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Thursday, February 7, 2013

Image Disappear when wrap "in line with text" (Microsoft Words)

When you place an image in Microsoft Words with wrap text option of "in line with text". The image appear to disappear or floating. When you change to other wrap text option like "square", "tight", etc. The image reappear.

To solve this issue,

  1. Highlight text and the line you wish to place the image.
  2. Right click and choose "Paragraph"
  3. Go to "Indent and Spacing" tabs, look for "Spacing" section
  4. Under "Line Spacing", pull the drop down list and select "Single", make sure it is not in "Exactly" option
The problem should be go away by now

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

5V microcontroller control 3V motor speed (Testing)

When build a motor driver for tamiya motor (3V rating), the issue comes when you have 5V operating microcontroller (PIC) to drive 3V motor rating. 

Lets say you have a 5V power source for the motor and PIC, but the motor is only 3V rating. Overdriving motor should be no problem as long as the motor not too hot (is able to dissipate the heat fast enough). 

Method #1 (Not good)
I have 1 idea to bring 5V down to 3V using PWM, by sending 60% duty cycle PWM frequency to motor driver (60/100 * 5V = 3V). Note that the 3V is average voltage not constant DC 3V. The voltage is oscillating at ON state (5V) at 60% and OFF state (0V) at 40%, making it 3V average.

So, i did an experiment in lab using function generator to generate 60% duty cycle of 5V square wave signal, through a 4A mosfet driver (UCC27424P) from Texas Instrument. Since i not controlling direction of motor, i just use connect 1 pin of motor to the output pin of driver and the other pin to ground. I test it without using flyback diode, as i don't have diode at that time (IT IS A MUST FOR MOTOR).

When I run it with 60% duty cycle, the motor run without any hot issue on the motor. However the MOSFET driver is getting hotter, not sure what is the problem, maybe the method of driving it is wrong. The motor is ran without any load, but the MOSFET driver is hot, not extremely hot that can burn finger, just hot. I think it is usual as current is drawn to turn the motor. I think the driver is not suitable in driving high power motor, this motor is quite high power and speed. I decided to change the driving to n-channel MOSFET

Method #2 (Haven try)
I plan to replace the MOSFET driver to n-channel MOSFET. When selecting MOSFET, be sure to check the Vgs(th) - threshold voltage to turn on the gate of MOSFET. Some MOSFET has higher Vgs(th) which is above the PIC operating voltage. If not turn on properly, the MOSFET will operating in linear mode (like transistor), lower Vgs(th) will make sure the MOSFET work as switch (saturated mode)

Most of the MOSFET can be controlled directly from PIC output as MOSFET is voltage controlled not current controlled. The Vgs(th) is normally low enough to turn on the MOSFET (~2-3V), suitable for most of the 5V PIC.

I have request few TO-220 package n-channel MOSFET from TI. I will perform the testing when the components arrived