Microcontroller-Based Robotics and SCADA
Experiments
I. Implementation of the USB Port
II. Implementation of the USB-Based Cartesian Robot
III. Implementation of the TCP/IP-Based Robot Arm
Prepared by: Efren A. San Luis
Experiment 1
Implementation of the USB Port
I. Objective:
To read the status of switches and send these values to the LEDs through the USB
port.
To understand the basics of the DAQ and digital communication protocols using a
USB port.
II. Materials used:
Software: LabVIEW 8.5
An experimental SCADA system consists of DAQ hardware and development
software.
PIC18F4550 board
III. Procedures
A. Connects the PIC18F4550 board and graphical programming using LabVIEW via a
USB port.
B. Monitor the GUI.
C. Observe Cautiously and check status of switches
IV. Data and Results:
V. Questions and Answers:
1. How is it possible to transfer and control data remotely?
VI. Conclusion
Experiment 2
Implementation of the USB-Based Cartesian Robot
I. Objective:
To show an advanced-level application on how a complex real-time application
worked
II. Materials used:
Software: LabVIEW 8.5
An experimental SCADA system consists of DAQ hardware and development
software.
PIC18F4550 board with a general-purpose step motor driver card to the USB port,
implementing real-time controlling and monitoring for a three-axis system.
III. Procedures
A. Generate a USB-HMI driver using the “VISA Driver Development Wizard” and “VISA
Interactive Controller” in National Instruments’ VISA program.
B. Adjust the reference point to zero for the three axes using the reset button.
C. Control the x - y -z axes of the Cartesian robot via the GUI.
D. Transfer the axes’ coordinate and limit value data between the computer and
microcontroller card.
E. Control the step motors with pulse-width modulation (PWM) using a proportional
control algorithm.
F. Monitor the GUI.
IV. Data and Results:
V. Questions and Answers:
1. What are the important of implementing real-time controlling and monitoring?
VI. Conclusion
Experiment 3
Implementation of the TCP/IP-Based Robot Arm
I. Objective:
To designed a SCADA-based robotics application.
To connect PIC18F452 board via TCP/IP communication protocol, using the
TCP/IP port.
To control the robot arm with its three DOF and its gripper via a microcontroller
board and a LabVIEW-designed GUI.
To read temperature using DS1820 sensor.
II. Materials used:
Software: LabVIEW 8.5
An experimental SCADA system consists of DAQ hardware and development
software.
PIC18F4552 board
DS1820 sensor
III. Procedures
A. Generate TCP/IP and uni-datagram protocol (UDP) drivers using LabVIEW function
blocks.
B. Control the robot arm via a LabVIEW-designed GUI.
C. Control servomotors with PWM used as proportional control for their states.
D. Monitor the GUI.
E. Read the status of switches and send this value to the LEDs through the TCP/IP port
IV. Data and Results:
V. Questions and Answers:
1. What is the used of the embedded TCP/IP port in the experiment?
VI. Conclusion
