Vex Robotics Falcon 500 User Manual
  1. Manuals
  2. Brands
  3. Vex Robotics Manuals
  4. Engine
  5. Falcon 500
  6. User manual

Vex Robotics Falcon 500 User Manual

Hide thumbs
Table of Contents

Advertisement

Quick Links

217-6515-751
Falcon 500 Motor User Guide
vexpro.com
ctr-electronics.com
Copyright 2019, VEX Robotics Inc.
1
2020-01-07

Advertisement

Table of Contents
loading
Need help?

Need help?

Do you have a question about the Falcon 500 and is the answer not in the manual?

Questions and answers

Related Manuals for Vex Robotics Falcon 500

Summary of Contents for Vex Robotics Falcon 500

  • Page 1 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide vexpro.com ctr-electronics.com Copyright 2019, VEX Robotics Inc. 2020-01-07...
  • Page 2 Installing Gears & Pulleys ................... 25   Using the Falcon 500 Cooling Port ................29   Changing the Output Shaft ..................31   Installing the Falcon 500 In A VersaPlanetary ..............36   Additional Information ....................39   Frequently Asked Questions ..................46  ...
  • Page 3 Due to their design, brushless motors have a much higher power density that wouldn’t be available in a similar sized brushed motor. This means that the Falcon 500, powered by Talon FX is smaller and lighter than most FRC legal brushed motors, while producing significantly more power.
  • Page 4 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Power Up The Falcon 500 produces just under 400W of Power at 40A and 12VDC. Without a doubt, it is the most powerful motor in FRC. At peak power the Falcon 500 can produce over 780W of power! On top of this unprecedented power, the Falcon 500 is the most efficient motor in FRC, with a peak efficiency of 87%.
  • Page 5 As teams have been trying to build smaller and smaller robots, fitting motor controllers has become a challenge. Since the Falcon 500 has an integrated Talon FX motor controller, this problem is a thing of the past. The Falcon 500 will dramatically change the way teams layout their robot’s electronics and revolutionize their abilities to iterate their robot mid-season and mid-competition.
  • Page 6 Each wire connection on a robot represents a possible failure point. A loose wire, a bad crimp, something plugged in backwards – all of these can lead to significant problems during a match. The Falcon 500 helps reduce the number of connections (failure points) by up to 50%. This means that your robot will be more robust than ever before.
  • Page 7 PDP (Power Distribution Power) or wiring a robot battery backwards can be a costly mistake for a team. The Falcon 500 is the first motor controller in FRC history to have reverse polarity protection built in. This means that if you do plug the Falcon 500 in backwards, the Talon FX isn’t damaged or destroyed.
  • Page 8 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Stall Whistle When the Falcon 500 begins to stall, it will whistle an audible tone to inform the user of this event. A Smart Motor for All Teams The Falcon 500, powered by Talon FX has a built in 2048 CPR Encoder that teams can use to produce reliable motion control, out of the box.
  • Page 9 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide CIM Compatible The Falcon 500 comes with (6x) #10-32 holes on a 2” bolt circle. This, combined with the motor’s smaller diameter, means the Falcon 500 can be used anywhere a CIM or Mini CIM were used previously.
  • Page 10 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Rethinking Motor Shafts When making a game changing motor, why stop at performance? Since the beginning of FRC, teams have had to use keyed or press-fit motor shafts. While these are adequate, VEX and Cross the Road Electronics wanted to give teams a better option.
  • Page 11 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Speaking of spacers, the Falcon 500 comes with a set of spacers that are specifically designed to help teams position items on their motor within a 1/16”. This is meant to eliminate washer stacks and/or retaining clips to keep gears and pulleys positioned and retained on the motor shaft.
  • Page 12 Pneumatic Exhaust - Plumb the exhaust from your pneumatic system to the Falcon 500(s). This way every time a cylinder is actuated, cool air is forced into your motors. Dedicated Air or Vacuum Pump - Use a dedicated air or vacuum pump on your robot to force cool air into your Falcon 500(s).
  • Page 13 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Using the cooling port in a match can reduce heat by up to 29˚C (84˚F) . Similarly, using the cooling port after a match can drop your motor’s temperature by 27˚C (80˚F) in just 3 minutes – that’s just half of a field timeout during the playoffs.
  • Page 14 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Specifications Dimensions Performance 60mm (2.36”) Dia. X Dimensions Free Speed RPM 6380 RPM 81mm (3.18”) Long 199.54 cm^3 Volume Free Current 1.5A (12.17 mm^3) Weight 1.1Lbs (0.49kg) Stall Current 257A 14 Tooth, 0.5 Moldule...
  • Page 15 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Talon FX Inputs & Talon FX Specifications Outputs Nominal Voltage 12 VDC Motor Interface Integrated 2x 12AWG Silicone 1-2ms Nominal PWM Input Pulse Power Wires (Red & Black) PWM Input Rate 2.9-100ms Communication CAN / PWM Minimum Throttle Adjustable 0.1%-25%...
  • Page 16 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Performance Data vexpro.com ctr-electronics.com Copyright 2019, VEX Robotics Inc. 2020-01-07...
  • Page 17 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide General Warnings Below are some warnings users should be aware of when working with the Falcon 500. Warning DO NOT remove the screws from the controller end cap. This can result in a loss of calibration between the motor and motor controller.
  • Page 18 Step 1: Remove at least (2x) Set Screws from the Motor Mounting Holes Using a 3/32” Hex Key, remove (2x) of the #10-32 set screws. If the Falcon 500 is being mounted on a gearbox as an alternative to a CIM / Mini CIM, the two screws should be 180˚ apart.
  • Page 19 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Step 2: Align Motor to Mounting Holes Line up the (2x) open mounting holes on the motor to the mounting holes found wherever you can use a CIM. vexpro.com ctr-electronics.com Copyright 2019, VEX Robotics Inc.
  • Page 20 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Step 3: Insert #10-32 Mounting Screws into Motor Insert (2x) #10-32 screws through the mounting surface and into the motor. Secure the screws using a 9/64” hex hey. WARNING: Mounting screws can go a little over a 1/4” into the motor. Screws that protrude further than this may interfere with the motor’s rotation.
  • Page 21 Wiring the Falcon 500 Wiring the Falcon 500 to a robot is easier than any other motor / motor controller in FRC. Similar to the Talon SRX and Victor SPX, the Talon FX can be controlled using either PWM or CAN. The PWM/CAN leads (green/yellow twisted pairs) on the Talon FX come with a 3 pin (0.1”...
  • Page 22 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Step 2: Connect the Talon FX to the robot’s CAN bus network or PWM output CAN Instructions Using the CAN bus to control the Talon FX allows users to take full advantage of all its features. To wire the CAN bus, connect a yellow signal wire to the CAN terminal marked “H”...
  • Page 23 “inside” of the controller. If an extension cable is needed for the Talon FX to reach the roboRIO, a standard male-female 3-wire extension cable should be used – these extension cables are available from VEX Robotics as well as many other online retailers.
  • Page 24 If an extension cable is needed for the Talon FX to reach one of these microcontrollers, a standard male- female 3-wire extension cable should be used – these extension cables are available from VEX Robotics as well as many other online retailers.
  • Page 25 To help position items on the shaft, the Falcon 500 comes with a set of spacers. (1x) of each thickness spacer and (1x) of any gear or pulley made by VEX Robotics equals the length of the Falcon 500’s shaft.
  • Page 26 Step 1: Determine the Approximate Location of the Gear/Pulley on the Shaft Determine where you want your pinion and pulley to be located on the Falcon 500’s spline shaft. In this example, we want the GT2 pulley to be 5/16” away from the end of the shaft.
  • Page 27 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Step 3: Install Gear/Pulley on Motor Shaft Slide (1x) of either a pulley or a motor pinion onto the motor shaft. Step 4: Install Washers Between the Gear/Pulley and the End of the Shaft...
  • Page 28 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Step 5: Install Screw in the End of the Shaft. Any #8-32 screw button head or socket head screw will work as a retaining screw. It’s important to consider the application the motor is being used in so that you can still access the screw. This way if the screw needs to be tightened, or the gear needs to be replaced, the screw can still be accessed.
  • Page 29 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Using the Falcon 500 Cooling Port The Falcon 500 comes with a cooling port that can be used to force air through the motor chamber. This helps keep the motor cooler and therefore running more efficiently.
  • Page 30 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Step 3: Install #10-32 Push-to-Connect Pneumatic Fitting Use a 11mm wrench, screw a #10-32 pneumatic fitting into the Falcon 500’s cooling port. Step 4: Connect Hose to Fitting Connect pneumatic tubing to the pneumatic fitting from your air source.
  • Page 31 Changing the Output Shaft The Falcon 500 gives teams the ability to change or replace the output shaft of the motor. If the motor’s output shaft gets cut or damaged, teams can replace the original output shaft with a new output shaft.
  • Page 32 When removing the front end cap, make sure you remove the front end cap bearing as well. Step 3: Remove the (5x) M2.5 Screws from the Flange of the Shaft Use a 2mm hex key to remove the (5x) 2.5mm screws that secure the Falcon 500’s output shaft to the motor assembly.
  • Page 33 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Step 4: Remove the Shaft Remove the output shaft from the Falcon 500. Step 5: Place New Shaft on Motor Slide the new output shaft onto the motor assembly. vexpro.com ctr-electronics.com Copyright 2019, VEX Robotics Inc.
  • Page 34 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Step 6: Use (5x) M2.5 Screws to Secure the New Shaft to the Motor Using a 2mm hex key and the (5x) 2.5mm screws that were removed in Step 4, secure the new output shaft to the rest of the motor assembly.
  • Page 35 NOTE: After putting the Falcon 500 back together, check to make sure the shaft spins free by hand. If you feel any binding, the front end cap may not be properly aligned with the shaft or the motor chamber sleeve.
  • Page 36 CIM, Mini CIM or NEO, you would have to cut the shaft down to make it fit. This is a permanent modification. As was covered in the previous section, the Falcon 500’s shaft can be replaced with a short shaft option. This short shaft is pre-cut to the correct length needed to use the Falcon 500 with the VersaPlanetary.
  • Page 37 CIM adaptor. Step 3: Slide a VersaPlanetary Coupler on the Falcon 500 Shaft Slide the VersaPlanetary coupler designed for the Falcon 500 onto the Falcon 500’s output shaft. NOTE: There is no need to use a retaining screw when using the VersaPlanetary Coupler. The coupler will be constrained by the motor and the VersaPlanetary assembly.
  • Page 38 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Step 4: Attach Motor to VersaPlanetary Attach the Falcon 500 with a VersaPlanetary Coupler to the assembled VersaPlanetary with a CIM adaptor using (2x) #10-32. Secure them using a 5/32” hex key. vexpro.com ctr-electronics.com Copyright 2019, VEX Robotics Inc.
  • Page 39 The Talon FX has two modes: Brake and Coast. When a neutral signal is applied to the Talon FX in Brake mode, the Falcon 500 will resist rotation, especially high-speed rotation. This is accomplished by essentially shorting the motor leads, which causes a Back Electromotive Force (Back-EMF) to resist the rotation of the motor.
  • Page 40 The purpose of this connector is so teams can disable the motor’s ability to spin in a direction. For example, if a Falcon 500 is driving ‘forward’ and eventually triggers the ‘forward’ limit switch, then the motor will stop spinning in that direction. As long as the limit switch remains triggered, the motor will be able to spin ‘forward’.
  • Page 41 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Calibration The calibration of a Talon FX is essentially the scale of input signal to output voltage. Different controllers may have different “max” and “min” signals that may not correspond to the same Talon FX outputs. Calibrating the Talon FX allows it to adjust for these differences so that a “max”...
  • Page 42 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide To Restore Default Calibration: 1) Remove power from the Talon FX 2) Hold down the B/C CAL button 3) While holding down the button, restore power to the Talon FX 4) Continue holding the button until the status LEDs blink green, then release the button vexpro.com...
  • Page 43 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Blink Codes Blink Codes During Calibration Status LEDs Blink Code Talon FX State Calibration Mode Successful Calibration Failed Calibration Blink Codes During Normal Operation LEDs Colors Talon FX State Forward throttle is applied. Blink rate...
  • Page 44 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Blink Codes During Normal Operation (Continued) LEDs Colors Talon FX State Off/Orange RoboRIO not on CAN Bus Off/Slow CAN/PWM is not detected Orange Damaged Hardware Forward Limit Switch or Forward Soft Off/ Limit Reverse Limit Switch or Reverse Soft...
  • Page 45 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide B/C CAL Button Blink Codes B/C CAL Button Color Talon FX State Solid Brake Mode Coast Mode vexpro.com ctr-electronics.com Copyright 2019, VEX Robotics Inc. 2020-01-07...
  • Page 46 Q: Is it safe to mount the Falcon 500 directly to a robot’s metal frame? A: Yes. In fact, mounting the Falcon 500 to metal on your robot will act as a heatsink and help keep it running cooler.
  • Page 47 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Q: What CAN bus topologies are recommended? A: The Talon FX is intended to be used in the daisy chain fashion. Additionally, FRC Teams should always confirm what is considered “legal” per the latest FRC competition rules.
  • Page 48 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide As documented in the DW CAN bus specification, both daisy chain or a designed master cable harness meets the specification’s documented topology (diagram below). vexpro.com ctr-electronics.com Copyright 2019, VEX Robotics Inc. 2020-01-07...
  • Page 49 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Star topology is not recommended. This use case is not common, nor is it suggested in the DW CAN bus specification. This nonstandard implementation requires careful study and analysis of the candidate bus cable, which is typically beyond the capabilities of a typical FRC team.
  • Page 50 3. If Status LEDs blink ORANGE, the speed controller is probably damaged. The final test to determine if the Falcon 500 / Talon FX is damaged is to replace it with another Falcon 500 / Talon FX that is known to function properly.
  • Page 51 Status LEDs are working properly and the outputs are not working properly, the speed controller is probably damaged. The final test to determine if the Falcon 500 / Talon FX is damaged is to replace it with another Falcon 500 / Talon FX that is known to function properly.
  • Page 52 The final test to determine if the Falcon 500 / Talon FX is damaged is to replace it with another Falcon 500 / Talon FX that is known to function properly.
  • Page 53 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide What’s Included Replacement Part Picture Description Number Falcon 500, powered by Talon FX 217-6515 1/16” Thick Falcon Shaft Spacer 217-6937 1/8” Thick Falcon Shaft Spacer 217-6937 1/4” Thick Falcon Shaft Spacer 217-6937 Extension Cable Retaining Clip 276-4128 vexpro.com...
  • Page 54 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide FCC Compliance Statement (United States): This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
  • Page 55 217-6515-751 Falcon 500 Motor User Guide Support Please send any questions, comments, or concerns to VEX Robotics: Sales: sales@vex.com Support: prosupport@vex.com Phone: 1-903-453-0802 Fax: 1-214-722-1284 Office Hours: 7am – 5pm CT vexpro.com ctr-electronics.com Copyright 2019, VEX Robotics Inc. 2020-01-07...

Table of Contents

Save PDF