Robotics, motion control, PLC on one PC platform
Beckhoff Automation TwinCAT Kinematic Transformation software extends TwinCAT's standard machine sequencing and motion control capability to Delta- and SCARA-type robot mechanisms.
Beckhoff Automation has released TwinCAT Kinematic Transformation software, extends TwinCAT's standard machine sequencing and motion control capability to Delta- and SCARA-type robot mechanisms with a Kinematic Transformation option. This eliminates the need for a dedicated robot controller, the associated software and handshaking routines in applications that require a robot to handle part loading/unloading tasks. Since the robot control is in the same controller, the robot movements can be tightly coordinated with non-robotic motion such as conveyors and other moving mechanisms. The PC-based control platform from Beckhoff unites PLC, motion control and robotics all on one multi-tasking hardware and software platform. The software eliminates the separate CPU required for robot control; reduces engineering costs: configuration, parameterization and diagnostics, and provides higher performance and accuracy because of direct interfaces; complex communication between separate CPUs is eliminated.
http://www.beckhoff.com/TwinCATBeckhoff Automation
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- Edited by Renee R. Bassett for Control Engineering, www.controleng.com