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4 AKKON USB Controller Board with PIC18F4550

 

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Overview of technical details

4.3 Initial operation

4.4 Example application CNC control

4.5 Downloads

4.6 Product configuration

 

 

 

special price (only some boards available)

 

Click here to enlarge picture

4.1 Introduction

The AKKON USB Controller Board is an electronic device for the realisation of different tasks in the area of measunring, controlling and regulation. The board is equipped with the PIC18F4550 micro controller with USB interface. The AKKON USB board can be set up with different placement variants for different tasks. By this way functionality of the board is very flexible an can be exploit very good. By using standard dimensions new devices can be built without a lot of effort.

4.2 Overview of technical data

  • 48MHz clock frequency

  • free assembler available

  • different C-compilers available

  • USB-Bus with 1.1 und 2.0-compatibility

  • In circuit programming interface(ICSP) available

  • USB-iInterface available

  • I2C-interface available

  • RS232 (Rx andTx) interface available

  • power supply regulator on board

  • 17 digital buffered outputs

  • 8 digital inputes with PullUp resistors

  • PWM output

  • protected frequency input

  • four digital output with led

  • eight holes for mounting

  • ease setup with different housing vaiants for rapid setup of new devices

  • Firmware updates over USB- ootloader (no further programming device necessary)

  • Dimension 120mm x 100mm

Further details can be found in the datasheet

4.3 Initial operation

Initial operation without bootloader

If the AKKON USB Controller Board is not equipped with a bootloader, a programm loader software - called bootloader - has to be programmed by a PIC programmer. This can either be done by putting the PIC18F4550 chip in the socket of the programmer or over the ICSP-interface (In-Circuit Serial Programming-Interface) on J4. Please keep attention on the right pin connection. The interface is not proteceted against wrong connection. After successful programming, new firmware can be programmed to the AKKON USB controller board by using the USB interface. Firstly the PIC has to be in boot mode. The boot mode can be switched by pressing the Reset Button (S1) while holding the Firmware-Update-Button (S2) pressed. During that operation the Leds on RD0..RD3 indicate the different operation modes by changing blink frequency..

Initial operation with available bootloader

Detailed information how to program the PIC microcontroller on the AKKON USB Controller Board can be found in the program file directory. Please note that the CNC-Software AKKON can only run with the special bootloader that will be provided by ordering the AKKON USB Controller kit or the AKKON USB print & uP-version. Further information how to proram the PIC microcontroller can be found on the Microchip web page under:
http://www.microchip.com/stellent/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=1406&dDocName=en021940&part=DM163025 (8th of October 2005). Information can also be found by searching with the key words „PICDEM Full Speed USB“ on the microchip web page.

 

Following the essential steps:

  1. connect AKKON USB Controller Board over USB cable with PC
  2. install USB driver
  3. switch AKKON USB Controller Board in boot mode by pressing Reset button (S1) while holding firmware update button (S2)
  4. led RD0..RD3 will change its blink frequency
  5. upload test program „LedTest.hex" to the PIC
  6. perform further test programs

If a USB bootloader is already installed on the pic, uploads can be done with the free available tool "PDFUSB.exe" available on the Microchip web page

After that the AKKON USB controller board should now be ready for operation.

4.4 Example application CNC control

The AKKON USB Controller Board can be used with a MS-Windows PC and a CNC control unit. For this reason the firmware AKKON CNC control has to be uploaded to the AKKUN USB Controller Board. Furtheron AKKON Desk has to be installed on a MS Windows PC (Windows 2000, Windows XP). With the pre-programmed bootloader, programs can be uploaded to the AKKON USB Controller Board very easy. AKKON CNC can be used for stepper motors with 200 steps per rotation. Clock frequencies are around 5KHz. This value can change if large amount of data will be sent to the controller. Different machine parameters can be set be AKKON Desk in the configuration files. The concept of AKKON CNC is shown in figure 1.

click here to view large picture

Figure 1: Control concept of AKKON USB Controlle Board and CNC-Controller hardware

Please note:

AKKON Desk is currently in a beta phase and can be used by users that have the AKKON USB Controller Board for free. Please note, that the program can only run with the pre-programmed bootloader. It can not be transferred to another PIC18F4550.

Further information about the AKKON CNC Controller Board can be found here

4.5 Downloads

File type Description Comment Last update
List of available documents for the AKKON USB controller board (please not some documentation is available under AKKON USB controller board 24th of January 2006
160Kb
  1st of January 2006
440KB
  30th of September 2007
115Kb
necessary parts and hints for suppliers 20th of January 2006
1Mb
Detailed manual how to setup and mount the AKKON USB controller board 24th of January 2006
Firmware upload utillity for AKKON USB CNC controller board 20th of January 2006
Documentation about the AKKON CNC controller interface (developers guide) 23th of January 2006
Bootloader Version 1.0,
this version can not be esed with the AKKKON USB CNC controller kernel 25th of January 2006
Example archive: programming of the AKKON USB Controller Board 24th of January 2006
call by mail
further information about AKKON CNC control 24th of January 2006

4.6 Product configurationen

Variant 1: Print

  • unloaded priont (dimensions 120mm*100mm)

  • Documentation (schematocs, placement plan, part list, setup and mounting instruction, small test program, source code of modified bootloader in C)

Variant 2: Print and micro controller

  • unloaded print (dimensions 120mm*100mm)

  • PIC18F4550 with bootloader (enables to run free CNC-software version of AKKON CNC)

  • Documentation (schematocs, placement plan, part list, setup and mounting instruction, small test program, source code of modified bootloader in C)

Variant 3: AKKON USB controller board kit

  • unloaded print (dimensions 120mm*100mm)

  • all parts for seting up the AKKON USB controller board

  • PIC18F4550 with bootloader (enables to run free CNC-software version of AKKON CNC)

  • Documentation (schematocs, placement plan, part list, setup and mounting instruction, small test program, source code of modified bootloader in C)

 

Remarks: Having the inital programmed bootloader, the free software version of AKKON CNC can be executed. This software will not run on other PIC18F4550. After rewriting the inital bootloader AKKON CNC will not run!
Please note, I offer the PCB to my production cost as the board has a small but in my opinion not important design failure. The Sub-D plugs are located very closed together. Depending on the used plugs it can be a problem to plug in both. But all pins are furthermore assigned also to header pins.

Article Description Price order
Variant 1: Print for AKKON USB Controller Board

No parts are included
Euro 24.- Please let me know if you are interested in the AKKON USB Controller Board on:
geburgeriplace.at

or using the feedback form
Variant 2: AKKON USB Controller Board print and PIC18F(L)F4550 with pre-programmed Bootloade (for execution o AKKON CNC-Control)

Parts are not included, only the PIC18(L)F4550 chip. The part list outlines posibble distributors for the
Euro 34.-
Variant 3: AKKON USB Controller Board - kit , print, parts including micro controller PIC18F(L)4550 with pre-programmed bootloader (according to part list) Euro 69.-
prices without shipping (this is a currently a privat offer) Only very small amounts are available
 

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Version 1.0, ©Gerhard Burger 2004-2013, all rights reserved, last update 09.11.2013