Easy PID Motor Controller (EPMC) Python Library

This library helps communicate with the Easy PID Motor Controller Module (i.e L298N EPMC MODULE or a CUSTOM EPMC INTERFACE BOARD) in your PC or microcomputer-based python projects, with the epmc_setup_application.

you can use it in your microcomputer robotics project (e.g Raspberry Pi, PC, etc.)

A simple way to get started is simply to try out and follow the example code

Dependencies

• you'll need to pip install the pyserial library

    pip3 install pyserial   //linux or mac
    pip install pyserial   //windows

Dependencies

• you'll need to pip install the pyserial library

  pip3 install pyserial

How to Use the Library

• Ensure you have the L298N EPMC MODULE or a CUSTOM EPMC INTERFACE BOARD interfaced with your preferred motors, setup the encoder and PID parameters with the epmc_setup_application.

• Download (by clicking on the green Code button above) or clone the repo into your PC using git clone

Note

you can use this command if you want to clone the repo:

git clone https://github.com/samuko-things-company/epmc_python.git

• check the serial port the driver is connected to:

  The best way to select the right serial port (if you are using multiple serial device) is to select by path

  ls /dev/serial/by-path

  you should see a value (if the driver is connected and seen by the computer), your serial port would be -> /dev/serial/by-path/[value]. for more info visit this tutorial from ArticulatedRobotics

  • OR you can also try this:

  ls /dev/ttyU*

  you should see /dev/ttyUSB0 or /dev/ttyUSB1 and so on

• A simple way to get started is simply to try out and follow the example motor_control.py code.

• You can copy the epmc.py file into your python robotics project, import the library as shown in the example motor_control.py code, add it to your code, and start using it.

Basic Library functions and usage

• connect to smc_driver shield module

  EPMC("port_name or port_path")

• send target angular velocity command

  .sendTargetVel(motorA_TargetVel, motorB_TargetVel)

• send PWM command

  .sendPwm(motorA_PWM, motorB_PWM)

• set motor command timeout

  .setCmdTimeout(timeout_ms)

• get motor command timeout

  .getCmdTimeout() # returns motor command timeout in ms

• read motors angular position

  .getMotorsPos() # returns angPosA, angPosB

• read motors angular velocity

  .getMotorsVel() # returns angVelA, angVelB

• read motorA maximum commandable angular velocity

  .getMotorAMaxVel() # returns maxVelA

• read motorB maximum commandable angular velocity

  .getMotorBMaxVel() # returns maxVelB