The NI-Motion does not run a simulation Properly

[Hawk_08]

Hi,

I have a small problem I recently installed NI-Motion on my computer ton control 1-axis stepper motor. When I run a small program built in NI-Motion Assistant it does not work properly. Even if I set my velocity to 500 step/sec it goes to 10000 step/sec and spin indifinitively. Do you know how I can solve my problem.

Thanks

M.

[Nate.H]

Dear M,

Which motion controller and drive are you using?
Can you complete a velocity move from the I-D interactive interface in MAX (Measurement & Automation Explorer)?

I am curious to see if you get the same strange behavior in MAX. If so, I am thinking you might have a setting configuration problem. Please post back with the results of trying a couple different moves in MAX.

Best Regards,

Nate
Applications Engineer

[Hawk_08]

Thanks for your answer!

When we try simple trajectories in MAX everything seems fine, we can have the motor go forward, backward and oscillates. It is really when we try to run simulation or simple trajectories from NI-Motion assistant that it does not work properly.

I attaching my MAX configuration. For NI_motion file I did the first tutorial that comes with the assistant.

Thanks

M.

[Nate.H]

Dear M.,

Thanks for attaching your MAX configuration and for the results of your testing. Everything seems fine with your setup in MAX from what I can see, so I decided to set up a test here. I was able to run the first tutorial (titled Heating a Semiconductor Wafer in a Furnace) without any problems here with a PCI-7344 Motion Controller, MID-7602 drive, and NI Motion Assistant 2.2.

Perhaps we can do some more troubleshooting in Motion Assistant:

What step exactly did your script get stuck on? If we know the expected behavior, then we can troubleshoot the actual behavior a bit better.  For example:
 
Did your script make it past the reference move? If not, the continuous spinning makes it sound like it's just not finding the limit switch(s) it needs to move on to the next step.

But if it did make it to the straight line move, and just kept going past the position that you set, then something else is going wrong. You can check this by making sure you know the position setting and the mode (absolute or relative), and then looking at the Step Status tab during a move to see the Current position and velocity readouts. I would recommend using absolute position mode for your testing.

Did you set the velocity under the Move Constraints tab for all the different steps? I initially set just the first straight line move velocity and not the velocity on the reference move. After changing the velocity, click outside the tab (perhaps in the blank space under the add step button) and then go back and make sure Motion Assistant saved the value you set for the velocity. You should see a little dialog box flash momentarily, but really too quick to read, indicating that the script has been updated.

Does your motor move at the correct commanded velocity for a script that you create from scratch with just one move? Can you complete other types of moves than the one the script gets stuck on with the motor spinning indefinitely?

Hope this helps; please post back about how things progress.

Best Regards,

~Nate

[Hawk_08]

Thanks for the answer,

What can I do for the limit switches... Because after trying what you sent me it looks like the problem.

Thanks

Matthieu

[Hawk_08]

Dear Nathan,

Sorry my previous answer was incomplete, I will complete it here.

When I'm able to start the move into ni-motion the three limit switch led are dimmed. The the move starts with a velocity of 10000step/s regardless of what the velocity I set-up. For example I tried putting a 500step/s but i when right to 10000step/s. From the possible problems you suggested it's looking like it is not finding the limit switches.

From what I understood my script is executing the reference move at the velocity I given it. Then it does not look like it is actually going into the actual straight line move.

When I set a different velocity I see the flashing dialogue box everything seems fine at that level.

I also tried a new script from scratch. Straight Line -- Wait Time -- Straight Line. Everything is working fine it goes to the prescribed position and then back.

Thanks for your help

Matthieu

[Nate.H]

Hi Matthieu,

I would try starting from scratch in Motion Assistant and just adding a Reference Move. Make sure to configure this move for the correct device and the correct axis, then change the reference type to the limit you want to test (forward, reverse, or home). Change the view to the Step Status tab, and then run the step. While the step is running, see if hitting the limit switch you specified in the step by hand causes the status of the switch to change in the step Status section. This should also compete the move.

Another place you can test the limit switches is from the I-D Interactive menu in MAX. Do the Limit Switch and Home Switch indicators under the Axis Status section respond when you hit the limit switches by hand when running a step here?

It could be that your motor spins indefinitely because the limit switch is never triggered. In the above test you will be making sure that the switch is triggered physically, and watching to see if the software recognizes this. If it does not read the limit switch as "on" when you are pressing it, then I would check your trigger settings and wiring to make sure they are set up correctly.

I hope this helps you narrow down the problem.

Best Regards,

~Nate