SimuCUBE Firmware User Guide - Revision history

Mtakala at 11:34, 30 May 2019

2019-05-30T11:34:28Z

Mtakala: /* Steps to verify before starting */

2019-01-28T19:23:20Z

‎Steps to verify before starting

Mtakala: /* Hardware Set-up Tab: */

2018-10-10T15:52:27Z

‎Hardware Set-up Tab:

Mtakala: /* Hardware Set-up Tab: */

2018-07-09T11:18:42Z

‎Hardware Set-up Tab:

Mtakala: /* Update Firmware */

2018-07-09T11:00:18Z

‎Update Firmware

Mtakala at 09:09, 4 June 2018

2018-06-04T09:09:08Z

Mtakala: /* Steps to verify before starting */

2018-06-04T09:06:57Z

‎Steps to verify before starting

Mtakala: /* Steps to verify before starting */

2018-06-04T08:55:25Z

‎Steps to verify before starting

Mtakala at 08:35, 4 June 2018

2018-06-04T08:35:01Z

Mtakala: /* Steps to verify before starting */

2018-06-03T20:41:46Z

‎Steps to verify before starting

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 |}
 The Firmware and this Guide are both work in progress, please make sure that you are using the '''latest version''' of the guide, which is posted on our wiki site.
 == Notes and Warnings ==

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 === Steps to verify before starting ===
-The following settings must be done, before updating to SimuCUBE firmware. Connect to drive via [[Granity]], and then
+The following settings must be done, before updating to SimuCUBE firmware, to get the most easy upgrade. Note, that these only concern those that already use the third-party MMOS firmware.
 * Check that SMO value (SM Bus Address Offset), found on the Goals tab, is 0. If not, change it to 0.
 * Check that you have NOT enabled any homing function in the IONI drive settings.

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 '''Encoder Counts Per Revolution'''<blockquote>Indicates your encoder point count based on the settings provided to the IONI drive.</blockquote>
 '''Indexing Mode'''<blockquote>The indexing mode is determined at the time of Configuring the motor, encoder, and index.</blockquote>
-<blockquote>''Index in reference to the phasing:''
+<blockquote>''Index in reference to the phasing:'' (note: this is notified as "Automatic Indexing in some firmware versions)
 This mode sets the index point to where the wheel is positioned '''after '''phasing and requires no user action for the wheel to be used in game after turning on the SimuCUBE. An offset to this index point is set during the motor configuration wizard setup. Using this mode will cause the wheel to index "off center" if not positioned approximately straight before phasing. This form of Indexing will work with all servo types and supported encoders, please see technical notes below for issues and how to fix them.</blockquote><div style="margin-left:0.953cm;margin-right:0cm;"><blockquote>''Technical Notes (phasing index)'' - This form of indexing is accomplished due to phasing of the servo/stepper motor always beginning and ending in the same location within magnetic pole quadrant. If you find that the servo is not correctly centering consistently via this method your wheel is attached where the center position falls on or near a boundary between pole quadrants causing phasing to start in either quadrant. When this happens the phasing may finish in the wrong quadrant based on the position of the wheel before phasing which will cause the index to be offset from center. To correct for this and make sure your wheel phases in the correct manner the wheel must be slightly nudged off center before phasing into the quadrant that correctly phases center. To determine this you will need to determine where your wheel is positioned before phasing and then nudge the wheel to one side of center or the other depending on which side pole quadrant phases as center.</blockquote><blockquote>Higher pole count servos/steppers are more likely to experience this boundary position issue.</blockquote><blockquote>This form of indexing works regardless of the position of the physical index point of your encoder so it will work with encoders that do not have indexing capability.</blockquote></div>
 <blockquote>''Index in reference to encoder:''

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 === Hardware Set-up Tab: ===
-'''Encoder Counts Per Revolution'''<blockquote>Indicates your encoder point count based on the settings provided to the IONI drive.</blockquote>'''Indexing Mode'''<blockquote>The indexing mode is determined at the time of Configuring the motor, encoder, and index.</blockquote><blockquote>''Index in reference to the phasing:'' This mode sets the index point to where the wheel is positioned '''after '''phasing and requires no user action for the wheel to be used in game after turning on the SimuCUBE. An offset to this index point is set during the motor configuration wizard setup. Using this mode will cause the wheel to index "off center" if not positioned approximately straight before phasing. This form of Indexing will work with all servo types and supported encoders, please see technical notes below for issues and how to fix them.</blockquote><div style="margin-left:0.953cm;margin-right:0cm;"><blockquote>''Technical Notes (phasing index)'' - This form of indexing is accomplished due to phasing of the servo/stepper motor always beginning and ending in the same location within magnetic pole quadrant. If you find that the servo is not correctly centering consistently via this method your wheel is attached where the center position falls on or near a boundary between pole quadrants causing phasing to start in either quadrant. When this happens the phasing may finish in the wrong quadrant based on the position of the wheel before phasing which will cause the index to be offset from center. To correct for this and make sure your wheel phases in the correct manner the wheel must be slightly nudged off center before phasing into the quadrant that correctly phases center. To determine this you will need to determine where your wheel is positioned before phasing and then nudge the wheel to one side of center or the other depending on which side pole quadrant phases as center.</blockquote><blockquote>Higher pole count servos/steppers are more likely to experience this boundary position issue.</blockquote><blockquote>This form of indexing works regardless of the position of the physical index point of your encoder so it will work with encoders that do not have indexing capability.</blockquote></div><blockquote>''Index in reference to encoder:'' This mode indexes to the encoder index location when the wheel is centered. When using this style of indexing the wheel must be rotated past the encoder index point after phasing for the centerpoint to be recognized. Generally turning the wheel left and right 180 degrees will cross the index point. Using this index method will always result in the wheel being indexed straight. Turning the wheel past the index point is absolutely required with SimuCUBE open source firmware, as the IONI drive does not detect the index point while phasing. If audible notification beeps is are enabled, you will hear a beep when the wheel crosses index point. A visual indicator (LED) on the SimuCUBE board lights up after phasing and goes out when index point has been found only when this centering mode is set up via the motor configuration wizard.</blockquote>'''Maximum Motor Current''' <blockquote>Indicates the amperage provided to your motor (MMC) based on the settings provided to the IONI drive.</blockquote>
+'''Encoder Counts Per Revolution'''<blockquote>Indicates your encoder point count based on the settings provided to the IONI drive.</blockquote>
 ====Bumbstop Effect====
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 '''Centering Spring Strength'''<blockquote>This controls the strength of the centering spring, when the wheel is at -450 or +450 degrees of rotation. You can set the force at this point to maximum of 200%, which would mean that the maximum centering force is reached already at -225 or +225 degrees.</blockquote>
 '''Saturation'''<blockquote>This controls the maximum force that the centering spring produces. By using this value, you can adjust very sharply centering wheel (via the Strength setting), but with ultimate force limited to this saturation torque percentage.</blockquote>
 ====  Configure Motor, Encoder, and Centerpoint button ====
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 ===== Step 2: Select Indexing Point =====
 <blockquote>'''Automatic Indexing''' - Sets index immediately upon phasing completion. Please see ''Index in reference to the phasing'' section in the Hardware Settings / Indexing Mode section of this guide for a full explanation of how this index method works.</blockquote><blockquote>'''Manual Indexing''' - Sets index after you turn the wheel past the physical encoder index point. Please see ''Index in reference to encoder ''section in the Hardware Settings / Indexing Mode section of this guide for a full explanation of how this index method works.</blockquote>
 ===== Step 3: Motor Initialization =====

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 ====  Update Firmware ====
-<blockquote>This button starts the Firmware Update Wizard which will place the SimuCUBE in update mode and install the firmware. This will also automatically update the IONI to the latest firmware once installed. ''(please see “Firmware Installation:” under Installation of SimuCUBE Bootloader and Firmware''' - '''for more information)''</blockquote><blockquote>When there is an firmware update, the new version will be shipped as a new zip file, and the configuration tool from the new version should be used to update firmware.</blockquote><div style="margin-left:0.953cm;margin-right:0cm;"></div>
+<blockquote>This button starts the Firmware Update Wizard which will place the SimuCUBE in update mode and install the firmware. ''(please see “Firmware Installation:” under Installation of SimuCUBE Bootloader and Firmware''' - '''for more information)''</blockquote><blockquote>When there is an firmware update, the new version will be shipped as a new zip file, and the configuration tool from the new version should be used to update firmware.</blockquote><div style="margin-left:0.953cm;margin-right:0cm;"></div>
 === Advanced Tab: ===

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 ** If any changes had to be made, save settigns to drive, and restart drive.
 * Please make sure the drive has been updated to at least IONI firmware version 1.6.1 (version code 10601) or later. Earlier IONI firmware versions lack the support for automatic firmware update mechanism that SimuCUBE firmware utilizes.
-** If your installed IONI Fimware is prior to the one listed above then you must update the IONI firmware manually using [[Granity]]. ''(see Troubleshooting: Granity Related Errors #1)''
+** If your installed IONI Fimware is prior to the one listed above then you must update the IONI firmware manually using [[Granity]]. ''(see Troubleshooting: #1 Automatic IONI Firmware update fails)''
 === Bootloader Installation ===

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 == Installation of SimuCUBE Bootloader and Firmware ==
-=== Bootloader Installation ===
+=== Steps to verify before starting ===
-−
-This step must be done only if you (or your retailer) have '''NOT''' previously installed a SimuCUBE bootloader. If you have a system with MMOS Drive Firmware installed start at step #1, If you have a NEW SimuCUBE purchased direct from Granite Devices or from a retailer that does not install firmware the device should be in DFU mode and you can start at step #3. If the SimuCUBE is not in DFU and MMOS is not installed you will need to manually enable DFU mode by using the #CASE C  method described in the "Setting SimuCUBE into Device Firmware Mode (DFU)" section of the [[Installing MMos firmware into SimuCUBE]] page.
-−
-==== Steps to verify before starting ====
 The following settings must be done, before updating to SimuCUBE firmware.
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 * Please make sure the drive has been updated to at least IONI firmware version 1.6.1 (version code 10601) or later. Earlier IONI firmware versions lack the support for automatic firmware update mechanism that SimuCUBE firmware utilizes.
 ** If your installed IONI Fimware is prior to the one listed above then you must update the IONI firmware manually using [[Granity]]. ''(see Troubleshooting: Granity Related Errors #1)''
 ==== Actual Bootloader Installation ====