Adjustment and Maintenance
4
4.5. DROPPER CONTROLLER
The dropper controller is a flexible control circuit
(programmable servo
controller) that can direct the motor to servo the cart (and test mass) to a
specified height in the dropping chamber using a rotary shaft encoder, or to a
specific velocity, again using the shaft encoder. The controller can also direct
the motor to track the test mass during free-fall using the sphere detector
system.
The dropper controller board uses an EPROM to allow control over the motor
drive signal sources (the shaft encoder and the sphere detector), as well as
programmable offsets (command voltages) for each servo mode. This
EPROM also controls the state-machine clock source, clearing the state-
machine counter, and clearing the shaft encoder.
A second EPROM holds a programmable comparator level used for the
setting of trigger and hold points within the dropping chamber. One bit of
the second EPROM is also used to control the time-out circuitry (a safe-guard
that protects the motor and the test apparatus).
Eight bits address the two EPROM’s, giving a total of 256 programmable
states. One bit is reserved for a fail/standby state, reducing the system to 128
non-standby states. These remaining states are subdivided into modes
defined using three bits of latched data (a total possibility of eight modes).
Each mode can have an associated four-bit state-machine cycle (sixteen
possible states). A counter which can be clocked by an external signal (the
computer), by a window comparator level, or by a programmable reference
level in the dropping chamber controls the latter four bits. These clock
choices are stored in the first EPROM.
4-35
This architecture allows flexibility to program many different modes of
operation. Each mode can be associated with a programmable cyclic state-
machine. The circuitry also allows programmable digital set points for
Summary of Contents for FG5
Page 22: ...Design Components and Function 2 Figure 2 10 The Superspring 2 14 ...
Page 31: ...Design Components and Function 2 Figure 2 13 Rotation Monitor 2 23 ...
Page 32: ......
Page 42: ...How to Set Up and Run the FG5 3 3 10 ...
Page 44: ...How to Set Up and Run the FG5 3 Figure 3 2 V Post 3 12 ...
Page 53: ...How to Set Up and Run the FG5 3 1 Backup the data 2 Shut off computer power 3 21 ...
Page 87: ...Adjustment and Maintenance 4 4 29 ...
Page 91: ...Adjustment and Maintenance 4 4 33 ...
Page 104: ...Troubleshooting 5 5 2 ...
Page 117: ...Troubleshooting 5 5 15 ...
Page 131: ...Checklists and Logs Appendix D 9 3 ...
Page 140: ...Checklists and Logs Appendix D Table 9 6 Replacing Drive Belt 9 12 ...
Page 145: ...Checklists and Logs Appendix D Table 9 10 Replace Linear Bearings 9 17 ...
Page 149: ...Checklists and Logs Appendix D Table 9 13 Replace Shaft Encoder 9 21 ...