A gearmotor controller that was designed as a valve controller. It operates on 12 V, interfaces to a computer, turns bidirectionally, and uses a low-cost commercially-available gear motor.
Gearmotor controllers are described in this technical report. It covers general design principles and the designs of three specific controllers, including the VC1 design. The first two controllers differ in their logic designs, are intended for quarter-turn ball valves, use the same Grainger gear motor series as the VC1, are unidirectional, and use optical interrupters with a simple plastic disk mounted on the gear-motor shaft to sense opened and closed positions. Report sections include the one from the Design Center and section 5.5 from Fundamentals of Rocketry. Additional sections cover the VC1 design and design-related information for valve applications.
The GAL/PAL logic, printer-port interface, and board layout files are included in the designware package. This includes the (VC2) logic code for multi-turn operation using an additional enable interface line into the GAL.
VC1 Features
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on/off or proportional valve actuation and control |
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single circuit-board that fits onto a line of gear motors |
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designed to automotive standards for reliability |
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can be operated manually or by computer, from parallel port |
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valve on and off positions adjustable for on/off control |
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proportional control uses additional digital enable line |
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"on" and "off" outputs indicate when valve is in end or limit positions |
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turns both directions - suitable for cryogenics by keeping the drain channel of the valve ball on the exit side, to drain the main channel when off |
VC1 Gearmotor & Controller
VC1 Functional Board (without gear-motor, collar, or magnets)
Valve Controllers Technical Report:
Designware engineering package including design license with applicable deliverables: Inquire.
