Version: Next

Common Problems Troubleshooting

Cannot Connect

The most common cause of communication failure between the actuator and other devices is loose or broken signal cables due to long-term use. If the actuator cannot be reached, the first step is to check whether the wiring is secure.
If the actuator indicator light is orange, it means the firmware upgrade process was interrupted — the device entered the bootloader but the firmware download was not completed before exiting the debugging software. To fix this, simply resume and complete the firmware upgrade.

To rule out other factors, first restore the current loop, speed loop, and position loop PID values, as well as the acceleration/deceleration values of speed mode, back to their defaults. Then, using the debugging software, set an appropriate target position in profile position mode and observe the actuator’s motion. If jitter persists, the cause is most likely gearbox wear.
If severe jitter occurs in profile speed mode or profile position mode, check whether the current loop PI value is significantly higher than the default. An excessively high PI setting causes overly aggressive current regulation at the low level, resulting in jitter. Reduce the current loop PI value.
In modes other than profile position mode, ensure that the trajectory generated by the upper-level controller is smooth. If the planned trajectory itself has jitter, the actuator will also jitter.

The actuator monitors three temperature points: motor temperature, MOSFET temperature, and MCU temperature. If any of them exceeds the limit, an over-temperature alarm is triggered. Reference to Temperature protection.
Heavy load (beyond rated capacity), excessive speed, or high ambient temperature increases the likelihood of overheating. A typical symptom is normal operation for some time, followed by the indicator turning red and the actuator stopping. When this happens, the feedback frame’s “feedback3” byte will be nonzero, and the “error type” field will also return a nonzero error code (not always over-temperature, so check the reported error code to confirm).
Possible countermeasures: lower the ambient temperature, add heat sinks, reduce actuator speed, or decrease the load.

According to the CAN protocol, both ends of the bus must be terminated with 120 Ω resistors. If a bus disconnection occurs, check this first.
When multiple actuators are connected, if some communicate normally but others fail or show intermittent communication, or if all actuators have issues, it is likely due to a loose or broken connection somewhere on the bus. Use a multimeter to test for continuity and locate the break point, then reconnect properly.
If the actuator operates in an environment with strong magnetic interference, it is recommended to use shielded cables for the signal lines.

If during operation (especially when the actuator is passively rotated) the indicator light turns red, the actuator is disabled, and the feedback frame’s error code is 0x01 or 0x02, this indicates that back-EMF generated during motion caused large fluctuations in the power supply voltage.
To stabilize the voltage, add a module at the power supply end to absorb the back-EMF and keep the voltage constant.