PAROL6 control board

drawing

Introduction

The PAROL6 control board is the advanced 32-bit controller for 6 AXES robotic arms like PAROL6. It works out of the box with PAROL6 and PAROL6 commander software.

To use PAROL6 robotic arm you will need a PAROL6 control board. The PAROL6 control board is a compact robotic controller. It is by size a little bigger than a pack of playing cards. It allows PAROL6 to be a really small and portable robot without the need for a control cabinet that is usually the size of the whole robot.

Features

drawing

Hardware specs


Processor	STM32F446RE
Processor features	Arm Cortex-M4 core with DSP and FPU, 512 Kbytes of Flash memory, 180 MHz CPU, ART Accelerator
Communication interfaces	2 x CAN bus (CAN2 transceiver is not soldered), 1 x USB
Stepper drivers	TMC5160
Stepper drivers features	SPI comms, 10-35V, 3A max, protection features
Inputs	2 x ISOLATED
Ouputs	2 x ISOLATED, 0.5A current output
Estop input	Dedicated pin on MCU for ESTOP interrupt, 2 ESTOP connections on control board
Additional memory	W25Q64FV, SPI, 64Mb
Programming interface	JTAG
Cooling fan connection	5V cooling fan
Connection for smart power button

Operating limits


Power supply	18V minimal, 24V maximal voltage
Stepper drivers	Rated current 2.5A, maximal current 3.6A (Short burst or extreme cooling)
Temperature	xx stepper driver temperature warrning, xx temperature error
Isolated Inputs voltage	24V nominal voltage, min 12V max 50V
Isolated Outputs voltage	Max 48V
Isolated Inputs current
Isolated Outputs current	Max 1A
Fuse	Fuse is used for outputs if used in NON ISOLATED MOD; 2A fuse
Cooling fan	Maximal allowed current draw for cooling fan is 0.3A

Physical properties

Dimensions

Note

Dimensions are in millimeters!

drawing

Mounting

3 Holes located on PAROL6 control board are used to mount the PCB. Use M3 screws!

Cooling

Stepper drivers need cooling. It can be done with nocuta fan or any other 5V tolerant fan that fits the robot. In case of PAROL6 the fan needs to be of these dimensions: 40x40x20

Keep fan current draw around 0.1 A. Do not go over 0.3 A.

3D models

Connections

drawing

Connectors

24 power connector on PAROL6 control board is XT30 MALE connector.
Connector for cooling fan on PAROL6 control is 3 pin 2.54 pitch
Connector for power on/off button on PAROL6 control is JST B4B-PH-SM4-TB(LF)(SN)
Connector for USB on PAROL6 control is USB female type B
Connector for programming adapter is 2 row x 5 pin 2.54 pitch

Pin definitions

TIP

Even tho pins are named PUL1-PUL6 that does not mean they are
connected to that joint of the robot! Follow the connection plan below for
real connections!

Connections:

    #define PUL1 PC6 ---> Controls Joint 1, PULS pin of stepper driver
    #define PUL2 PA10 --> Controls Joint 5, PULS pin of stepper driver
    #define PUL3 PC0 ---> Controls Joint 6, PULS pin of stepper driver
    #define PUL4 PC3 ---> Controls Joint 4, PULS pin of stepper driver
    #define PUL5 PC9 ---> Controls Joint 3, PULS pin of stepper driver
    #define PUL6 PC5 ---> Controls Joint 2, PULS pin of stepper driver

    #define DIR1 PB15 --> Controls Joint 1, DIR pin of stepper driver
    #define DIR2 PA1 ---> Controls Joint 5, DIR pin of stepper driver
    #define DIR3 PC1 ---> Controls Joint 6, DIR pin of stepper driver
    #define DIR4 PA0 ---> Controls Joint 4, DIR pin of stepper driver
    #define DIR5 PA8 ---> Controls Joint 3, DIR pin of stepper driver
    #define DIR6 PB1 ---> Controls Joint 2, DIR pin of stepper driver

    #define LIMIT1 PC12 ---> Connected to Limit 1 on PAROL6 control board
    #define LIMIT2 PB3  ---> Connected to Limit 2 on PAROL6 control board
    #define LIMIT3 PA15 ---> Connected to Limit 3 on PAROL6 control board
    #define LIMIT4 PD2  ---> Connected to Limit 4 on PAROL6 control board
    #define LIMIT5 PB4  ---> Connected to Limit 5 on PAROL6 control board
    #define LIMIT6 PC11 ---> Connected to Limit 6 on PAROL6 control board

    #define SELECT1 PC7  ---> Controls Joint 1, Select pin of stepper driver
    #define SELECT2 PA9  ---> Controls Joint 5, Select pin of stepper driver
    #define SELECT3 PC15 ---> Controls Joint 6, Select pin of stepper driver
    #define SELECT4 PC2  ---> Controls Joint 4, Select pin of stepper driver
    #define SELECT5 PC8  ---> Controls Joint 3, Select pin of stepper driver
    #define SELECT6 PC4  ---> Controls Joint 2, Select pin of stepper driver

    #define GLOBAL_ENABLE PA3  --> Connected to ENABLE pins of all stepper drivers.

    #define MISO PA6    --> SPI MISO; connected to all 6 stepper drivers and flash memory
    #define MOSI PA7    --> SPI MOSI; connected to all 6 stepper drivers and flash memory
    #define SCK PA5     --> SPI SCK; connected to all 6 stepper drivers and flash memory
    #define FLASH_SELECT PA4 --> Chip select pin of the flash memory

    #define LED1 PB2  --> LED1 on PCB
    #define LED2 PB10 --> LED2 on PCB

    #define SUPPLY_ON_OFF PC10 --> Connected to power button connector, turns on/off power fet
    #define SUPPLY_BUTTON_STATE PC14  --> Connected to power button connector, reads state of the button

    #define INPUT1 PB6      --> Connected to IN1 pins on the side of the board
    #define INPUT2 PB5      --> Connected to IN2 pins on the side of the board

    #define OUTPUT1 PC13    --> Connected to OUT2 pins on the side of the board
    #define OUTPUT2 PB7     --> Connected to OUT2 pins on the side of the board

    #define ESTOP PB14 --> Connected to ESTOP pins on the side of the board

    #define VBUS PB0   --> Reads voltage of the power supply voltage

    #define USB_D_PLUS  PA12 --> USB pins
    #define USB_D_MINUS PA11 --> USB pins

    #define CAN1TX PB9      --> CAN channel 1
    #define CAN1RX PB8      --> CAN channel 1

    #define CAN2TX PB13     --> CAN channel 2
    #define CAN2RX PB12     --> CAN channel 2

Stepper driver

Please use stepper drivers that are listed in the BOM. In case you dont buy them from source robotics website you will need to do few modifications to them:

Remove 2 diag pins
Apply thermal cement to attach the heatsink (Link to cement is in the BOM)

Danger

ONLY USE STEP STICK THAT ARE SPECIFIED IN THE BOM!
Failing to do so will destroy your PAROL6 control board!

Warrning

YOU NEED TO SECURE HEATSINK TO STEPPER DRIVER WITH TERMAL CEMENT!
Failing to do so will destroy your PAROL6 control board!

Stepper driver orientation

Stepper drivers need to be placed with respect to this diagram to the PAROL6 control board!
Stepper drivers orientation can be recognised by 2 diagnostic pins!

Warrning

Some stepper drivers have diag pins soldered. If they are soldered you NEED to remove them!
If diag pins are on the PCB they are blocked by the capacitors on PAROL6 PCB, and you cant place the modules in.

drawing

Info

DIAG PINS SHOULD FOLLOW RED ARROWS ON THE IMAGE BELLOW!!

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How to upload code

Microcontroller on PAROL6 control board is STM32F446RE. To upload code you need to use STlink device and connect it dedicated CLK, SWDIO, 3V3 and GND pins. You can use jumper cables or dedicated stlink + cable assembly.

Danger

Only use one of those 2 methods to program PAROL6 control board! Connecting STlink with a cable wihout adapter WILL KILL YOUR BOARD!

Wiring PAROL6 control board

You need to follow this diagram to wire your PAROL6 robot arm to PAROL6 control board.

drawing

After sucesssful wiring of the robot it should look something like this.

Limit switches to 24V and signal. Inductive sensors to 24V, GND and signal.

drawing

PCB revision history

Latest version of PAROL6 PCB is: V1.2