Important

The mw_dual_motor_torque_ctrl repository is not maintained anymore!

The CAN firmware has been integrated into the udriver_firmware repository and will be maintained there from now on. See the documentation of udriver_firmware for up-to-date installation and usage instructions.

Motor Alignment Calibration

When enabling a motor for the first time after powering the board, an alignment calibration is automatically started to find the offset between encoder and rotor. This is needed for accurate field oriented control.

At the beginning of this process, the motor may move a little bit and will then be held in place for a few seconds. To achieve the best possible accuracy, make sure the motors are not blocked (e.g. because they are pushing against an obstacle) and avoid any external torque on the motor, e.g. move the robot into a position where gravitational pull on the joints is minimal before starting the system. Also do not manually move the motors while the calibration is running.

What happens when the calibration is inaccurate?

The better the calibration, the higher the efficiency of the motor. So with an inaccurate calibration (assuming it is not completely off) it is still possible to control the motor but a higher current needs to be applied to achieve the same torque.