Gantry

Three-Axis Gantry Control System

View Changelog • Download Latest Release

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Overview

Firmware for the Gantry three-axis motion control system, built on the Teknic ClearCore platform. This firmware provides precision control for X, Y, and Z axis movements with synchronized dual-motor Y-axis control, homing routines, and network/USB communication.

Designed to work with: BR Equipment Control App - A Python/Tkinter GUI for controlling and monitoring the Gantry and other Blue Robotics manufacturing equipment.

Features

• Three-axis control - Independent X, Y, Z axis control with synchronized Y-axis dual motors
• UDP/Ethernet communication - Network-based control with device discovery
• USB Serial fallback - Direct USB communication support
• Command-based control - Simple text-based command protocol
• Real-time telemetry - Position, velocity, torque, and status reporting for all axes
• Automatic homing - Configurable homing routines for all axes
• Software limits - Configurable travel limits for safety
• Error handling - Comprehensive error reporting and recovery

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Building

Requirements

• Atmel Studio 7 (Windows) or compatible ARM GCC toolchain
• Teknic ClearCore libraries (included in lib/ folder)
  • libClearCore
  • LwIP (Lightweight IP stack)

Build Instructions

1. Open gantry.atsln in Atmel Studio
2. Ensure libraries are properly referenced:
   • lib/libClearCore/ClearCore.cppproj
   • lib/LwIP/LwIP.cppproj
3. Select build configuration (Debug or Release)
4. Build the solution (F7)

Output Files

• Debug/gantry.bin - Binary firmware image
• Debug/gantry.uf2 - UF2 format for bootloader flashing

Flashing

Via BR Equipment Control App (Recommended for Updates)

The easiest way to update firmware on an already-running device is through the BR Equipment Control App:

1. Open the Firmware Manager in the app
2. Select your device
3. Choose the firmware file or download the latest release
4. Click "Update Firmware" - the app handles the entire flashing process automatically

Note: Firmware flashing is only supported over USB connections. For initial flashing of a new device, use the bootloader method below.

Via Bootloader (For Initial Flashing)

For initial flashing of a new device or when the app is not available:

1. Put the ClearCore into bootloader mode (hold button during power-on)
2. Copy gantry.uf2 to the mounted bootloader drive
3. The device will automatically reboot with new firmware

Via Atmel Studio

1. Connect ClearCore via USB
2. Select "Custom Programming Tool" in project settings
3. Build and program (F5)

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Communication Protocol

The firmware uses a simple text-based command protocol over UDP or USB serial:

• Commands: move_x <position> mm, move_y <position> mm, move_z <position> mm
• Status: DONE: <command>, ERROR: <message>, INFO: <message>
• Telemetry: Periodic status updates with position, velocity, torque

See the BR Equipment Control App for full protocol documentation and command reference.

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Hardware Configuration

Axes

• X-axis: Single motor (M0), 1219mm travel range
• Y-axis: Dual synchronized motors (M1, M2), 410mm travel range
• Z-axis: Single motor (M3) with brake control, -160mm to 0mm travel range

Sensors

• Homing sensors: Digital inputs for each axis (IO0, IO1, IO3, IO4)
• Limit switches: Y-axis back limit (IO2)
• Z-axis brake: Digital output control (IO5)

Configuration

Key parameters can be configured in inc/config.h:

• Steps per mm: Conversion factors for each axis
• Travel limits: Software limits for X, Y, Z axes
• Homing parameters: Velocities, accelerations, and torque limits
• Network settings: UDP port, packet sizes, telemetry interval

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Copyright (c) 2025 Blue Robotics

Contributing

For issues, feature requests, or contributions, please open an issue or pull request on GitHub.

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bluerobotics.com | Manufacturing Equipment Control