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Linking Propellers to other Propellers and sensors — Parallax Forums

Linking Propellers to other Propellers and sensors

AImanAIman Posts: 531
edited 2014-05-29 20:35 in Propeller 1
I am working on a long term project for a small tractor and need to gather some basic information so I can steer myself around problems.

The project is most likely going to need to use a couple of propellers and as such wanted to know if any type of propeller chip was better than another, heating and cooling concerns and vibration concerns.

Also the project will integrate several different types of sensors as well as motor controllers and thermistors. These include PIR, IR, Sonar, a data logger, and a laser range finder (possibly the one Parallax offers for $350 but not sure if making my own is the better way yet).

An encoder has already been designed and it looks like the IR transmitter receiver package from Parallax may be fast enough to work. However that remains to be tested as questions about refinement of the beam remain.

Data recorded must include internal and external tempuratures, distances to objects, distances of each wheel traveled, time stamps and error capturing.

No decision has been made if the motors will by hydraulic or electric and no decision has been made if linear actuators or hydrualics are the best way to go for the movement of the plow.

Does anyone have any comments they can share pertaining to pitfalls using any of these sensors, linking Propellers or data logging any of this information?

Comments

  • ErNaErNa Posts: 1,752
    edited 2014-05-29 11:17
    Hi Alman, could you give some more details: what does "small" mean, will this tractor be autonomous, or hand guides, The motor will be combustion motor? The project looks interesting
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2014-05-29 20:35
    AIman wrote: »
    I am working on a long term project for a small tractor and need to gather some basic information so I can steer myself around problems.

    The project is most likely going to need to use a couple of propellers and as such wanted to know if any type of propeller chip was better than another, heating and cooling concerns and vibration concerns.

    There is only one propeller chip, but it does come in 3 packages if that's what you mean. For vibration resistance my guess would be the QFN/QFP would be better due to it's smaller mass, and the dip would dissipate heat better, but it's just a guess.
    Also the project will integrate several different types of sensors as well as motor controllers and thermistors. These include PIR, IR, Sonar, a data logger, and a laser range finder (possibly the one Parallax offers for $350 but not sure if making my own is the better way yet).

    IR and sonar may be a problem due to the mechanical noise of the tractor.
    An encoder has already been designed and it looks like the IR transmitter receiver package from Parallax may be fast enough to work. However that remains to be tested as questions about refinement of the beam remain.

    Data recorded must include internal and external tempuratures, distances to objects, distances of each wheel traveled, time stamps and error capturing.

    Sensor data logging has been done in many forum projects so no problems there.
    No decision has been made if the motors will by hydraulic or electric and no decision has been made if linear actuators or hydrualics are the best way to go for the movement of the plow.

    Does anyone have any comments they can share pertaining to pitfalls using any of these sensors, linking Propellers or data logging any of this information?

    If you are going to use hydraulics you might as well use it for the motors and plow movements to keep electrical noise down.
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