This guide is to show you how to enable Auto-MSET mode or Commutation Search mode for the motor in the event that either your motor does not have Halls or the Halls do not work.

A little background....

There are two ways you can set up a motor to commutate without the use of Halls. 1) Auto-MSET, or 2) Commutation Search. Both require an AC brushless motor.

I will provide a quick rundown and directions of the two types, however, I would highly encourage you to look up the methods in the Help File as well. The Help File does a very good job at explaining the two different methods.

A3200:

  • For Auto-MSET: Contents tab -> Controller Configuration -> Automatic Motor Set (auto-MSET).
  • For Commutation Search: Contents tab -> Controller Configuration -> Commutation Search.

Automation1:

Auto-MSET will use an open-loop current command to cause the motor to move and lock onto a fixed electrical vector on the first enable after a system reset to initially commutate the motor. This could cause the motor to move by as much as 1/2 of an electrical cycle. After this, the stage works like normal. You can home, and move without any trouble.

Commutation Search will also use an open-loop current. Commutation Search will use a slightly higher current than Auto-MSET, but instead of locking onto a fixed electrical vector it will fire current at multiple electrical vectors to initially commutate the motor. Like Auto-MSET, this will happen on the first enable after a system reset. Due to firing current at multiple vectors, the motor will move much less (if any) than the Auto-MSET method.


Important parameters:

  • MotorType (in A3200,Ensemble,Soloist)
  • CommutationInitializationSetup (in Automation1)
  • AutoMsetAngle (this parameter does not exist in Soloist & Ensemble software)
  • AutoMsetCurrent
  • AutoMsetTime
  • FaultMask

MotorType = Specify the type of motor to use.

CommutationInitializationSetup = Specify how the controller will initialize commutation.

AutoMsetAngle = Specify the electrical vector that the drive outputs at during the Auto-MSET method.
(In Commutation Search this is the starting electrical vector value it uses)

AutoMsetCurrent = Define the amount of current that will be used to initialize the motor commutation when using either the Automatic Motor Set (Auto-MSET) or the Commutation Search method.

AutoMsetTime = Define the quantity of time that the drive will maintain the level of current specified by the AutoMsetCurrent parameter when using either the Automatic Motor Set (Auto-MSET) or the Commutation Search method to initialize the motor commutation.

FaultMask = Controls which Faults actually cause the stage to 'fault out'. Using this parameter is not required for A3200 v6.xx software but may be required for v3.xx, 4.xx, & 5.xx versions of A3200, Ensemble, and Soloist.

How to Setup:

These instructions assume that the user has already configured the rest of the parameters. Specifically, the AverageCurrentThreshold must be set up correctly for your motor before continuing. Doing so otherwise could damage the motor.

Before changing the following parameters, ensure you are following all warnings listed in the Help File pages for each of these parameters.

Auto-MSET

  • Automation1: Set the Initialization Method of CommutationInitializationSetup to Auto-MSET
  • Set AutoMsetCurrent to ~40% of the AverageCurrentThreshold parameter. I find this percent value to work best.
  • Keep AutoMsetAngle at the default value of 90. There is usually no reason to change this. (this parameter does not exist in Soloist & Ensemble software)
  • Set AutoMsetTime to 1000 ms (default value). This value normally always works, so there is usually no reason to change this.
  • *Remove "Hall Sensor Fault" from the list of axis faults under the FaultMask parameter. Depending on your software version this may not be necessary.

**When you configure for Auto-MSET, the first time you Enable after a system reset could cause the stage to move up to 1/2 of the motor's electrical cycle.


Commutation Search

  • Automation1: Set the Initialization Method of CommutationInitializationSetup to Commutation Search
  • Set AutoMsetCurrent to ~70% of the AverageCurrentThreshold parameter.
  • Keep AutoMsetAngle at the default value of 90. There is usually no reason to change this. (this parameter does not exist in Soloist & Ensemble software)
  • Set AutoMsetTime to 2-3 ms. This lower value is required because the AutoMsetCurrent value is higher.
  • *Remove "Hall Sensor Fault" from the list of axis faults under the FaultMask parameter. Depending on your software version this may not be necessary.

**When you configure for Commutation Search, the first time you Enable after a system reset some very slight motion may occur during the Enable process. You may also hear a *click* sound. This is normal and caused by the fact that we are using a higher current over a shorter period of time compared to the Auto-MSET method.