WAM Tensioning Procedure

Download the instructions for the Wrist Tensioning Procedure

The btclient/src/btutil/btutil application is a utility that provides the following functions:

  • Enumerate the controllers on the CAN bus (-e)
  • Find the motor offsets (-f <id>)
  • Get the values of several key puck properties (-g <id>)
  • Reset several puck properties to their defaults (-p <id> -l <id>)
  • Tension a cable circuit (-t <id>)
  • Download BarrettHand firmware (-b)
  • Download new puck firmware (-f <file> -d <id>)

Before running the btutil application, please make sure the WAM's power is turned on and the controllers are powered on by pressing Shift-Idle on the control pendant.

Tensioning the motor 1 cable circuit

Move J1 to its negative joint limit

./btutil -t 1

Press <Enter> until a small torque is applied against the joint stop.

Move J1 away from its joint stop until you hear two clicks of the autotensioner tang. The joint should now be pushing against the tang with a small torque, about 20 degrees away from the joint limit.

Press <Enter> to apply the appropriate amount of torque to tension the cable.

Note the number of encoder counts of cable taken up by the tensioning procedure.

Work the tension into the cable by moving the joint back and forth to each of its joint limits 10 times.

Repeat the tensioning procedure on this joint until the number of encoder counts of cable taken up does not change very much. The counts taken up does not have to go to zero, but the change in counts taken up from one iteration to the next should approach zero.

Tensioning the motor 2 cable circuit

Move J2 to its positive joint limit, move J3 to its negative joint limit

./btutil -t 2

Press <Enter> until a small torque is applied against the joint stop.

Lift J2 away from its joint stop until you hear two clicks of the motor 2 autotensioner tang. The joint should now be pushing against the tang with a small torque, about 20 degrees away from the joint limit.

Press <Enter> to apply the appropriate amount of torque to tension the cable.

Note the number of encoder counts of cable taken up by the tensioning procedure.

Work the tension into the cable by moving the joint back and forth to each of its joint limits 10 times.

Repeat the tensioning procedure on this joint until the number of encoder counts of cable taken up does not change very much. The counts taken up does not have to go to zero, but the change in counts taken up from one iteration to the next should approach zero.

Tensioning the motor 3 cable circuit

Move J2 to its negative joint limit, move (keep) J3 to its negative joint limit

./btutil -t 3

Press <Enter> until a small torque is applied against the joint stop.

Lift J2 from its joint stop until you hear two clicks of the motor 3 autotensioner tang. The joint should now be pushing against the tang with a small torque, about 20 degrees away from the joint limit.

Press <Enter> to apply the appropriate amount of torque to tension the cable.

Note the number of encoder counts of cable taken up by the tensioning procedure.

Work the tension into the cable by moving the joint back and forth to each of its joint limits 10 times.

Repeat the tensioning procedure on this joint until the number of encoder counts of cable taken up does not change very much. The counts taken up does not have to go to zero, but the change in counts taken up from one iteration to the next should approach zero.

Tensioning the motor 4 cable circuit

Move J4 to its negative joint limit

./btutil -t 4

Press <Enter> until a small torque is applied against the joint stop.

Move J4 away from its joint stop until you hear two clicks of the autotensioner tang. The joint should now be pushing against the tang with a small torque, about 20 degrees away from the joint limit.

Press <Enter> to apply the appropriate amount of torque to tension the cable.

Note the number of encoder counts of cable taken up by the tensioning procedure.

Work the tension into the cable by moving the joint back and forth to each of its joint limits 10 times.

Repeat the tensioning procedure on this joint until the number of encoder counts of cable taken up does not change very much. The counts taken up does not have to go to zero, but the change in counts taken up from one iteration to the next should approach zero.

Last modified 13 years ago Last modified on Jun 1, 2011, 12:47:40 PM