Motors
Both controllers have two independend motor drivers (M1 & M2). They could drive all type of fischertechnik 9V black DC motors. Old grey fischertechnik DC motors or other industrial 9V DC motors could be used, to.
Speed
It’s easy to move a motor. setSpeed will start or stop your motor:
- Setting a positive speed, the motor will turn.
- Setting a negative speed, the motor will turn in the other direction.
- Setting 0, the motor will stop.
Use getSpeed to read your speed settings.
Brake & Coast
There are two general fischertechnik motor categories: spindle or axis.
Using a “spindle” motor and some gear wheels in your robotics, the mechanics is self-locking. Cutting your power supply, the model will stop and the mechanics will keep in position.
In case of an axis based motor, the mechanics isn’t self-locking: the weight of your model might turn your motor. Using an axis based motor, you have two additional motor commands:
- coast stops your motor and releases the motor power. The model could move the motor manually.
- brake stops your motor but keeps the motor power on. The motor is blocked and you couldn’t move the motor manually.
In difference to setSpeed(0) both commands they will not change your speed setting. Using setMotionType( FTSWARM_ON ) the motor will move again.
Image source: fischertechnik & elektrofuzzis