ACMERebootAndCalibration < Imager

---+Starting and Calibrating ACME

If <a href="%PUBURL%/%WEB%/ActiveMeasurementFacility/ACMEkiewa.jpg">kiewa</a> has been rebooted, then the motion controller card will have been reset, which means that the gantry and linear stages will have to be recalibrated. Log in to kiewa, and then do the following:

   * Run
     <verbatim>
     % /usr/bin/rtpatch
     </verbatim>
     This makes real-time Solaris extensions callable by regular users.

   * Turn off the gantry/stage power by hitting the red button on the
     big <a href="%PUBURL%/%WEB%/ActiveMeasurementFacility/ACMEPowerBox.jpg">power box</a> (which
     connects to the controller rack through a long grey cable).

   * Run
     <verbatim>
     % acmeboot
     </verbatim>
     The program will ask if you know what you're doing; enter "yes".

   * Make sure the <a href="%PUBURL%/%WEB%/ActiveMeasurementFacility/ACMEGantry.jpg">gantry</a> x
     axis (long side of the frame) is about 200 mm from its most negative
     direction of travel. You can position it by hand by manually
     turning the axle (this is the long spline that runs across the
     gantry at the positive end of the x axis).

   * Turn on the gantry/stage power by hitting the yellow button on the
     big <a href="%PUBURL%/%WEB%/ActiveMeasurementFacility/ACMEPowerBox.jpg">power box</a>. The
     pan/tilt head will move briefly as it autocalibrates; wait for this
     to stop.

   * Run 
     <verbatim>
     % acmehome
     </verbatim>
     This will move the gantry z first, then gantry y, then a few
     other joints in the test station, linear stage, and gantry.
     The process takes a few minutes, and should produce a bunch 
     of output that looks like this:
     <verbatim>     
          HOME: gantry-Z
          start: chan2: mode=1 setp=+00000041 curp=+00000041 maxerr=0000
          search:chan2: mode=1 setp=+00001229 curp=+00001323 maxerr=0000
          switch:chan2: mode=1 setp=-00104294 curp=-00104143 maxerr=0000
          zero:  chan2: mode=1 setp=-00099421 curp=-00099284 maxerr=0000
          home:  chan2: mode=1 setp=+00000000 curp=-00000023 maxerr=0121
          HOME: gantry-Y
          start: chan1: mode=1 setp=-00000001 curp=-00000001 maxerr=0000
          search:chan1: mode=1 setp=-00010005 curp=-00010005 maxerr=0000

           ...
    </verbatim>
    finishing with 
    <verbatim>
          HeadCfg: max step: 1000, start: 1000, accel: 16, power: 20
          GPA
          Moving to joint values:
          -757.057   67.030 -150.385 -180.000   -0.000
    </verbatim>
    Sometimes, the calibration process will bail out prematurely, with
    a message like
    <verbatim>
          stageX not homed
    </verbatim>
    If this happens, try calibrating again. If the problem repeats, it
    may be that the amps in the controller rack need to be power
    cycled. To do this, halt =kiewa= first (=kiewa= is connected to the
    rack). The proper way to halt =kiewa= is with the =/etc/halt= command,
    but you need an admin to do this. Otherwise, run =sync= a few
    times from the keyboard and then power cycle the rack using the
    switch on the bottom panel. Do not power off =kiewa= separately (a
    <a href="%PUBURL%/%WEB%/ActiveMeasurementFacility/ACMEkiewa.jpg">sign</a> on =kiewa= will remind you of this).



-- Main.WolfgangHeidrich - 24 Nov 2005


---++Dealing with calibration problems

These procedures are not guaranteed to work, but they have done so in the past. Lubricating the parts (especially the rotation stage) and removing dust every now and again should help too.

If the gantry rotation has trouble with the auto-calibration, it may do a full revolution when you power up (it usually rotates by about pi/2). The triclops cables will need to be unplugged in this case.

---+++++stage2 not homed
This culprit in this case is the gantry z-axis. There is an impedance sensor on it to detect when it has moved all the way to the top of its travel range (see attached image). There is a yellow light in the sensor (where the wire enters) which comes on when the marker on the drive belt is sufficiently close to the tip. This should _not_ be on while the gantry is sitting ilde waiting for you to issue the _acmehome_ command. Loosen the nut and tilt the tip of the sensor as far upwards as you can. When you fasten the nut again, the light should go off. Try _acmehome_ again.

---+++++stage3 not homed
This is the linear stage. Power cycling kiewa seems to do the trick.


-- Main.BradAtcheson - 16 Dec 2006
Attachments
Topic attachments
I	Attachment	History	Action	Size	Date	Who	Comment
jpg	z-axis-sensor.jpg	r1	manage	152.0 K	2006-12-16 - 22:43	BradAtcheson	z-axis impedance sensor
This topic: Imager > WebHome > PsmSpace > ActiveMeasurementFacility > ACMERebootAndCalibration
Topic revision: r4 - 2006-12-20 - BradAtcheson