Motors

Depending on the type, the controllers have between two and eight independent motor outputs (M1 through M8). These can be used to control all black fischertechnik 9V DC motors as well as the gray 6V versions.

The wheel drive (31494) can only be controlled by a ftSwarmRC.

Stepper motors can only be used with an ftSwarmPwdDrive.

setSpeed & getSpeed

The motor speed is controlled using the setSpeed function:

A positive value between 1 and 100 starts the motor.
A negative value between -1 and -100 reverses the motor’s direction of rotation.
0 turns the motor off.

For stepper motors, the speed can be set to values between -4096 and 4096.

getSpeed returns the current speed.

setMotionType

fischertechnik uses two different types of motors: those with a drive shaft, such as the tractor motor, and those with a spindle, such as the XS motor.

When spindle motors drive gears, the mechanism is self-locking. If the power is turned off, the model stops and the mechanism remains in its last position.

If motors with drive shafts are used, the drive is not self-locking: when powered off, the weight of the model can move the motor. Therefore, for these motors, the behavior when the power amplifier is turned off can be set via setMotionType:

FTSWARM_COAST stops the motor and completely turns off the power amplifier. The motor can be turned by hand.
FTSWARM_BRAKE stops the motor but does not turn off the driver. The motor is locked and cannot be turned manually.

Unlike setSpeed(0), these two methods do not change the set speed. setMotionType( FTSWARM_ON ) starts the motor at the previously set speed.