Servo Motor Optical Sensor

[natenut]

I have a bunch of servo motors that I want to make some sort of machine out of. The only problem is I don?t know what wires are for what on the optical speed sensor on the back of the units. I have come across this:

speed sensor

My setup is similar to Fig. 2 The code wheel has 2 different patterns on it, an inside track with one slit and an outside track with many. There are 6 wires coming from the receiving portion of the sensor (underneath the code wheel) and there are 2 wires connected to an infrared emitter. The infrared emitter part is simple enough, I just need to know how the receiving is done. Thanks in advance for anyone out there with some servo motor expertise!

 

[RossGr]

What you need to do is examine your encoder carefully for manufacture information and part number. You can then do a web search for that part. With any luck you can find a web based spec sheet that will give you the pin out. There is no such thing as standard, they are all different and specific to that part.

After you get that information you are still not home free, you will need a controller card and software. Check Such names as Gallil and .... gads I know that there are several common contollers out there, I am drawing a blank for others. Do a web search on Motor controllers.

Precision motion controls are very expensive and speciallized, good luck.

 

[natenut]

hey thanks for the help. I serached google for the part number but found nothing. I was hoping to get the photo diode/sensor portion working and then construct my own control since the controler cards are so expensive. It will be a great LabVIEW project.

If anyone has any experience with this type of stuff or any good online resources please let me know. Thanks!

 

[ZeroNine8]

I used to teach a senior ME Lab that did some LabVIEW stuff, and this sounds perfectly doable and cheap if you have the PC interface available already. Until you find a wiring diagram for the optical sensor (the 6 wires specifically), it sounds like you're pretty much up a creek. I guess you could try monitoring the voltage in the wires with the emitter turned on to see if you can detect anything, though many detectors also require a power source to function correctly. I don't know that you can get much help without providing more information about the encoder itself. Perhaps look for a part number or manufacturer on the motor assembly and see if you can find it with the encoder part somewhere online, since you weren't able to find the encoder alone.

 

[natenut]

Hey thanks for your help. I guess i am kind of screwed with the sensor. I think i'm just going to have to try and guess which are which and then run the thing and see if i can get any kind of a wave form. And as far as the labVIEW goes our school has 6024E cards which should be able to run this thing quite nicely. i will just have to make some sort of a current amp for the DAC on the card which will run the motor.

If anyone has any good sites for electronic hobbyists or labVIEW projects let me know. i would be most greatful. Currently i'm making an "easey bake oven" out of some light bulbs and an AD594 thermocouple amplifier. Pretty simple project, and i get to eat stuff. The motors were going to be a more advanced PID control system since the oven is pretty slow to respond and boring to work with (except the eating).