Picaxe controlling 5 axis robot - A Axis Incremental control and location the Home position

This is video showing a single axis (the A axis) of the 5 axis controller I am adapting for Picaxe.

The video shows the base of the robot arm via a webcam. There is a reference point on the rotating bases (the A axis).

Contents of the video screen as as follows:

- Editor: Shows the GCode language which is interpreted into the specific code that the Picaxes devices consume to control axes. The first 90 seconds shows the codes been edited.

- Webcam: This shows the axis in motion and finding the home position.

- Command Processor Window (CPW): This green window shows the dialog with Picaxe devices.

WIth the CPW each initial line of GCode is shown at tab 0. Each GCode line shown was pre processed to create all the required Robot Command Codes (RCC). This pre processing is very fast and occurs just prior to the CPW been displayed.

Each RPC instructs the Picaxe to complete a specific action. The RPC sets a movement interlock within each Picaxe device, then send instructions for speed, location, axis checks etc. Each RPC set of instructions is specific to each GCode. A specific RPC instructs the complete set of Picaxe to eXecute the command string and upon completion unset the interlock to allow processing of the next command.

During the video I stop the CPW (which is programmed via a GCode to contunous loop), I edit the GCodes and restart the process several times.

The accuracy of finding home on this axis is limited by two factors. 1) The sensitivity of the sensor(s) and 2) the fact that the base has no fixing screws and is essentially floating about. To, overcome this issue I always approach the home point from the same direction to 'take-up' the slack.

I have also posted another video showing how the RPCs can be used within the 'ModCom' application to create a pseudo machine tool interface.

I am grateful for all the support and patience from the team at www.picaxeforum.co.uk

Anobium

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• picxe
• robot