DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller DRF Closed-loop and Open-loop Proportional Valve Controller High Country Tek, Inc. reserves the right to improve this product at any time and without notice. This manual may contain mistakes and printing errors. The content is regularly checked and updated. Please check our website or contact our customer support for latest version. HCT accepts NO liability for technical mistakes or printing errors or their consequence.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller Contents Welcome ...................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Product Application Guidelines .................................................................................................................................... 4 DRF Controllers ...............................................................................................................
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller Welcome Welcome to High Country Tek Inc. HCT is North America’s foremost independent designer and producer of modular, ruggedized digital and analog electronic controllers for the fluid power industry. From our factory in California, we manufacture ‘specialty’ controllers for specific functions and the user programmable ‘DVC family’ to enable large area networked system solutions. The modules are used in mobile, industrial and marine applications.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller Product Application Guidelines ALWAYS do the following FULLY read this manual and accompanying data sheets BEFORE starting. Isolate this unit from all other equipment BEFORE any form of welding. Isolate the controller from ANY form of battery charging or battery boosting. Be aware of the electrical & mechanical connections, and the expected reactions of the equipment. Operate the units within the temperature range.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller DRF Controllers The DRF controller drives proportional solenoid valves in a closed loop system to follow a command signal. When the feedback is greater than the command input, the coil receives full current; when the feedback is less than the command input, the coil receives 0 current. Once configured, the settings are permanently stored in the controller memory.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller Physical Description There are PWR LED and OUTx LEDs. For DRF-4, there are 5 LEDs. The PWR LED is green when the applied voltage is within the operating range. OUTx LEDs indicate current output for a given channel. The LEDs are yellow and the brightness will vary with the output current. In the case of a fault the LEDs will flash red with a flash code. See Fault Status for details. The DRF communicates with the Graphical User Interface through the USB port.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller Configuration The GUI has 4 buttons (ran from a PC): Lock, Unlock, Up, and Down. There are short-cut keys: ‘/’(lock), ‘*’(unlock), ‘+’(up), and ‘-‘(down). The HCT Hand Held Interface has the same 4 buttons and 2-line LCD. Use the up and down arrows to navigate through the parameter list. The display will show the next parameter in the list when pressed. The parameter name is on the first line and the value is on the second line.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller “Read settings from controller” displays a static table of values from non-volatile memory. The changes made to the settings by selecting “lock” are not updated in the table unless “read settings from controller” is selected again. To save the settings into a file for future use, click “read settings from controller” before clicking “save settings to file”. 021-DRF Rev A DRF User Manual Copyright © High Country Tek, Inc.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller When uploading settings from a data file, the static table shows the settings from the data file, but they are not in the controller yet. Click “write settings to controller” before clicking “read settings from controller”. After this step, the static table will display the DRF settings from the data file. 021-DRF Rev A DRF User Manual Copyright © High Country Tek, Inc.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller Parameter List The following table outlines the DRF parameters as well as the limits and units of measure for each parameter. Parameter Limits Units DRFx-xxx Version # C1 Mode See Mode Description Mode # C1 Proportional gain 0.0 to 100 % C1 Integral gain 0.0 to 100 % C1 Derivative gain 0.0 to 100 % C1 PID loop time 1 to 30 Cycles 0.0 to 2.0 V (mA) C1 Min input -10 to +10.0; 4 to 20.0 V (mA) C1 Max input -10 to +10.0; 4 to 20.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller DRFx-xxx - The title parameter is fixed. It displays the model number and the firmware version. Cx MODE - Four modes of operation.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller PID LOOP TIME - Sets the PID loop closure time in number of dither cycles. The lower the number, the more quickly the system responds to error. It is a variable type. DEADBAND - Sets the error tolerance of the PID loop. The control will only respond to error greater than the Deadband parameter. For a velocity loop the output will remain at a fixed level. For a position loop both outputs will remain off. This parameter is a variable type.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller PID Algorithm The controller uses a digital, velocity PID algorithm as shown: O(t) = O(t-1) + P*(e(t)-e(t-1)) + I*T*e(t) + D/T*(e(t) + e(t-2) – 2*e(t-1)) Where: O = output P = proportional gain term I = integral gain term D = derivative gain term e(t) = error at time t T = PID loop time Setup Procedure 1. Select the operating frequency. 2. Set the Minimum and Maximum Outputs according to the valve specs. 3. Set the Dither Frequency according to the valve specs.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller DRF Closed-loop control: Place channel 1 in Mode 3 or 4, channel 2 in mode 1 or 2. When the feedback (channel 2 input 5.5V) is less than the command (channel 1 input 9.8V), DRF outputs 0.74A to Channel 1. When the feedback (channel 2 input 5.5V) is greater than the command (channel 1 input 3.8V), DRF outputs 0A to Channel 1. Channel 2 does not have an output. Channel 2 does not have an output. 021-DRF Rev A DRF User Manual Copyright © High Country Tek, Inc.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller When the feedback (channel 2 input 5.5V) is greater than the command (channel 1 input 1.3V), DRF outputs 0A to Channel 1. When the feedback (channel 2 input 5.5V) is less than the command (channel 1 input 7.2V), DRF outputs 0.74A to Channel 1. Channel 2 does not have an output. Channel 2 does not have an output. 021-DRF Rev A DRF User Manual Copyright © High Country Tek, Inc.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller Open-loop dual coil Mode: 0.5V to 9.5V drives the channel 1 output, -0.5 to -9.5V drives the channel 2 output. Channel 1 has an output of 0.22A because the input is 2.4V. Channel 1 has an output of 0.56A because the input is 5.5V. 021-DRF Rev A DRF User Manual Copyright © High Country Tek, Inc.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller Channel 2 has an output of 0.34A because the input is -3.5V. 021-DRF Rev A Channel 2 has an output of 0.64A because the input is -6.4V. DRF User Manual Copyright © High Country Tek, Inc.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller Wiring Terminal functions are listed in the table below. Terminal Function J1-1 +V Supply J1-2 Supply Common J1-3 Enable Input J2-1 Output Ch. 1 J2-2 Common J2-3 Output Ch. 2 J3-1 Output Ch. 3 J3-2 Common J3-3 Output Ch. 4 J4-1 -10V Reference J4-2 Common J4-3 +10V Reference J5-1 Command Input Ch. 1 J5-2 Common J5-3 Command Input Ch. 2 J6-1 Command Input Ch. 3 J6-2 Common J6-3 Command Input Ch.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller Order Information The following is a break-down of the DRF part numbering system: DRF4-V12 06 = 600mA max 12 = 1.2A max 25 = 2.5A max V = -10 to +10V input A = 0 to 20mA # = Number of channels (2 or 4) Required Communication Cables: For the Hand Held Interface Device: P/N: HH2USB and PN: 108-00134 For the PC software SAM: PN: 108-00134 P/N: HHI2USB 021-DRF Rev A P/N: 108-00134 DRF User Manual Copyright © High Country Tek, Inc.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller Example Settings Application Examples Parameter Open Loop Double Solenoid Control (DRF2-Vxx) Value C1 Mode The DRF can drive a dual-coil valve with a joystick or potentiometer of 10kΩ. If enable switch is not used, set channel 1 to be Mode 1, channel 2 to be Mode 3. If enable switch is used, set channel 1 to be Mode 2, channel 2 to be Mode 4. The minimum and maximum input parameters for the two channels should not be overlap. 2 CUR USE ENBL C1 Min input 0.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller Double/Single/Single Solenoid Control (DRF4-Vxx) The DRF drives a dual-coil valve with joystick input J5-1 and 2 single-coil valves with joystick input J6-1 and J6-3. Set the dither and output settings according to the valve specifications. Schematic +V Power Input 9 - 32VDC Example Settings Parameter C1 Mode Value 2 CUR USE ENBL C1 Min input 0.2 V C1 Max input 10.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller Closed Loop Velocity Mode (DRF2-Vxx) Example Settings The DRF can drive a single solenoid valve in closed loop velocity mode. Parameter Value C1 Mode 4 VEL USE ENBL Set the input ranges to match the desired command and feedback range. C1 Min input 0.2 V C1 Max input 10.0 V NOTE: The feedback (C2 input) setting should be inverted for reverse-logic valves. The minimum must be greater than the maximum.
DRF Closed-loop Valve Controller - - or a full list of authori ed distributors worldwide, please visit or customer service, pricing, order placement and application support, contact us through E-mail at A N Hydraulics C ompany 208 old lat Court Nevada City, CA, 5 5 Tel ( ) 530 2 5 323 a ( ) 530 2 5 32 5
