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Hello I am new to this forum and am looking for some support and guidance.
My application is a deployable platform on the stern of a power catamaran which is operated with tandem brushed DC winch motors. The current factory installed system is inadequate: there is no control and coordination between the 2 winch motors the spool webbing straps connected to the cantilevered platform structure there is an endemic premature failure of components across the entire fleet). Optimally the winch motors would lift/drop the platform equally however the reality is that one winch motor will get ahead or behind the other winch motor leading to a 2X overload on one winch motor and slacked load on the other. The current factory installed system is what I would characterize as a "bang-bang" control approach using contactors that require the operator to carefully observe the 2 load straps and interrupt the tandem operation and re-adjust the slack before returning to tandem operation.
My initial corrective action would target the delivered torque ( current) at each winch motor and attempt to equalize and balance the torque across the 2 winch motors ( 12VDC, 100A operating, 200A peak). I am considering installing a twin brushed DC motor controller (Roboclaw 2 x 300A) along with an MCU ( Arduino) that will monitor the running current and update the maximum current to which ever motor is getting ahead of the other. In theory this will work, however there are other factors that should probably be address by the new control system: (1) the winches spool up the straps- meaning the nominal torque will change with the wrapped diameter of the strap and (2) the platform needs to remain level during deployment/retrieval but the platform can be asymmetrically loaded to some degree meaning the nominal running torque/current at each winch motor will be different and therefore current equalization alone will not correct the deficiency.
I am looking for any advice or support on how to proceed.
Thanks in advance
John
My application is a deployable platform on the stern of a power catamaran which is operated with tandem brushed DC winch motors. The current factory installed system is inadequate: there is no control and coordination between the 2 winch motors the spool webbing straps connected to the cantilevered platform structure there is an endemic premature failure of components across the entire fleet). Optimally the winch motors would lift/drop the platform equally however the reality is that one winch motor will get ahead or behind the other winch motor leading to a 2X overload on one winch motor and slacked load on the other. The current factory installed system is what I would characterize as a "bang-bang" control approach using contactors that require the operator to carefully observe the 2 load straps and interrupt the tandem operation and re-adjust the slack before returning to tandem operation.
My initial corrective action would target the delivered torque ( current) at each winch motor and attempt to equalize and balance the torque across the 2 winch motors ( 12VDC, 100A operating, 200A peak). I am considering installing a twin brushed DC motor controller (Roboclaw 2 x 300A) along with an MCU ( Arduino) that will monitor the running current and update the maximum current to which ever motor is getting ahead of the other. In theory this will work, however there are other factors that should probably be address by the new control system: (1) the winches spool up the straps- meaning the nominal torque will change with the wrapped diameter of the strap and (2) the platform needs to remain level during deployment/retrieval but the platform can be asymmetrically loaded to some degree meaning the nominal running torque/current at each winch motor will be different and therefore current equalization alone will not correct the deficiency.
I am looking for any advice or support on how to proceed.
Thanks in advance
John
