Difference between revisions of "ESC"

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ESC (electric speed controllers) are required for driving the brushless dc motor. <br/>
ESC (electric speed controllers) are required for controlling / driving brushless dc motors. <br/>
While most esc's will work well with fixedwing, rotorcraft have higher requirements. <br/>
While most standard esc's will work well with fixedwing, rotorcraft have higher requirements. <br/>


Positive features for rotorcraft:
Positive features for rotorcraft:
* faster response to input signal !!!
* faster response to input signal !
* higher torque  
* higher torque  
* accept higher or other input signal (higher pwm input or I2C)
* accept higher or other input signal (higher pwm input or I2C)
* less noise
* less noise


Standard ESC can be used, but with a little work and SimonK's firmware e.g. they will work better.
Standard ESC can be used, but with a little work and an alternative firmware they will work better.
 
= AVR (ATmega) based ESC =


= AVR (ATmega) based ESC=
Simon Kirby develops an alternative firmware for ATmega based brushless motor controller, written in assembly. <br/>
Simon Kirby develops an alternative firmware for ATmega based brushless motor controller, written in assembly. <br/>
This software will use the maximum capabilities of the hardware. <br/>


Features:
* 16MHz operation on most boards
* 16MHz operation on most boards
* 16-bit output PWM with full clock rate resolution (~18kHz PWM with a POWER_RANGE of 800 steps)
* 16-bit output PWM with full clock rate resolution (~18kHz PWM with a POWER_RANGE of 800 steps)
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* Smooth starting in most cases
* Smooth starting in most cases
* Forward and reverse commutation supported, including RC-car style reverse-neutral-forward PWM ranges, with optional braking
* Forward and reverse commutation supported, including RC-car style reverse-neutral-forward PWM ranges, with optional braking


[http://wiki.openpilot.org/display/Doc/RapidESC+Database Hardware compatibility (Openpilot)]<br/>
[http://wiki.openpilot.org/display/Doc/RapidESC+Database Hardware compatibility (Openpilot)]<br/>
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= SiLabs based ESC =
= SiLabs based ESC =
Some newer ESC are build with a Silicon Labs MCU with a 8051 core. <br/>
 
They have a C2 programming interface.<br/>
Some newer ESC are build with a Silicon Labs MCU with a Intel 8051 core. <br/>
They have a C2 programming interface and therefore need a special programmer.<br/>
Steffen Skaug provides an alternative firmware, written in assembly.
Steffen Skaug provides an alternative firmware, written in assembly.
Features:
* Can be configured for helicopter MAIN motor or TAIL motor operation. Or as MULTIcopter motor operation.
* Main motor operation has governor functionality and multicopter motor operation has closed loop functionality.
* Motor operation can be damped for fast motor retardation.
* Many parameters can be programmed, either from PC applications for setup and configuration, or from the TX.
* Supports 1kHz, 2kHz, 4kHz, 8kHz or 12kHz positive or negative pwm as input signal, as well as regular 1-2ms PPM signal.
The easiest way is to program and set up the esc with the BLHeli setup tool (no surce available :( ).


Programmer: <br/>
Programmer: <br/>
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[http://www.silabs.com/products/mcu/Pages/ToolStick.aspx Silicon Labs Toolstick] available at [http://at.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Silicon-Labs/TOOLSTICK850-B-SK/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMuqBwn8WqcFUs%2fwPRHCOTglcuiSRjY%2fEIM%3d Mouser] for 8€.
[http://www.silabs.com/products/mcu/Pages/ToolStick.aspx Silicon Labs Toolstick] available at [http://at.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Silicon-Labs/TOOLSTICK850-B-SK/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMuqBwn8WqcFUs%2fwPRHCOTglcuiSRjY%2fEIM%3d Mouser] for 8€.


Since the Toolstick can not be connected to wires directly, little [http://oddcopter.com/2012/07/18/flashing-silabs-escs-with-blheli-firmware/ modification] is required.
[http://www.helifreak.com/blog.php?u=144146&blogcategoryid=119 BLHeli Setup tool] <br/>
 
[http://oddcopter.com/2012/07/18/flashing-silabs-escs-with-blheli-firmware/ tutorial on oddcopter.com] <br/>
[https://github.com/bitdump/BLHeli bitdump/BLHeli] git repository
[https://github.com/bitdump/BLHeli bitdump/BLHeli] git repository


= Open BLDC =
= Open BLDC =
Open hardware / open software brushless controller project. <br/>
Open hardware / open software brushless controller project. <br/>
From small low cost up to 200A continous hardware, but currenty unter development.
From small low cost up to 200A continous hardware, but currenty under development.


Anyone wanna help ? :) <br/>
Anyone wanna help ? :) <br/>

Revision as of 17:24, 3 January 2014

ESC (electric speed controllers) are required for controlling / driving brushless dc motors.
While most standard esc's will work well with fixedwing, rotorcraft have higher requirements.

Positive features for rotorcraft:

  • faster response to input signal !
  • higher torque
  • accept higher or other input signal (higher pwm input or I2C)
  • less noise

Standard ESC can be used, but with a little work and an alternative firmware they will work better.

AVR (ATmega) based ESC

Simon Kirby develops an alternative firmware for ATmega based brushless motor controller, written in assembly.

Features:

  • 16MHz operation on most boards
  • 16-bit output PWM with full clock rate resolution (~18kHz PWM with a POWER_RANGE of 800 steps)
  • 24-bit timing and PWM pulse tracking at full clock rate resolution
  • ICP-based pulse time recording (on supported hardware) for zero PWM input control jitter
  • Immediate PWM input to PWM output for best possible multicopter response (but NOT where soft start or really any significant current limiting is needed!)
  • Accepts any PWM update rate (minimum ~5microseconds PWM low time)
  • Optimized interrupt code (very low minimum PWM and reduced full throttle bump)
  • Configurable board pin assignments by include file
  • Smooth starting in most cases
  • Forward and reverse commutation supported, including RC-car style reverse-neutral-forward PWM ranges, with optional braking


Hardware compatibility (Openpilot)
Hardware compatibility (google docs)
sim-/tgy git repository.

SiLabs based ESC

Some newer ESC are build with a Silicon Labs MCU with a Intel 8051 core.
They have a C2 programming interface and therefore need a special programmer.
Steffen Skaug provides an alternative firmware, written in assembly.

Features:

  • Can be configured for helicopter MAIN motor or TAIL motor operation. Or as MULTIcopter motor operation.
  • Main motor operation has governor functionality and multicopter motor operation has closed loop functionality.
  • Motor operation can be damped for fast motor retardation.
  • Many parameters can be programmed, either from PC applications for setup and configuration, or from the TX.
  • Supports 1kHz, 2kHz, 4kHz, 8kHz or 12kHz positive or negative pwm as input signal, as well as regular 1-2ms PPM signal.


The easiest way is to program and set up the esc with the BLHeli setup tool (no surce available :( ).

Programmer:
owsilprog uses a Arduino.
Silicon Labs Toolstick available at Mouser for 8€.

BLHeli Setup tool
tutorial on oddcopter.com
bitdump/BLHeli git repository

Open BLDC

Open hardware / open software brushless controller project.
From small low cost up to 200A continous hardware, but currenty under development.

Anyone wanna help ? :)
Homepage
open-bldc git repository