Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: brunix!news.Brown.EDU!noc.near.net!howland.reston.ans.net!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!csc.ti.com!tilde.csc.ti.com!fstop.csc.ti.com!usenet
From: CT (STEPCONTROL)
Subject: PRODUCT RELEASE
Message-ID: <C7CBMM.20H@csc.ti.com>
Sender: usenet@csc.ti.com
Nntp-Posting-Host: s809.dseg.ti.com
Organization: Texas Instruments
Date: Thu, 20 May 1993 19:32:45 GMT
Lines: 66



CILATRON has just released the STEPCONTROL board, that enables any IBM 
compatible PC to control STEPPER MOTORS, DC MOTORS, RELAYS, LIGHTS, etc.

A single board will control three unipolar (3 or 4 phase) stepper motors 
rated at 500mA/phase or one stepper rated at 1.5A/phase, 6 to 35V.

It can also control twelve DC loads, inductive or not, rated at 500mA 
or three loads rated at 1.0 A. (1.5 if duty cycle is less than 50).

Four TTL inputs (pulled up) are provided for sensing switches, and
are available to the software for decision taking or home sensing.

This 3.5"x2.3" card is plugged to the parallel port of the PC, power
requirements are 100mA, from 6V to 35V.

A second connector is provided that will accept additional STEPCONTROL boards,
up to four boards can be connected to one printer port for a total of
twelve steppers or 48 DC loads.


Included with the board are:

Software to control the board is provided, easy programming allows steppers
to execute scripts, take decisions, runs DOS programs as part of the script,etc.

Software to control the DC loads allows on, off, and PWM of all 48 outputs, 
executes scripts, take decisions, runs DOS programs as part of the script,etc.

Source code and examples in BASIC, PASCAL and C.

Plans and software to build a milling machine (XYZ table) that takes a
400x400 image and carves it on wood or any soft material; it can be build
with materials from your local hardware store for about $120.

Future Plans and software include a three join robot arm and a robotic mouse 
that can be build for less than $60.


Price list:

Kit (board and all electrical parts) . . .$30
Assembled and tested . . . . . . . . . . .$55
S/H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 5

15 day money back. (kits are not refundable once soldered)

Allow 2-3 weeks for checks to clear, no wait on money orders.

CILATRON Corp.
P.O. Box 541294
Grand Prairie, TX, 75054-1294.


Future CILATRON products compatible with STEPCONTROL:


Sensor board: 16 TTL inputs pulled high.
Biphase stepper: same as STEPCONTROL, but for biphase steppers.
A/D sensor board: 8 analog inputs, 8 bit resolution.
Serial adapter: RS232 serial interface to/from PC, Mac, etc.




