Building with the V5 Workcell - Part 1: Electronics – VEX Library

Assembling the VEX V5 Workcell is a fun and educational activity.

Diagram illustrating the setup of the V5 Workcell for Career and Technical Education, featuring labeled components and connections to guide users in configuring the system effectively.

Build instructions for setting up the V5 Workcell in Career and Technical Education, featuring labeled diagrams and step-by-step guidance for assembly.

The Build Instructions found in the Seek section of the V5 Workcell STEM Labs provide parts lists and detailed illustrations to guide the learner with the assembly.

However, there are some tips and tricks which can make building and using the V5 Workcell even easier.

What are V5 Electronics?

The V5 Electronic products include the V5 Robot Brain, the V5 Robot Battery, the V5 Electromagnet, and Sensors.

V5 Robot Brain

Diagram illustrating the setup of the V5 Workcell, featuring a brain and battery configuration, used in Career and Technical Education for robotics applications.

The V5 Robot Brain and V5 Robot Battery serve as the controller and the power source for the V5 Workcell.

The V5 Robot Brain and the V5 Robot Battery are introduced in Lab 1: Industrial Robotics. There are a wealth of V5 Robot Brain articles and V5 Robot Battery articles provided on the VEX Library to provide more information on the devices and their functionality.

V5 Electromagnet

Diagram of a V5 Workcell setup for CTE, illustrating the arrangement of components and connections for Lab 7, focusing on magnet placement and configuration.

The V5 Electromagnet is the manipulator used in the V5 Workcell to pick up the colored disks. It is added in the build of Lab 7.

The V5 Electromagnet functions by having an electrical current flow through a coil of wire called a solenoid. When an electrical current is flowing through the solenoid, a magnetic field will be produced. If the direction of the electric current is changed then the polarity of the magnetic field will also switch.

Sensors

There are two different types of sensors used in the V5 Workcell, the 3-Wire Sensors and the V5 Sensors.

3-Wire Sensors: The 3-Wire Sensors include the Potentiometers used to control the arm joints which are added in Lab 1, the V5 Bumper Switch v2 added in Lab 2 to mimic the E-stop of a workcell, and the Line Trackers added in Lab 10 which are used to detect the disks on the conveyor systems.
V5 Sensors: The V5 Sensors have been designed to work specifically with the V5 Robot Brain and utilizes the Brain's Smart Ports. The V5 Optical Sensor is one of the V5 Sensors and is used to detect the color of the disks.

Tips and Tricks when working with V5 Electronics

V5 Robot Brain and the V5 Robot Battery tips and tricks:

If your motors and sensors are not functioning, they may not be connected properly. Be sure the V5 Smart Cables are fully inserted and snap-locked into their ports.
None of the electronic parts of the V5 Workcell can function without power. Be sure the V5 Robot Battery is charged prior to using the system.

V5 Electromagnet tips and tricks:

Diagram illustrating how to set the magnet to boost in the V5 Workcell, part of CTE (Career and Technical Education) resources.

If you are not having success when picking up a disk with the robotic arm, be sure the [Energize electromagnet] block is set to ‘boost.’ This will turn the V5 Electromagnet on and add its force to the permanent magnet found in the manipulator.

An electromagnet positioned above a metal disk, demonstrating the setup process for the V5 Workcell in a Career and Technical Education context.

In order to pick up a disk, the V5 Electromagnet needs to be very close or touching the disk.

Diagram showing the setup configuration for the V5 Workcell, illustrating the components and connections needed for optimal operation in Career and Technical Education (CTE) settings.

To drop a disk be sure the [Energize electromagnet] block is set to ‘drop.’ This will cause the electromagnetic field and the magnetic field of the permanent magnet in the manipulator of the V5 Electromagnet to be balanced.

3-Wire Sensors tips and tricks:

Diagram showing the connections for a 3-wire port in the V5 Workcell setup, illustrating the wiring configuration for Career and Technical Education applications.

The pin connectors for 3-Wire Sensors can be bent and/or misaligned. Care needs to be taken when plugging them into the 3-Wire ports on the V5 Robot Brain. Ensure the connectors are fully inserted into the 3-Wire port.

Diagram showing the orientation of the 3-wire port connections for setting up the V5 Workcell in Career and Technical Education, illustrating the correct placement and alignment of wires.

Ensure the 3-Wire pin connectors are plugged in to the 3-Wire Port in the correct orientation by using the plastic tab on them. The ports are keyed so you can only plug the cable in one way.

Diagram illustrating the dos and don'ts of using V5 extension cables for setting up the V5 Workcell in Career and Technical Education.

If a 3-Wire Extension cable is being used the key-orientation safeguard is no longer present for the connection between the two cables. Care needs to be used to ensure that the colors of the 3-Wire Cables match when they are plugged into one another.

Potentiometers tips and tricks:

Diagram of a potentiometer with labeled components, illustrating its setup in the V5 Workcell for CTE (Career and Technical Education) applications.

The 3-Wire Potentiometers on the robotic arm attached to the V5 Workcell at each joint may slip or need adjustment. If this occurs, follow the procedure in the Play section of Lab 1 to adjust and retest the Potentiometers.

Line Tracker tips and tricks:

Diagram of a Load Sensor setup in the V5 Workcell, illustrating connections and components for Career and Technical Education applications.

If your Line Tracker is not detecting disks as expected, the threshold value may need to be changed.

Image showing a setup of V5 line trackers in a workspace for Career and Technical Education, illustrating the arrangement and connection of sensors for optimal performance in robotics applications.

For information on how to measure the Line Tracker’s threshold see Lab 10’s Play section. More information about the Line Trackers can be found in this Using the V5 3-Wire Line Tracker VEX Library article.

V5 Optical Sensor tips and tricks:

Diagram illustrating the setup of the V5 Workcell with optical sensor detection components, including labeled parts and connections for effective integration in a CTE (Career and Technical Education) environment.

If your Optical Sensor is not reading values correctly, the sensor window may be blocked. Ensure the Optical Sensor’s window is unobstructed.

V5 Workcell setup showing various components including a robot, sensors, and a workstation, illustrating the configuration for Career and Technical Education.

More information about the V5 Optical Sensor can be found in this Using the V5 Optical Sensor VEX Library article.

V5 Smart cables tips and tricks:

Smart cable kit for V5 Workcell setup in Career and Technical Education, featuring various cables and connectors organized for easy access and installation.

If you are finding that the V5 Smart Cables that come in the V5 Workcell Kit are not the length you desire, you can make your own. To make your own customized V5 Smart Cables, follow the instructions in the Crimping Tool VEX Library Article. More information about cables can be found in the Connecting and Managing V5 Cables VEX Library Article.