Limit switches and encoders

28feb20

Note:
    This page got overwritten 09aug18. I grabbed some older data from  the td.html page before the limitswitch_encoder
info was moved to their own page. i then went through the x101/yymmdd files to find when the encoder limit info was recorded


Limit switch positions/encoder reference:

  Software limits:
The software limits are defined in ~phil/vw/h/tieProg.h. The software will not send a command outside of these. They are rather old and may not correspond to the
current hardware limits. The software limits are defined to be .2 inches inside the software final limits. If you want to measure inside the swPrelimit, you need to use the pcu.

td
swFinalLimit
swPreLimit
12
(22.69,1.43)
(22.49,1.63)
4
(23.24,1.28)
(23.04,1.48)
8
(22.20,1.19)
(22.0,1.39)

 
td hardware limits (encoder inches)
td/date jack
flim
sw final limit  prelimit tapeMeas  inch / bar
(when enc=13")
12
lim to jackend
(.7" , .84")(h,l)170828
(24+,.313)
(24+,.253)

(23.290,1.150)

(23.290,1.150) 23apr12
(23.36,1.2) 04feb09
(23.28,0.86) 14aug06
(23.28,0.86) 17mar06
(23.21,1.19) 04aug03
(22.3576,1.83)  200303
(22.278, 1.780) 170828

(22.278,1.780) 23apr12
(22.92,1.81) 04feb09
(22.461,1.668) 14aug06 lost .3"!!
(22.69,1.57) 17mar06
(22.62,1.9 ) 04aug03
just ran into prelim vw%


28 1/8 (enc=12")23apr12
26 19/16 04feb09
26 3/8" 18mar05


4
saw 2" prelim to jackEnd200303
(24+,.799)

(23.317,1.487) 24sep12   
(23.19,1.37) 13may04
(22.6713,1.957)
(22.78,2.03)  24sep12
( 22.82,2.01) 13may04

bar=11.01 "
8


(23.21,1.19) 30jul03
(22.0, 1.l7836)
(22.498,1.907)170830
(22.5,1.9) 30jul03
hlim is my software lim

25 15/16 18mar05

    There is a pre and final hardware limit switch for the upper limit and the lower limit on each jack. The actions of the limts are:

    We have  measured the location of the jack at the limit positions using the encoder value and a tape measure (see td manual log section for the reference positions). This has also been done at some interim jack positions. If you lose the encoder position (an encoder fails and the jack moves before a new encoder is installed), then these measurements can be used to calibrate the new encoder. This can be done by:
  1. move to a limit position (when the limit switch triggers) and then adjust the encoder to match the last encoder measurement at this position.
  2. Measure the jack position with a tape measure and then interpolate what the encoder position should by using the encoder reading/tape measuremets and the two limits
  3. Move the jack until the tape measure agrees with a miscLocation measurement and then set the encoder position accordingly.
    Using the limit switches is a bit tricky since when they trigger depends on how fast you drive into the limit (you should do it slowly). If you do have to recalibrate an encoder, it is a good idea to remeasure all of the positions (limits,tape, misc) so you can see how close you got to the old position.

    Whenever we survey from AO9, we use the current encoder values to determine how to move the tiedowns. So by definition, after an ao9 survey, the tiedown positions are now correct. This is not quiet true since we have been using the focus curves to determine the focus rather than the ao9 survey value.

The table below has the measured values of the position using encoder and tape measure. Encoder values 24 inches is when the jack is fully retracted (high tension). 0 encoder inches is when the jack if fully extended (low tension).The cols in the table below are:

Note: The computer displays call the limits at 24 encoder inches (high tension) the down limits while the limts at 0 encoder inches are called the upLimits.
 

Bar used to set encoder position:

    An aluminum bar was made in an L shape. It goes from on top of  the center bolt of the jack mount  (on top of cement block)  to the top of the yoke. When the jack yoke is touching the bar, the encoder value is recorded. This lets us change jacks (which are different lengths) and maintain the correct encoder position.
when all the tiedowns are at 10" and there is tension in the cable (say 10 kips) the laser should read

date/jack
encoder
notes
td4-21sep12
11.01 inces
bar on center bolt.
td12 -23apr12
11.692 inches
bar on center bolt, north side (see photos below)

Laser to measure jack position
   
170828 .. and later.. used laser to measure jack position, set encoder. procedure

Measured positions for limits/miscPos using encoder and tape measurements.
date td hardware limits (encoder inches) Limits Tape(hi,lo) MiscLocation 
encoder, tape
03mar20
4
used tape  measure hor bar near top of yoke to base plate
left 124 3/8"   right 124 3/16"  (looking at cabinet).
td at 10",11.397",11.689" , az=181.58,za=5.57
with new jack
124" 1/4   left 124 1/4 " .. so 1/8 " lower than original.. left it that way.
Then measured limit switches (See table above)
just ran into hardware prelimit slowly...


24sep12
4
adjusted  limits1091111 downlim
1047891 24"
jacklim0=.799
jacklim24= +24.. encCnts:1091111    24"= 1047891
finalLim:(23.317,1.487)
prelim:


21sep12
4
installed new jack.Used L bar for encoder.



23apr12
12
jacklim0=.3134 (no tension)
jacklim24=24+ (little tension)
finalLim(23.290,1.150) these changed a bit each time we drove in.
preLim(22.278,1.780)
New jack installed. Used bar to transfer old encoder value to new jack
bar on top of center bolt (north side of jack)
encoder=11.692 (old reading) when bar touches top of yoke
encoder=11.2643 (new reading before encoder adjusted. Difference .428 inches.Could be jack height or encoder moved.

12",28 1/8
04feb09
12
jackLim0=.253    measured by running into end of jack throw (with tension in the cables).
jackLim24=23.998 and still had 1/4 inch before jacklim
finalLim12:(23.36,1.2) preLim(22.92,1.81) full speed motion.

limit switces were way off since the aluminum plate holding the limit switches was mounted incorrectly when the jack was replaced 09jan09 . Readjusted the aluminum plate to give the settings  above.
measured aluminum plate distance before adjusting aluminum plate

13",26 19/16"





13",23 7/8
18mar05 12
4
8
I put all jacks at 13" and then measured the dist from bottom of aluminum plate to top of ridge on jacks (see luis's picture). These look like the old values back in 2001.
13", 26 3/8"
13",27"
13",25 15/16"
17mar05 12 finalLim12:(23.28,0.86 ) preLim(22.69,1.57)
finalLim12:(23.21, 1.19) preLim (22.62, 1.9  ) old values
final limits computed from previous prelim,flim differences.
td 12 jack replaced (see above)


28feb05 4 finalLim4:(23.19,1.37)  preLim(22.82,2.01
Prelim measured, flim computed from old flim and distance change for prelim.

13. , 37 "
13may04 4 finalLim4:(23.24,1.28) preLim:(22.87,1.91)
jacklimLow: went to .057 inches then stopped. Had not hit limt yet. 
jackLimHi: went to 23.875 then stopped. currents started to go up.

13" , 36 15/16"
10may04 4 jack broke, had to replace. this required the encoder to be removed as well as the limits.

06aug03

12
    13" , 35 15/16" 
13" , 36 13/16" 
13" , 36 7/8"
06aug03 4 finalLim4:(23.2,1.2) preLim4:(22.7,x.xx)
jackLim0:went to 0" enc , did not hit end of travel. 
jackLim24: stopped at 23.9998 inches. 
full speed into final limit stopped at 23.26 
full speed into prelimt stopped at 22.77


06aug03 4 rotated limit switches to face away from box. moved mounting bracket for limit switches so previous tape measurements are no longer valid.

04aug03 12 finalLim12:(23.21, 1.19) preLim12:(22.62,1.9)
jackLim0:hit endOf travel a little beyone 0"(enc) 
jackLim24:hit end of travel a little beyond 24"(enc). 
full speed into final limit (no tension) stopped at 1.177 enc 
full speed into prelim (no tension) stopped at 1.7 enc. 
full speed into prelim stopped at 22.72 (enc)
   
30jul03 

 

8 finalLim8:(23.2088, 1.19)  prelimit8:(22.6,1.9)
jackLim0:ran jack to  0" (enc) didn't hit end of travel
jackLim24:ran jack to 24"(enc) didn't end of travel. 
Full speed into prelimit (no tension) cpu stopped within about .2 inches.
   
2003??   replaced all limit switches.Previous limit switch positions no longer valid    

 


24sep01 8 finalLim8:(22.20,1.08)   (13.07, 25 3/4)

4 finalLim4:(22.82, 1.92)   (14.44, 25 1/4)

12 finalLim12:(22.29, 1.85   (14.70, 24 7/8)

 


08feb00 8 finalLim8:(22.20, 1.19)    

4      

12 finalLim12:(22.29, 1.43)    

 


28aug98 8 finalLim8:(21.79 , 1.20) (17       , 37 9/16)  

4 finalLim4:(23.21 , 1.95) (16 5/8, 37 7/8)  

12 finalLim12:(22.14 , 1.52) (17 1/2, 38 1/8)  

    The software limits used to limit the requested positions are .2 inches inside the final limits. They are in the file /home/phil/h/tieProg.h
 
software request position limits.
start date td12 td8 td4
08feb00 (22.29,1.43) (22.87,1.93) (22.20,1.19)
xxx (21.79,1.2) (22.14,1.52) (23.21,1.95)



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