Component: Servo Motor Controller (Mechatronics): Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 14:37, 13 July 2026

Author	Matrix Ltd
Version	8.8
Category	Mechatronics

Servo Motor Controller component

Can control up to eight standard PWM driven servo's. Supports 8-bit and 16-bit movement resolutions. 'Servo Object' properties allow you to connect the controller to on-screen simulations using the "Servo Motor" component and its derivatives.

Version information

Library Version, Component Version, Date, Author, Info
8, 8.0, 28-01-25, MW, Fixed bug that is preventing duty remain the same below 128, remins high above 127.

Detailed description

No detailed description exists yet for this component

Examples

Example showing how to control three servos using AutoMoveToPosion, MoveTopposition & SetPosition component macros.
Controlling Servos Example.fcfx

Example using BL0162 Servo controller for BL0055 Arduino Shield

Samples the Port D8-D13 (portB) switches and moves the servo motors based on the input states.

D8 increments motor 0, D9 decrements motor on channel 0.

D10 increments motor 1, D11 decrements motor on channel 1.

D12 increments motor 3, D13 decrements motor on channel 2.

Connections:

Servo Board Port D0-D2.

Switch Board Port D8 - D13

LCD A0 to A5 (PortC)

BL0162 Servos Example for BL0055

Macro reference

AutoMoveToAngle

	AutoMoveToAngle
Automatically moves towards the new angle at a fixed rate determined by the AutoMoveSpeed. AutoMove not currently supported by ESP32.
- BYTE	Channel
The channel to assign the new position. Range: 0-7
- BYTE	Angle
Angle in degrees, Range 0 to calibration angle
- VOID	Return

AutoMoveToPosition

	AutoMoveToPosition
Automatically moves towards the new position at a fixed rate determined by the AutoMoveSpeed.
- BYTE	Channel
The channel to assign the new position. Range: 0-7
- BYTE	Position
Position to automatically move to. Range: 0-255
- VOID	Return

AutoMoveToPositionInt

	AutoMoveToPositionInt
Automatically moves towards the new 16-bit position at a fixed rate determined by the AutoMoveSpeed.
- BYTE	Channel
The channel to assign the new position. Range: 0-7
- UINT	Position
Position to automatically move to. Range: 0-65535
- VOID	Return

DisableServo

	DisableServo
Disables a servo channel effectivly disabling the motor.
- BYTE	Channel
The channel to set the position for. First channel is zero.
- VOID	Return

EnableServo

	EnableServo
Enables a servo channel effectivly setting the position of the motor to the value in the local position variable.
- BYTE	Channel
The channel to set the position for. First channel is zero.
- VOID	Return

Initialise

	Initialise
Sets up the servo motor interrupts
- VOID	Return

IsAutoMoving

	IsAutoMoving
Is the AutoMoveToPosition movement complete. Returns 1 if the servos are still moving. Returns 0 if all servo movement is complete.
- BYTE	Return

IsServoAutoMoving

	IsServoAutoMoving
Is the AutoMoveToPosition movement complete for a specific servo output. Returns 1 if the servo is still moving. Returns 0 if the servo movement is complete.
- BYTE	Channel
Servo Motor Output Range: 0-7
- BYTE	Return

MoveToAngle

	MoveToAngle
Moves a single step towards the new angle, the rate of movement is determined by how often the move to macro is called. Returns 1 if the position has been reached.
- BYTE	Channel
The channel to assign the new position. Range: 0-7
- BYTE	Angle
Angle in degrees, Range 0 to calibration angle
- BOOL	Return

MoveToPosition

	MoveToPosition
Moves a single step towards the new position, the rate of movement is determined by how often the move to macro is called. Returns 1 if the position has been reached.
- BYTE	Channel
The channel to assign the new position. Range: 0-7
- BYTE	Position
Target position to move towards. Range: 0-255
- BYTE	Return

MoveToPositionInt

	MoveToPositionInt
Moves a single step towards the new position, the rate of movement is determined by how often the move to macro is called. Returns 1 if the position has been reached.
- BYTE	Channel
The channel to assign the new position. Range: 0-7
- UINT	Position
Target position to move towards. Range: 0-65535
- BYTE	Return

SetAutoMoveSpeed

	SetAutoMoveSpeed
Sets the speed of the auto move to position macro. Default speed is shown in the Servo_Period_Multiplier property.
- BYTE	Speed
1=Slowest (Default), 2= Double, 3=Triple, 4=Quadruple
- VOID	Return

SetAutoMoveSpeedInt

	SetAutoMoveSpeedInt
Sets the speed of the auto move to position macro. Default speed is shown in the Servo_Period_Multiplier property.
- UINT	Speed
1=Slowest (Default), 2= Double, 3=Triple, 4=Quadruple
- VOID	Return

SetPosition

	SetPosition
Moves directly to the specified position with no interpolation.
- BYTE	Channel
The channel to assign the new position. Range: 0-7
- BYTE	Position
Position to jump to. Range: 0-255
- VOID	Return

SetPositionInt

	SetPositionInt
Moves directly to the specified position with no interpolation. Uses a 16-bit position parameter to add extra precision.
- BYTE	Channel
The channel to assign the new position. Range: 0-7
- UINT	Position
Position to jump to. Range: 0-65535
- VOID	Return

SetTrim

	SetTrim
Allows the level of trim for each servo channel to be adjusted progmatically.
- BYTE	Channel
The channel to set the position for. First channel is zero.
- BYTE	Trim
Legacy: 0=0us, 1=+25us, 2=+50us, 3=+75us, 4=+100us, 5=-25us, 6=-50us, 7=-75us, 8=-100us or Smooth: 0-200
- VOID	Return

Property reference

	Properties
	Channels (1 - 8)
Set the number of servo's that you need to control. Value from 1 to 8.
	Connections
	Channel 0
Pin on which to output PWM for the servo motor.
	Channel 1
Pin on which to output PWM for the servo motor.
	Channel 2
Pin on which to output PWM for the servo motor.
	Channel 3
Pin on which to output PWM for the servo motor.
	Channel 4
Pin on which to output PWM for the servo motor.
	Channel 5
Pin on which to output PWM for the servo motor.
	Channel 6
Pin on which to output PWM for the servo motor.
	Channel 7
Pin on which to output PWM for the servo motor.
	Resources
	Peripherals
Lists the internal peripherals of the MCU used by the component. When the servo motor is initialised you will not be able to use the listed peripherals for other functionality.
	Trim
	Trim Mode

	Trim 0
Trim the pulse width for this channel. Use this to trim the positioning of two servos so that similar input values will produce the same degree of movement.
	Trim 1
Trim the pulse width for this channel. Use this to trim the positioning of two servos so that similar input values will produce the same degree of movement.
	Trim 2
Trim the pulse width for this channel. Use this to trim the positioning of two servos so that similar input values will produce the same degree of movement.
	Trim 3
Trim the pulse width for this channel. Use this to trim the positioning of two servos so that similar input values will produce the same degree of movement.
	Trim 4
Trim the pulse width for this channel. Use this to trim the positioning of two servos so that similar input values will produce the same degree of movement.
	Trim 5
Trim the pulse width for this channel. Use this to trim the positioning of two servos so that similar input values will produce the same degree of movement.
	Trim 6
Trim the pulse width for this channel. Use this to trim the positioning of two servos so that similar input values will produce the same degree of movement.
	Trim 7
Trim the pulse width for this channel. Use this to trim the positioning of two servos so that similar input values will produce the same degree of movement.
	Pulse Width
	Minimum (us)
Shortest pulse width that will be used.
	Maximum (us)
Longest pulse width used for the PWM signals.
	Period Multiplier
Number of instructions for 1 / 256th of the positional accuracy. This sets the default movement speed to maintain legacy move speeds. Also sets the multiplication factor to convert from a byte 0-255 to a clocked position value.
	Simulation
	Servo Object 0
Drag a servo motor component onto the System Panel, and then select it here, to create an on screen simulation of the way that your flowchart moves the servo's. Servo motors should be based on the 'Servo Motor Base' component, or use a custom component set to responf to 'User.Notify' events (ID = n/a, Data = Position (0-127)).
	Servo Object 1
Drag a servo motor component onto the System Panel, and then select it here, to create an on screen simulation of the way that your flowchart moves the servo's. Servo motors should be based on the 'Servo Motor Base' component, or use a custom component set to responf to 'User.Notify' events (ID = n/a, Data = Position (0-127)).
	Servo Object 2
Drag a servo motor component onto the System Panel, and then select it here, to create an on screen simulation of the way that your flowchart moves the servo's. Servo motors should be based on the 'Servo Motor Base' component, or use a custom component set to responf to 'User.Notify' events (ID = n/a, Data = Position (0-127)).
	Servo Object 3
Drag a servo motor component onto the System Panel, and then select it here, to create an on screen simulation of the way that your flowchart moves the servo's. Servo motors should be based on the 'Servo Motor Base' component, or use a custom component set to responf to 'User.Notify' events (ID = n/a, Data = Position (0-127)).
	Servo Object 4
Drag a servo motor component onto the System Panel, and then select it here, to create an on screen simulation of the way that your flowchart moves the servo's. Servo motors should be based on the 'Servo Motor Base' component, or use a custom component set to responf to 'User.Notify' events (ID = n/a, Data = Position (0-127)).
	Servo Object 5
Drag a servo motor component onto the System Panel, and then select it here, to create an on screen simulation of the way that your flowchart moves the servo's. Servo motors should be based on the 'Servo Motor Base' component, or use a custom component set to responf to 'User.Notify' events (ID = n/a, Data = Position (0-127)).
	Servo Object 6
Drag a servo motor component onto the System Panel, and then select it here, to create an on screen simulation of the way that your flowchart moves the servo's. Servo motors should be based on the 'Servo Motor Base' component, or use a custom component set to responf to 'User.Notify' events (ID = n/a, Data = Position (0-127)).
	Servo Object 7
Drag a servo motor component onto the System Panel, and then select it here, to create an on screen simulation of the way that your flowchart moves the servo's. Servo motors should be based on the 'Servo Motor Base' component, or use a custom component set to responf to 'User.Notify' events (ID = n/a, Data = Position (0-127)).

Component Source Code

Please click here to download the component source project: FC_Comp_Source_Servo_Controller.fcfx

Please click here to view the component source code (Beta): FC_Comp_Source_Servo_Controller.fcfx

@@ Line 72: / Line 72: @@
 |-
 | width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | [[File:Fc9-comp-macro.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#D8C9D8; color:#4B008D;" | '''AutoMoveToAngle'''
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | '''AutoMoveToAngle'''
 |-
 | colspan="2" | Automatically moves towards the new angle at a fixed rate determined by the AutoMoveSpeed. AutoMove not currently supported by ESP32.&nbsp;
@@ Line 96: / Line 96: @@
 |-
 | width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | [[File:Fc9-comp-macro.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#D8C9D8; color:#4B008D;" | '''AutoMoveToPosition'''
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | '''AutoMoveToPosition'''
 |-
 | colspan="2" | Automatically moves towards the new position at a fixed rate determined by the AutoMoveSpeed.&nbsp;
@@ Line 120: / Line 120: @@
 |-
 | width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | [[File:Fc9-comp-macro.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#D8C9D8; color:#4B008D;" | '''AutoMoveToPositionInt'''
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | '''AutoMoveToPositionInt'''
 |-
 | colspan="2" | Automatically moves towards the new 16-bit position at a fixed rate determined by the AutoMoveSpeed.&nbsp;
@@ Line 144: / Line 144: @@
 |-
 | width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | [[File:Fc9-comp-macro.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#D8C9D8; color:#4B008D;" | '''DisableServo'''
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | '''DisableServo'''
 |-
 | colspan="2" | Disables a servo channel effectivly disabling the motor.&nbsp;
@@ Line 163: / Line 163: @@
 |-
 | width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | [[File:Fc9-comp-macro.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#D8C9D8; color:#4B008D;" | '''EnableServo'''
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | '''EnableServo'''
 |-
 | colspan="2" | Enables a servo channel effectivly setting the position of the motor to the value in the local position variable.&nbsp;
@@ Line 182: / Line 182: @@
 |-
 | width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | [[File:Fc9-comp-macro.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#D8C9D8; color:#4B008D;" | '''Initialise'''
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | '''Initialise'''
 |-
 | colspan="2" | Sets up the servo motor interrupts&nbsp;
@@ Line 196: / Line 196: @@
 |-
 | width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | [[File:Fc9-comp-macro.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#D8C9D8; color:#4B008D;" | '''IsAutoMoving'''
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | '''IsAutoMoving'''
 |-
 | colspan="2" | Is the AutoMoveToPosition movement complete.   Returns 1 if the servos are still moving.  Returns 0 if all servo movement is complete.&nbsp;
@@ Line 210: / Line 210: @@
 |-
 | width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | [[File:Fc9-comp-macro.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#D8C9D8; color:#4B008D;" | '''IsServoAutoMoving'''
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | '''IsServoAutoMoving'''
 |-
 | colspan="2" | Is the AutoMoveToPosition movement complete for a specific servo output.  Returns 1 if the servo is still moving.   Returns 0 if the servo movement is complete.&nbsp;
@@ Line 229: / Line 229: @@
 |-
 | width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | [[File:Fc9-comp-macro.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#D8C9D8; color:#4B008D;" | '''MoveToAngle'''
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | '''MoveToAngle'''
 |-
 | colspan="2" | Moves a single step towards the new angle, the rate of movement is determined by how often the move to macro is called.  Returns 1 if the position has been reached.&nbsp;
@@ Line 253: / Line 253: @@
 |-
 | width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | [[File:Fc9-comp-macro.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#D8C9D8; color:#4B008D;" | '''MoveToPosition'''
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | '''MoveToPosition'''
 |-
 | colspan="2" | Moves a single step towards the new position, the rate of movement is determined by how often the move to macro is called.  Returns 1 if the position has been reached.&nbsp;
@@ Line 277: / Line 277: @@
 |-
 | width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | [[File:Fc9-comp-macro.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#D8C9D8; color:#4B008D;" | '''MoveToPositionInt'''
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | '''MoveToPositionInt'''
 |-
 | colspan="2" | Moves a single step towards the new position, the rate of movement is determined by how often the move to macro is called.  Returns 1 if the position has been reached.&nbsp;
@@ Line 301: / Line 301: @@
 |-
 | width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | [[File:Fc9-comp-macro.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#D8C9D8; color:#4B008D;" | '''SetAutoMoveSpeed'''
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | '''SetAutoMoveSpeed'''
 |-
 | colspan="2" | Sets the speed of the auto move to position macro.  Default speed is shown in the Servo_Period_Multiplier property.&nbsp;
@@ Line 320: / Line 320: @@
 |-
 | width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | [[File:Fc9-comp-macro.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#D8C9D8; color:#4B008D;" | '''SetAutoMoveSpeedInt'''
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | '''SetAutoMoveSpeedInt'''
 |-
 | colspan="2" | Sets the speed of the auto move to position macro.  Default speed is shown in the Servo_Period_Multiplier property.&nbsp;
@@ Line 339: / Line 339: @@
 |-
 | width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | [[File:Fc9-comp-macro.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#D8C9D8; color:#4B008D;" | '''SetPosition'''
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | '''SetPosition'''
 |-
 | colspan="2" | Moves directly to the specified position with no interpolation. &nbsp;
@@ Line 363: / Line 363: @@
 |-
 | width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | [[File:Fc9-comp-macro.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#D8C9D8; color:#4B008D;" | '''SetPositionInt'''
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | '''SetPositionInt'''
 |-
 | colspan="2" | Moves directly to the specified position with no interpolation. Uses a 16-bit position parameter to add extra precision.&nbsp;
@@ Line 387: / Line 387: @@
 |-
 | width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | [[File:Fc9-comp-macro.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#D8C9D8; color:#4B008D;" | '''SetTrim'''
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | '''SetTrim'''
 |-
 | colspan="2" | Allows the level of trim for each servo channel to be adjusted progmatically.&nbsp;
@@ Line 411: / Line 411: @@
 {| class="mtx-class-macrotable wikitable"
 |-
-| width="10%" align="center" style="background-color:#D8C9D8;" | [[File:Fc9-prop-icon.png]]
+| width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | [[File:Fc9-prop-icon.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#D8C9D8; color:#4B008D;" | '''Properties'''
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-macrohead" | '''Properties'''
 |-
 |-
@@ Line 420: / Line 420: @@
 | colspan="2" | Set the number of servo's that you need to control. Value from 1 to 8.&nbsp;
 |-
-| width="10%" align="center" style="background-color:#EAE1EA;" | [[File:Fc9-conn-icon.png]]
+| width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-propfolder" | [[File:Fc9-conn-icon.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#EAE1EA; color:#4B008D;" | Connections
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-propfolder" | Connections
 |-
 |-
@@ Line 464: / Line 464: @@
 | colspan="2" | Pin on which to output PWM for the servo motor.&nbsp;
 |-
-| width="10%" align="center" style="background-color:#EAE1EA;" | [[File:Fc9-conn-icon.png]]
+| width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-propfolder" | [[File:Fc9-conn-icon.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#EAE1EA; color:#4B008D;" | Resources
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-propfolder" | Resources
 |-
 |-
@@ Line 473: / Line 473: @@
 | colspan="2" | Lists the internal peripherals of the MCU used by the component. When the servo motor is initialised you will not be able to use the listed peripherals for other functionality.&nbsp;
 |-
-| width="10%" align="center" style="background-color:#EAE1EA;" | [[File:Fc9-conn-icon.png]]
+| width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-propfolder" | [[File:Fc9-conn-icon.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#EAE1EA; color:#4B008D;" | Trim
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-propfolder" | Trim
 |-
 |-
@@ Line 522: / Line 522: @@
 | colspan="2" | Trim the pulse width for this channel.  Use this to trim the positioning of two servos so that similar input values will produce the same degree of movement.&nbsp;
 |-
-| width="10%" align="center" style="background-color:#EAE1EA;" | [[File:Fc9-conn-icon.png]]
+| width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-propfolder" | [[File:Fc9-conn-icon.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#EAE1EA; color:#4B008D;" | Pulse Width
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-propfolder" | Pulse Width
 |-
 |-
@@ Line 541: / Line 541: @@
 | colspan="2" | Number of instructions for 1 / 256th of the positional accuracy. This sets the default movement speed to maintain legacy move speeds. Also sets the multiplication factor to convert from a byte 0-255 to a clocked position value.&nbsp;
 |-
-| width="10%" align="center" style="background-color:#EAE1EA;" | [[File:Fc9-conn-icon.png]]
+| width="10%" align="center" class="mtx-class-propfolder" | [[File:Fc9-conn-icon.png]]
-| width="90%" style="background-color:#EAE1EA; color:#4B008D;" | Simulation
+| width="90%" class="mtx-class-propfolder" | Simulation
 |-
 |-

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