SmartNews February | Stand Alone Linear Interpolation with SmartMotor
February 2011
Animatics SmartMotor™ servos are the only integrated motors that can perform stand alone linear interpolation, providing user definable coordinated moves where any SmartMotor on the network can be a master or a slave, because they are the only integrated servos with Combitronic™.
Linear interpolation is typically found only in conventional multi-axis controllers, while the integrated servo approach is normally associated with distributed control. In motion control, there appears to be nothing in between...until now.
With the SmartMotor, 3 lines of code are used to set up a linear move: path velocity, path acceleration and target position for each axis. Just issue a GS (Go Synchronized) command and the motors move through the linear path as if commanded by a standard multi axis controller. The difference is Combitronic protocol: any SmartMotor on the bus can be the master to a multi axis move. Combitronic is a dedicated protocol that utilizes CANbus hardware and works transparently in parallel with either CANopen or DeviceNet protocols.
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SAMPLE PROGRAMS for STAND ALONE LINEAR INTERPOLATION
Application scenario:
Let's take a standard palletizing packaging application for example. You have stacks of paper plates coming off of a conveyor belt to be placed into box: 18 stacks total in a 3 x 3 formation. Since most servos can't perform linear interpolation on their own, the typical solution is to purchase a multi axis controller and have a PLC send X-Y-Z position commands to it.
With SmartMotor integrated servos, no multi axis controller is required, and neither is a PLC. The master SmartMotor may be programmed to handle all palletizing motion paths on its own. As a result, the entire system design is simplified with only minimal cabling and the space required for a control cabinet is greatly reduced.
Click on the video below to see an example of two Class 5 SmartMotor servos with Combitronic running Animatics' new Table Top Robot (TTR).
Headquartered in Silicon Valley and with offices world wide, Animatics Corporation is the global leader in integrated motion control products and systems and has been for more than 20 years. Animatics designs, manufactures, markets and sells innovative, state-of-the-art, cutting-edge motion control products, systems and solutions.
Animatics is Defining the Future of Motion Control!
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All integrated motor products made by Animatics are covered by patent number 5,912,541
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