Problem setting different speeds at the same time with stepper motors

Hello,

I have a Make controller kit and I'm using 2 step motors to make my robot following a black/white line. Everything was tested with mchelper without any problems. Problem is when I in C I try to set each engine at different speeds. Example: Stepper 0 at 10 and Stepper 1 at 30. Here's an example:

#include "config.h"
#include "stdlib.h"
#include "string.h"
#include <stdio.h>

#define LEFT_ENGINE 0
#define RIGHT_ENGINE 1
#define MIN_SPEED 10
#define MAX_SPEED 30
#define STEP 1

void Run( ) {
   
    int Left, Center, Right;

    Usb_SetActive( 1 );
    // Define robot name
    System_SetName( "R23");
    // Fix for initial negative stepping
    Stepper_SetPosition(     LEFT_ENGINE,         100000);
    Stepper_SetPosition(     RIGHT_ENGINE,     100000);
    while ( true ) {
        Right     = AnalogIn_GetValue(0);
        Center     = AnalogIn_GetValue(1);
        Left     = AnalogIn_GetValue(2);
        // FRONT 1 - 0 - 1
        if ( Left > 1000 && Center < 10 && Right > 1000 ) {
            Stepper_SetSpeed(    LEFT_ENGINE,        MAX_SPEED );
            Stepper_Step(         LEFT_ENGINE,         STEP );
            Stepper_SetSpeed(     RIGHT_ENGINE,        MAX_SPEED );
            Stepper_Step(         RIGHT_ENGINE,     STEP );
        // LEFT 0 - 1 - 1
        // ***** Problem is here, in these next two if's where I want to set different speeds for each steeper *****
        } else if ( Left < 10 && Center > 1000 && Right > 1000 ) {
            Stepper_SetSpeed(    LEFT_ENGINE,        MIN_SPEED );
            Stepper_Step(         LEFT_ENGINE,         STEP );
            Stepper_SetSpeed(    RIGHT_ENGINE,        MAX_SPEED );
            Stepper_Step(         RIGHT_ENGINE,     STEP );
        // RIGHT 1 - 1 - 0
        } else if ( Left > 1000 && Center > 1000 && Right < 10 ) {
            AppLed_SetState( 0, 0 ); AppLed_SetState( 1, 1 ); AppLed_SetState( 2, 1 );
            Stepper_SetSpeed(    LEFT_ENGINE,        MAX_SPEED );
            Stepper_Step(         LEFT_ENGINE,         STEP );
            Stepper_SetSpeed(    RIGHT_ENGINE,        MIN_SPEED );
            Stepper_Step(         RIGHT_ENGINE,     STEP );
        } else {
            Stepper_SetActive( 0, 0 );
            Stepper_SetActive( 1, 0 );
        }
    }
}

Also, is it possible to send OSC commands via C language? If so how? And should I use the Sleep(value) after each stepper instruction? So it can execute each stepper instruction before next one?

Thank you very much for your time.
Regards, Cleon

I am not running two steppers, just one. But one thing I found is that when I set a stepper inactive it does not remember what its settings were. (they reset to the default)

The way I inactiveate the stepper (which is important because it draws 2x the current while holding a position than it does while stepping) is to set the duty cycle to 0.

Give that a shot I think it will help.

Tim

Hi Tim,

Thank you for the tip, I will give it a try and post results.

Regards,
Cleon

Hello again,

Previously Tim Broyles wrote:

><p>I am not running two steppers, just one. But one thing I found is that when I set a stepper inactive it does not remember what its settings were. (they reset to the default)<p>
><p>The way I inactiveate the stepper (which is important because it draws 2x the current while holding a position than it does while stepping) is to set the duty cycle to 0.<p>
><p><p>
><p>Give that a shot I think it will help.<p>
><p><p>
><p>Tim<p>
><blockquote>

Tim, I also notice that when I use active 0 to "stop" them they lost everything, it's like a reset (indirectly). How did you find that it draws 2x the current? Did you check with a multimeter if it really draws 2x the current? I'm asking this because sometimes I will need to stop the robot in the middle of a ramp and I can not set duty to 0 but I was thinking in setting the duty to half the value to compensate!?!?. I will test it tomorrow and post results. Thank you. Regards, Cleon