motors:¶
Config file section
| Valid in machine config files | YES |
| Valid in mode config files | NO |
The motors: section of your config is where you configure motors with position switches.
MPF supports two types of motor devices:
- Motor can only move into one direction. The device mechanically changes the direction or moves in cycles.
- Motor can move in two directions.
Motors devices are controlled using digital_outputs which can map to either light or driver outputs.
Device which can only move in one direction¶
This is an example for a motorized drop target bank which is mounted to a camshaft. When the motor is running it constantly moves up and down. Two position switches are used to detect the current position.
switches:
s_motorized_drop_target_bank_position_up:
number:
s_motorized_drop_target_bank_position_down:
number:
digital_outputs:
c_motorized_drop_target_bank_run:
number:
type: driver
motors:
motorized_drop_target_bank:
motor_left_output: c_motorized_drop_target_bank_run
position_switches: !!omap
- up: s_motorized_drop_target_bank_position_up
- down: s_motorized_drop_target_bank_position_down
reset_position: down
go_to_position:
move_bank_up: up
move_bank_down: down
switches:
s_motorized_drop_target_bank_position_up:
number:
s_motorized_drop_target_bank_position_down:
number:
digital_outputs:
c_motorized_drop_target_bank_run:
number:
type: driver
motors:
motorized_drop_target_bank:
motor_left_output: c_motorized_drop_target_bank_run
position_switches: !!omap
- up: s_motorized_drop_target_bank_position_up
- down: s_motorized_drop_target_bank_position_down
reset_position: down
go_to_position:
move_bank_up: up
move_bank_down: down
Device which can move in two directions¶
The slimer in Stern Ghostbusters is an example for a motor which can move in two directions. Both digital outputs are connected to light outputs. Again two position switches are used to detect the current position. In this setup the first and last switches are also considered as limit switches and the motor will stop once it hit one of them.
switches:
s_slimer_home:
number: 8-1
s_slimer_away:
number: 8-2
digital_outputs:
c_slimer_motor_forward:
number: 8-3
type: light
c_slimer_motor_backward:
number: 8-4
type: light
motors:
ghostbusters_slimer:
motor_left_output: c_slimer_motor_forward
motor_right_output: c_slimer_motor_backward
position_switches: !!omap
- home: s_slimer_home
- away: s_slimer_away
reset_position: home
go_to_position:
slimer_home: home
slimer_away: away
switches:
s_slimer_home:
number: 8-1
s_slimer_away:
number: 8-2
digital_outputs:
c_slimer_motor_forward:
number: 8-3
type: light
c_slimer_motor_backward:
number: 8-4
type: light
motors:
ghostbusters_slimer:
motor_left_output: c_slimer_motor_forward
motor_right_output: c_slimer_motor_backward
position_switches: !!omap
- home: s_slimer_home
- away: s_slimer_away
reset_position: home
go_to_position:
slimer_home: home
slimer_away: away
Another example of such a device would be the claw in Stern Batman DK (or also Stern Batman 66). It has more position switches but the mechanics are similar:
switches:
s_claw_home:
number:
s_claw_position1:
number:
s_claw_position2:
number:
s_claw_position3:
number:
s_claw_position4:
number:
s_claw_position5:
number:
digital_outputs:
c_claw_forward:
number:
type: driver
c_claw_backward:
number:
type: driver
motors:
batman_claw:
motor_left_output: c_claw_forward
motor_right_output: c_claw_backward
position_switches: !!omap
- home: s_claw_home
- pos1: s_claw_position1
- pos2: s_claw_position2
- pos3: s_claw_position3
- pos4: s_claw_position4
- pos5: s_claw_position5
reset_position: home
go_to_position:
stop_claw: home
go_pos1: pos1
go_pos2: pos2
go_pos3: pos3
go_pos4: pos4
go_pos5: pos5
switches:
s_claw_home:
number:
s_claw_position1:
number:
s_claw_position2:
number:
s_claw_position3:
number:
s_claw_position4:
number:
s_claw_position5:
number:
digital_outputs:
c_claw_forward:
number:
type: driver
c_claw_backward:
number:
type: driver
motors:
batman_claw:
motor_left_output: c_claw_forward
motor_right_output: c_claw_backward
position_switches: !!omap
- home: s_claw_home
- pos1: s_claw_position1
- pos2: s_claw_position2
- pos3: s_claw_position3
- pos4: s_claw_position4
- pos5: s_claw_position5
reset_position: home
go_to_position:
stop_claw: home
go_pos1: pos1
go_pos2: pos2
go_pos3: pos3
go_pos4: pos4
go_pos5: pos5
Required settings¶
The following sections are required in the motors: section of your config:
position_switches:¶
One or more sub-entries, each in the format of type: str:machine(switches).
Ordered map of name of the position and the switch which becomes active once this position is reached.
For example:
position_switches: !!omap
- home: s_claw_home
- pos1: s_claw_position1
- pos2: s_claw_position2
home, pos1 and pos2 are the names of your positions (you can choose them freely).
s_claw_home, s_claw_position1 and s_claw_position2 are the switches to detect the position.
The order is important when the motor can move in two directions.
For instance if the device is at home and should move to pos1 it will more right.
However, if it is at pos2 it will move left.
If it is not at any position and also does not know its previous position it will move left until it reaches
a known position and may then change its direction again (usually this should not happen since it will move to a known
position during reset).
reset_position:¶
Single value, type: string.
The position the device should move to on reset (as defined in position_switches).
Optional settings¶
The following sections are optional in the motors: section of your config. (If you don’t include them, the default will be used).
go_to_position:¶
One or more sub-entries, each in the format of type: str:str. Default: None
A mapping of events to positions. Once an event in the mapping is posted the motor will move to the corresponding position.
For instance:
go_to_position:
stop_claw: home
go_pos1: pos1
go_pos2: pos2
If you post stop_claw the motor will move to the position called home (as defined in position_switches).
include_in_ball_search:¶
Single value, type: boolean (Yes/No or True/False). Default: True
Whether the motor should be included in ball search.
motor_left_output:¶
Single value, type: string name of a digital_outputs: device. Default: None
Digital output to enable to move the motor left.
You need to configure at least motor_left_output or motor_right_output if you motor can only move in one
direction or both if it can move in both directions.
motor_right_output:¶
Single value, type: string name of a digital_outputs: device. Default: None
Digital output to enable to move the motor right.
You need to configure at least motor_left_output or motor_right_output if you motor can only move in one
direction or both if it can move in both directions.
reset_events:¶
One or more sub-entries, each in the format of type: str:ms. Default: machine_reset_phase_3, ball_starting
Events on which the motor should move to its reset_position.
You usually do not have to configure this.