MCP236 Dual 30A, 60VDC Advanced Motor Controller

Description

The MCP motor controllers from Basicmicro (formerly Ion Motion Control) can control a pair of brushed DC motors using USB serial, TTL serial, RS-232 serial, CAN bus, RC, or analog inputs. Integrated dual quadrature decoders make it easy to create a closed-loop speed control system, and advanced features including internal scripting support and user-configurable I/O make it suitable for standalone applications. This version can supply a continuous 30 A per channel at voltages from 10 V to 60 V . Each MCP motor controller has a USB interface that acts as a virtual serial (COM) port, allowing it to be controlled directly from a computer, and it features built-in commands for controlling acceleration, deceleration, distance, speed, voltage and current limits, and more. Several other interface modes are supported by the MCP as well: it can be controlled via TTL serial, RS-232 serial, or CAN bus (using the CANopen protocol) for use with an embedded or industrial system; RC hobby servo pulses for use as an RC-controlled electronic speed control (ESC); or analog voltages for use with potentiometers or analog joysticks. The MCP features an internal user scripting system and user-configurable I/O pins that allows it to be used as a standalone controller, eliminating the need for an additional processor in many situations. It can be operated without feedback for open-loop speed control, or it can be used with a variety of feedback types for closed-loop speed or position control. A wide range of closed-loop sensors are supported, including quadrature encoders, analog encoders, and potentiometers. The MCP incorporates several protection features including temperature, current, over-voltage, and under-voltage limits. Several user-definable settings such as a maximum current limit and battery voltage limits are provided for more refined control. The controller uses regenerative braking but can be configured with a voltage clamp circuits to limit the regenerative voltage when used with switching power supplies. The Basicmicro VClamp is a voltage clamp specifically designed to work with the RoboClaw and MCP to suppress such voltage spikes and is rated for use with supplies up to 60 V and currents up to 60 A. Note: As of May 2023, the MCP controllers no longer support bridging the two channels to control a single higher-current motor. The MCP236 operates from 10 V to 60 V and can deliver a typical continuous output current of 30 A per channel. It has a USB Mini-B connector and a female DA-15 connector (sometimes called DB-15) for control, feedback, and user I/O. Up to 6 user inputs are available, all of which can be configured as analog, PWM, or digital inputs. 2 user outputs are available; these are open-drain (they can drive low to sink up to 3 A or be set to high impedance) and are 40 V tolerant.