DRIVES & CONTROLS
Without electronic and soft and firmware modern motion control just would not exist. Behind any servo or stepper motor we use there is an amplifier and positioning controller and of course a machine controller for general control. We differentiate between central and decentral (intelligence at each axis, connected with a communications bus system) topology.
In the central control topology all the intelligence is centralised into one dedicated processor (the brain), which is responsible for all tasks regarding axis coordination (including interpolation), path calculation and generation and the position control. Depending on the exact configuration the controller may also be able to do the speed and current control; the command usually is an analog +/-10V signal or a digital PWM or pulse/direction signal.
Some controllers are able to take over responsibility for the motor commutation also, which has the advantage that the feedback needs to be connected to the controller only. The command is provided by two analog +/-10V signals (UV commutation commands) or by two digital PWM signals (digital UV commutation commands). Some controllers can even provide the switching commands for the power ICs directly, so that the power electronics only consists of the semiconductors and some protective circuit.
In the decentralised topology the motion control intelligence is provided by the single axis controllers, to take away the motion control specific tasks from the central processor; the amplifiers in this case are responsible for the motion tasks like path planning etc. For the communication several bus systems like CANopen, Profibus, EtherCAT etc. are available.
The most digital amplifiers today have already quite some intelligence on board (e.g. to provide a very comfortable setup tool) so that they also provide a fieldbus connection in addition to the classical +/-10V interface and therefore they are ideally suited for decentralised motion control architecture.
Since every application has its own specific requirements we supply a variety of amplifiers and controllers to be able to offer the best solution for your application:
- Servo controllers for centralised control architecture (no integrated power electronics)
- Digital servo controllers with integrated power electronics (versions for direct mains supply at 3x400Vac and 1x240Vac and DC-supply (12 to 650Vdc available)
- Analog servo amplifiers with analog +/-10V command (also non switching technology)
- Stepper controllers and -amplifiers: with integrated intelligence or with pulse/direction interface
- Accessories (transformers, filters, inductors, cables, sensors/switches, CAN-converters, displays (HMI), etc.)