Hooking up a motorized effect
Now that you have the input power, network and E-Stop connected it’s time to hook up your machine. One of the space-saving decisions includes the introduction of Industrial Rectangular Connectors on the Stagehand Apprentice. The Motor and Brake cable are specific to the Stagehand Apprentice, though the Signal Cable is shared between the Apprentice and Pro lines
Signal Connection
Connecting the Encoder, Forward/Reverse/Ultimate[1] limits is accomplished through a single locking connector (IRC - 44mm X 27mm (6B) 24P 10A). This is the same connector and pinout we use with the Stagehand Pro Signal cables. Compatible connectors are available from a variety of suppliers. No matter the motor capacity of your Apprentice, the signal wiring is the same.
All limit switch signals require Normally Closed (N.C.) switches. The Stagehand sources 12vdc on a pin of each limit circuit and expects to sense a 12vdc signal returned on the other pin when the limit is not activated. If the limit is either activated, or disconnected, or a wire breaks, the 12vdc return signal is lifted and the Stagehand will enter a limit fault condition and disallow motion.
The limit switch inputs are used to protect against the motor traveling too far in a direction and causing damage or injury. When running in a cue, this is one of the safety features that guards against encoder failure. When jogging manually, this keeps you from accidentally traveling too far.
The encoder signal uses differential line receivers which employ a balanced signal transmitted over twisted-pair wires to drastically reduce electrical interference and thus reduce the opportunity for inaccurate encoder data. Encoders connected to the Stagehand must be equipped with differential line drivers to be compatible. Encoders are powered at 12vdc, please confirm your encoder is 12vdc compliant.
Let’s start with the limit signals
Reverse Limit – a Normally Closed (N.C.) switch can be wired to this pair of terminals. If the switch is activated, the Stagehand will not allow further motion in the reverse direction until the limit is cleared either by adjusting the switch mechanically or by moving in the forward direction far enough to clear the limit switch.
Forward Limit – a Normally Closed (N.C.) switch can be wired to this pair of terminals. If the switch is activated, the Stagehand will not allow further motion in the forward direction until the limit is cleared either by adjusting the switch mechanically or by moving in the reverse direction far enough to clear the limit switch.
Since the Stagehand provides three (3) separate pins that all source 12vdc, (pins 1, 3 & 5) one for each limit signal, you can reduce the wiring in your machine to four (4) wires by using just one of the 12vdc source pins and three (3) wires for the three limit return signals. Sometimes it is more convenient to wire a pair of conductors for each switch, other times it may be better to reduce the number of conductors by sharing a common voltage source. Both options are shown below:
Shared Limit Wiring | Discrete Limit Wiring |
The Stagehand Apprentice can support an Ultimate limit circuit, though it is jumped internally from the factory. If you would like to include the ultimate limit circuit in your system, please contact support@creativeconners.com. We will be happy to walk you through the process of removing the internal jumpers.
Now let’s look at the encoder signal.
Although the Stagehand Apprentice shares the signal cable with the Stagehand Pro, there are a few notable changes. First and foremost, the Stagehand Apprentice outputs 12VDC to power the Incremental, Quadrature Line Driver encoder. In contrast, the Stagehand Pro outputs 5VDC. Your position encoder must be 12VDC compliant to work with the Stagehand Apprentice. Additionally, the Stagehand Apprentice only powers and detects for a position encoder. Lacking a secondary speed encoder, the Stagehand Apprentice is not suited for closed loop vector control or for overhead lifting.
If you are building your own machine we recommend a PPR of 1024-2500 for a motor side encoder and anything above 4,000 PPR for the load side. For reference, the dancer wheel encoder included with the Revolver is a 10,000 PPR model.
Persistent Position stores the current encoder position in the Stagehand anytime the E-Stop is engaged. Don't worry about powering down and losing your position!
Motor and Brake Connection
Power output for both the motor and brake have been combined into a single IRC - 44mm X 27mm (6B) 6P 16A Female socket. As with the signal connectors, the motor and brake connectors are available from several manufacturers and suppliers. The wiring of the connector will vary slightly depending on the Stagehand Apprentice Model. For instance, the 1HP, 120VAC single phase Stagehand Apprentice power cord will output 120VAC on pin 4. While the 5HP, 208VAC three phase Stagehand Apprentice power cord will output 220VAC across pins 5 & 6. Refer to the following diagram for details. The pins for their matching motor cables are Han E style, with the motor output(pins 1-3) being 12AWG and the brake output(pins 4-6) being 16AWG.
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