Controlling minature servos (Hitec HS485HB) directly from transistor outputs

[Ian B]

Hi,
I am trying to hookup some servos for valve control. The servos I have, require three pulse train parameters to output the control action: 600usec, 1500usec and 2400usec to give me -90degree 0 degrees and +90 degrees action respectively.
Looking at the specs for a standard transistor output card (UID-0016T) these seem to able to switch at up to 80us which seems plenty fast enough. I thought I may be able to drive these directly by using a looped timer set at the respective times of 0.6ms, 1.5msec and 2.4ms, but it seems I cant get that resolution(<1ms) out of the timer? Do you know if there is another way to hook these servos up directly to an output card, or obtain timing output of 0.1msec resolution? I don’t think the Unistream system has a pulse train output card, and I am not sure if I could configure a high speed out card either?
My fallback alternative is to use a serial controller for the servos and send out serial commands instead (but I don’t think this solution is as robust). Being new to PLC programming I just wanted to see if anyone had encountered controlling these servos before.
Thanks
Ian

[Ian B]

Ok, so I managed to get this working with a High Speed Output card using PWM, with a frequency of 50 Hz and pulse widths as quoted above.
This is not exactly high speed, so I wonder is there a PWM function for the Unistream/Unilogic system using a standard transistor output card? If so could someone show me how to access it or an example?

Thanks

Ian

[AlexUT]

Hi Ian B.

I found next link with pulse timing

https://www.servocity.com/html/hs-485hb_servo.html#.VdVy49jou00

Which refers to 180° Servo Stretcher

https://www.servocity.com/html/180o_servo_stretcher.html#.VdV0Atjou00

And there is no data about pulses period or frequency.

I will suggest to you to use UniStream UID-0808THS module in PWM mode.

PWM mode require to set Frequency, Duty Cycle and Run/Stop.

Approximation of period will be the next:

Pulse Width 1500 uSec is for middle position.

1500 uSec*2=3000 uSec. This is a Cycle Period.

Frequency = 1 Sec/3000 uSec=333.3(3) Hz.

*You can lower frequency to one which have rounded number.

For calculated frequency (333.333 Hz)

-for -90° PWM Duty Cycle=600/3000=0.2. 0.2*1000=200. You have to use number 200.

-for 0° PWM Duty Cycle=1500/3000=0.5. 0.5*1000=500. You have to use number 500.

-for +90° PWM Duty Cycle=2400/3000=0.8. 0.2*1000=800. You have to use number 800.

 

Duty Cycle encoded in range 0 to 1000. 0 = 0%. 1000 = 100%.

 

I hope this helps.