial.println();
}
//------Temperature LED indication
Temperature_Control:
if((Temperature>30&&Temperature<50)){ //if 30°C < T < 50°C LED with yellow light
setColor1(255, 255); //yellow color
Serial.print("Board heated!");
Serial.println();
}
else if(Temperature>50&&Temperature<70){ //if T > 50°C LED with red light
Serial.print("Board overheated");
Serial.println();
setColor1(255, 0); //Red color
}
else if(Temperature>70){ //if T > 70°C LED with red flashing light and emergency shut down of particle screw (stepper motor)
while(i<3){ //while loop unnecessary since general loop time reduced by sparing delay times. while loop may not be used, because then switch will not work while loop is running (for ca. 3 sek.).
switched = false; //emergency shut down of particle screw (stepper motor)
Serial.print("Warning! Board overheat shut off");
Serial.println();
setColor1(255, 0); //Red color flashing on
//digitalWrite(tonePin, HIGH); // Accoustig alarm on
delay(1000);
setColor1(0, 0); //Red color flashing off
//digitalWrite(tonePin, LOW);// Accoustig alarm off
delay(1000);
i=i+1;
}
setColor1(255, 0); //Red color
}
else{ //if T < 30°C LED with green light
setColor1(0, 255); //Green color
Serial.print("Board status ok");
Serial.println();
}
}
else {}
}
