Trouble connecting SES Arm with Tri-Track Chassis

Lynxmotion Robot Arms
1

I purchased the SES and Tri-Track and was under the impression that they worked together and that I didn’t need any additional parts. Is this true?

The arm is mounted on the chassis but I cannot figure out how to wire the chassis motors to the SSC-32 board. I’ve been referred to the 4WD tutorial, but it doesn’t seem like it gives me the directions that I need. Will there ever be an arm/chassis tutorial?

A little bit of background, I plan on having the robot controlled by computer (not RC) thru bluetooth, although it is on a serial connection for the time being.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

2

is your question how to connect the dc motors to the ssc-32? my guess is you are missing the motor controller. look at figure 20 on this page lynxmotion.com/images/html/build115.htm where it shows hooking up the motors. the servo inputs to that controller come from the ssc-32.

3

So, I have to buy the Sabertooth board and use that as a “middleman” between the motors and SSC-32?

4

I guess that is a way of putting it :slight_smile:

really though the ssc-32 is just a controller that translates commands into control signals used by hobby servos. the big difference between a servo and a straight dc motor (like for the tracks) is the driver for the dc motor in a servo is also built into the servo. the more sophisticated the driver the more costly the servo. for example the HS-645 has the same motor and gear train as an HS-5645 but the HS-5645 has a much more advanced controller (called a digital servo because it has a microcontroller in it) so it performs faster, gets more performance out of the motor, and does so with better accuracy.

In your case the sabertooth is the driver needed to make the dc motors on the track operate. fortunately it is a pretty sophisticated driver so it does a good job, like the digital servos. based on the list of stuff in a full jonny 5 combo kit it looks like you need a 2x5 r/c, part number DE-10.
lynxmotion.com/Product.aspx?productID=572&CategoryID=10
(ref. lynxmotion.com/Product.aspx?productID=592&CategoryID=103)

5

Thanks for the info. I wish I had known that when I originally ordered the arm and track chassis. It didn’t seem that apparent to me that there was a second card needed to make it all work.

I wonder if there is a chance that instructions specifically geared towards the arm/chassis combination will be posted. I can probably figure it out, but it would be nice to have documentation from people who have already done it.

Also, does the addition of the sabertooth mean that the dc motors on the track chassis will operate with the same accuracy as the servos on the arm?

6

You can also control the Sabertooth directly from the Basic Atom (SERVO or PULSOUT commands) or Atom PRO (SERVO, PULSOUT, or HSERVO commands). Depending on which Sabertooth model you get (R/C or the more expensive one) you get. The more expensive Regenerative model has many more ways to control it, including standard R/C servo control.

I always go for the more expensive one because I like having more options and things to tinker with, and hate limitations. :slight_smile: Right now I am working with a Sabertooth 2X5 Regenerative Dual Channel Motor Controller on my W.A.L.T.E.R. robot. I have not yet begun to try the additional control modes my Sabertooth has. My next motor controller will be a Sabertooth 2X10 Regenerative Dual Channel Motor Controller. All models of the Sabertooth motor controllers support standard R/C servo type control.

8-Dale