map pilot - marakeb

MAP Pilot

Tuning Guide

MAP Tuning Guide

MAP Marine Technologies | MAP-Tech

By:

Al Marakeb Manufacturing Boats Co LLC

www.almarakeb.net

Industrial Area 13, 52nd Street, Warehouse 1

PO Box 341

Sharjah - UAE

Tel No.: +971 6 538 5196

Fax No.: +971 6 538 5691

http://www.almarakeb.net/

MAP Tuning Guide

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Contents

1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 3

OVERVIEW --------------------------------------------------------------------- 3

GENERAL WIRING DIAGRAM ---------------------------------------------------- 4

2 MAP SETUP TOOL .................................................................................................................................... 5

TUNING PARAMETERS --------------------------------------------------------- 5

CONNECTING TO THE MAP SETUP TOOL ------------------------------------------- 5

Mobile Application ......................................................................................................................................... 5

MAP MFD ....................................................................................................................................................... 7

Definitions for Parameters and Related Terms .............................................................................................. 8

Rudder Gain................................................................................................................................................................. 8

Counter Rudder Gain ................................................................................................................................................... 8

Track Control Period .................................................................................................................................................... 8

Arrival Radius .............................................................................................................................................................. 8

3 MAP RUDDER CONFIGURATION TOOL ..................................................................................................... 9

TUNING PARAMETERS ---------------------------------------------------------- 9

CONNECTING TO THE UTILITY ----------------------------------------------------- 9

4 UNDERSTANDING THE TUNING PARAMETERS ....................................................................................... 10

SYSTEM CONFIGURATION ------------------------------------------------------- 10

VESSEL COURSE ------------------------------------------------------------- 10

AUTONOMOUS NAVIGATION ----------------------------------------------------- 11

Navigational Copilots ................................................................................................................................... 11

Navigational Logic ....................................................................................................................................... 12

Determining vessel heading ...................................................................................................................................... 12

Changing the rudder angle ........................................................................................................................................ 14

Controlling the autopilot steering pump ................................................................................................................... 14

5 TROUBLESHOOTING .............................................................................................................................. 15

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List of Figures

Fig. 1: MAP [P/N MP-PMA03x, MP-PMA02A] ......................................................................................... 3

Fig. 2: General wiring diagram of the MAP Pilot ..................................................................................... 4

Fig. 3: Parameters on the MAP Setup Tool ............................................................................................ 5

Fig. 4: Connecting to the Wi-Fi network of the MAP Pilot ...................................................................... 5

Fig. 5: Retrieving the current parameters of the MAP Pilot ................................................................... 6


Fig. 7: Powering on the MAP MFD .......................................................................................................... 7


Fig. 9: The rate of turn of the rudder set in the MAP Rudder Configuration Tool ................................. 9

Fig. 9: Uploading autopilot settings ........................................................................................................ 9

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1 Introduction

Overview

The MAP Tuning Guide is written as a supporting document to the MAP Setup Tool, which is a

program designed to tune the parameters of the following autopilot from MAP Marine

Technologies:

• MAP Pilot: MP-PMA02A, MP-PMA03x

Fig. 1: MAP [P/N MP-PMA03x, MP-PMA02A]

The MAP Pilot uses a proprietary protocol by MAP-Tech to provide autonomous control over the steering system of your vessel. Once installed on your boat, you should tune the autopilot for optimum performance, accessing its operational parameters from the MAP Setup Tool. The application can be used on any Android smartphone, as well as on the MAP Multifunction Display (MAP MFD), an LCD touchscreen available with the MAP Pilot.

Once connected to the MAP Pilot, the MAP Setup Tool reads and displays the current parameters of the autopilot, allowing you to fine-tune them according to your vessel. The tuning process uses a trial-and-error approach, until the performance of the vessel matches your expectations. A troubleshooting section is available in this document to help you correct any performance errors.

As a part of its autonomous navigation protocol, the MAP Pilot controls the rudder of your vessel, which must be tuned using a separate program, the MAP Rudder Configuration Tool. This utility allows you to correct the rate of turn of the rudder through an easy-to-use interface. All required software is provided by your MAP-Tech supplier.

Before beginning the tuning procedure, ensure the following:

• Your MAP Pilot is installed according to the general wiring diagram in Fig. 2 in Sec. 1.2.

• Your laptop is connected to the MAP Pilot using its data harness.

• The MAP Rudder Configuration Tool is installed on your laptop.

• The MAP MFD is powered on.

General Wiring Diagram

Fig. 2: General wiring diagram of the MAP Pilot

MAP Pilot

Setup

GPS Antenna

Feedback

Power HarnessPower Out

Power In

Pump Switch

Autopilot Steering Pump

12V

GND

Rudder Position Sensor

Laptop

MAP MFD

MAP Interface Cable

Data Harness

GPS Antenna

Power GND

+12V

GND+12V

Input Power

Input Power

Audio Device

USB-to-Audio

2 MAP Setup Tool

Tuning Parameters

The MAP Setup Tool is an Android application provided with your MAP Pilot. Fig. 3 illustrates the parameters that can be changed from the program:

Fig. 3: Parameters on the MAP Setup Tool

Connecting to the MAP Setup Tool

The MAP Setup Tool is available as a mobile application, as well as installed on the MAP MFD, which runs the Android OS. You can use it to tune your MAP Pilot using either of the following procedures, depending on your device:

Mobile Application

1. Transfer to your Android smartphone the .apk file of the MAP Setup Tool. 2. Install the MAP Setup Tool on your smartphone. 3. Open the Wi-Fi settings of your smartphone. 4. Select the Wi-Fi network of your MAP Pilot and enter the password printed on your unit:

Fig. 4: Connecting to the Wi-Fi network of the MAP Pilot

MAP Tuning Guide

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5. If the connection is successful, open the MAP Setup Tool on your phone. 6. Press Click to Connect. The application will begin to retrieve the settings of the MAP Pilot:

Fig. 5: Retrieving the current parameters of the MAP Pilot

7. Edit the parameters according to your requirements. For more details, refer to Sec. 4.


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MAP MFD

• Power on the display:

Fig. 7: Powering on the MAP MFD

• Select the MAP Setup Tool from the Desktop

• Edit the parameters according to your requirements. For more details, refer to Sec. 4.


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Definitions for Parameters and Related Terms

Rudder Gain

This parameter controls the steering angle, which is needed to correct the heading of the vessel. The correct heading is in the direction of where the vessel needs to reach.

• Increase this parameter to increase the aggressiveness of the autopilot steering maneuver, known as the rate of turn of the vessel.

• Decrease this parameter to decrease the vessel’s rate of turn.

• Increase (decrease) in increments (decrements) of 3 to notice change.

Counter Rudder Gain

This parameter controls the degree of counter rudder required to prevent the MAP Pilot from oversteering. If this value is too low, the vessel can overshoot the desired heading.

• Increase this parameter to prevent the autopilot from oversteering.


Track Control Period

This parameter controls the pace at which the MAP commands a heading change.

• Decrease this parameter to increase the rate at which MAP converges onto track.

• Increase this parameter incase the vessel goes into a zig-zag like path along straight tracks.


Arrival Radius The arrival radius is the distance from the desired waypoint at which the autopilot steers the vessel towards the next waypoint.

• MAP Pilot has an adaptive mechanism with respect to the arrival radius.

• Set the size of the arrival radius for different speeds.

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3 MAP Rudder Configuration Tool

Tuning Parameters

The only parameter that needs to be adjusted in the MAP Rudder Configuration Tool is the rate of turn of the rudder of your vessel. It is highlighted in the image below:

Fig. 9: The rate of turn of the rudder set in the MAP Rudder Configuration Tool

Connecting to the Utility

1. Connect the MAP Pilot to your laptop. 2. Open the MAP Rudder Configuration Tool 3. Note the tab Rudder: Rate of Turn, shown in Fig. 9. 4. Change the rudder coefficient to your desired value. Pressing the up and down arrows raises

and lowers the value by 1 unit, respectively. 5. Click Upload to upload your settings, as shown below:

Fig. 10: Uploading autopilot settings

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4 Understanding the Tuning Parameters

System Configuration

Vessel Dino is equipped with the MAP Pilot, following the configuration shown below:

Vessel Course

The captain of the Dino requests the MAP Pilot to steer the vessel on a course with three waypoints, starting with waypoint 2:

12V Power Supply

AP commands

GPS Antenna

GPS coordinates

User input

MAP MFD

MAP Pilot

AP Steering Pump

Feedback from rudder

GPS Antenna

GPS coordinates

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Autonomous Navigation

Navigational Copilots

The MAP Pilot receives the request from the captain and forwards it to its three copilots:

• Pilot H (heading): chooses a point (marked with an X) on the line joining the current and

next waypoints, towards which the vessel should be headed:

• Pilot R (rudder): selects the position of the rudder to steer the vessel towards the heading

specified by Pilot H:

• Pilot P (pump): adjusts the speed and direction in which the reversible hydraulic pump

should operate, pushing the steering cylinder to the position specified by Pilot R:

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Navigational Logic

Determining vessel heading

1. Pilot H draws an imaginary circle, the Correction Circle, around the vessel.

• The size of the Correction Circle increases with the speed of the vessel.

• The larger the parameter Track Control Period, the larger the Correction Circle:

2. Pilot H observes the point at which the Correction Circle intersects Line T, labeling the

intersection point as Point I.

• Line T is the line joining the previous waypoint with the next waypoint. In this case,

Line T joins waypoints 1 and 2 (WP1, WP2):

• Pilot H commands Pilot R to head towards Point I. As the vessel approaches Line T, Point I

advances along the line, forcing the vessel to smoothly follow the track:

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• The larger the Correction Circle, the more smoothly the vessel approaches Line T:

3. As the vessel approaches the desired waypoint (WP2), Pilot H keeps an eye on the vessel as

it nears the Arrival Radius of the waypoint:

• When the vessel enters the Arrival Radius of the waypoint (WP2), Line T is

redefined as the line joining the desired and next waypoints (WP2, WP3):

• You can set the size of the Arrival Radius at different values of the vessel speed

(Low Speed, Below Planing, Above Planing):

MAP Tuning Guide

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Changing the rudder angle

Step 1: Step 2:

Pilot R receives the desired heading from Pilot H and

calculates the SCA.

• The larger the error in heading, the more extreme

the SCA.

• The larger the parameter Rudder Gain, the more

extreme the SCA.

Pilot R sends the SCA to Pilot P.

Pilot P moves the rudder to the SCA.

The vessel begins to turn in the direction of the desired heading.

Step 3: Step 4:

As the vessel approaches the desired heading, Pilot R

reduces the SCA to reduce the vessel rate of turn,

avoiding an overshoot.

The parameter Counter Rudder Gain prevents the heading from overshooting, by restricting the rate of turn of the vessel.

• The larger the parameter Counter Rudder Gain, the

more restricted the rate of turn.

Controlling the autopilot steering pump

1. Pilot P receives the SCA from Pilot R and commands the pump to move the steering cylinder

to the SCA.

• The larger the parameter P, the faster the steering cylinder moves to the SCA.

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5 Troubleshooting

1. Symptom: The vessel follows an S-pattern while tracking a straight line:

Cause: Low Track Control Period

2. Symptom: The vessel takes a long time to converge on to the track:

Cause: High Track Control Period

3. Symptom: The vessel wobbles in the roll direction:

Cause: High Rudder Coefficient

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4. Symptom: The vessel wobbles in the yaw direction:

Cause: High Counter Rudder Gain

5. Symptom: The vessel undershoots on corners:

Cause: Low Rudder Gain

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6. Symptom: The vessel starts turning too early:

Cause: Large Arrival Radius

7. Symptom: The vessel turns too late:

Cause: Small Arrival Radius

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