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What Drives EtherCAT Operating Mode Selection: Part I
Choosing which EtherCAT operating mode to use in your motion system determines where servo loop computation takes place, how much traffic the network carries and how well a multi-axis machine stays synchronized. Selecting the wrong mode can lead to a consistently overloaded network, a controller that cannot meet its real-time deadlines or axes that drift out of phase.
What's New in CME 9.0: Five New Drives and Three New Feedback Options
If you have a High Power Nano, an IPS integrated servo drive or a 64-bit SSI, linear Panasonic Absolute A or Trio Absolute A encoder in your design, Copley Motion Explorer (CME) 9.0 is the version you need.
Mechanical Resonance and the Frameless Motor Advantage: Part II
A flexible coupling between a servo motor and its load is a practical necessity with a framed motor, but it is also the primary source of mechanical resonance. In our last blog post, we walked through how resonance develops in the spring-mass system of motor and load, how it constrains servo loop bandwidth and why large load/motor inertia ratios make stable control difficult. Here we cover the mechanical and control techniques available to mitigate resonance, and why none of them match the performance of integrating a frameless motor directly into the load.
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What Drives EtherCAT Operating Mode Selection: Part II
In our last blog post, we walked through the three factors that drive EtherCAT operating mode selection. Here we map each of the eight EtherCAT runtime operating modes to its typical applications, list its tradeoffs and walk through an example for a robot palletizer.
What Drives EtherCAT Operating Mode Selection: Part I
Choosing which EtherCAT operating mode to use in your motion system determines where servo loop computation takes place, how much traffic the network carries and how well a multi-axis machine stays synchronized. Selecting the wrong mode can lead to a consistently overloaded network, a controller that cannot meet its real-time deadlines or axes that drift out of phase.
What's New in CME 9.0: Five New Drives and Three New Feedback Options
If you have a High Power Nano, an IPS integrated servo drive or a 64-bit SSI, linear Panasonic Absolute A or Trio Absolute A encoder in your design, Copley Motion Explorer (CME) 9.0 is the version you need.
Mechanical Resonance and the Frameless Motor Advantage: Part II
A flexible coupling between a servo motor and its load is a practical necessity with a framed motor, but it is also the primary source of mechanical resonance. In our last blog post, we walked through how resonance develops in the spring-mass system of motor and load, how it constrains servo loop bandwidth and why large load/motor inertia ratios make stable control difficult. Here we cover the mechanical and control techniques available to mitigate resonance, and why none of them match the performance of integrating a frameless motor directly into the load.
Mechanical Resonance and the Frameless Motor Advantage: Part I
When a servo motor connects to its load through a flexible coupling, the coupling introduces compliance into the drivetrain. That compliance creates a resonant condition that can cause unstable servo behavior or leave the load significantly lagging the motor. When load inertia is large relative to motor inertia, stable closed-loop control may not be achievable at all.
Sizing a Battery for an AGV/AMR: Part II
Correctly sizing an AGV/AMR battery can help avoid common pitfalls like oversizing, which can increase overall weight and cost. In our last blog post, we walked through the AGV power conversion chain and the losses at each stage. After understanding component efficiencies, the next task is to determine battery capacity from the motion profile.