I’m trying to achieve a specific type of BLDC motor behaviour and would appreciate advice on whether this is possible with ODrive (and which controller would support it).
Goal:
I want the motor to apply a constant torque that is just below the threshold required to rotate the load shaft on its own. When an external force is applied to the load shaft (less than the torque needed to move it freely), the motor should assist the motion so that both rotate together at whatever RPM the load shaft dictates. Essentially, I want the motor to behave like an “assistive torque source,” following the user‑driven motion rather than imposing its own velocity.
Additional requirement:
The system must track absolute position (0–360° range), but it should not attempt to return to any fixed home position unless explicitly commanded. In other words, position feedback is required, but not closed‑loop position control unless requested.
Questions:
Is this behaviour achievable using ODrive’s torque control mode or a combination of its control modes?
Does this require a specific ODrive model or encoder setup?
Are there recommended configurations for achieving this “assist-as-needed” style of torque support?
Thanks in advance for any guidance.
Regards,
Martyn