Berkeley introduces new motion and machine controller

Richmond Calif. - Berkeley Process Control Inc. unveiled Dec. 4 a new integrated motion and machine controller for the packaging industry.

By Jim Montague, news editor December 7, 2001

Richmond Calif. – Berkeley Process Control Inc. unveiled Dec. 4 a new integrated motion and machine controller for the packaging industry. The new controller, BX2, has internally powered servo drives, and features an expandable, 100-Mbps Ethernet I/O system, scalable serial ports, and an object-based development environment. BX2 is reportedly twice as powerful as its predecessor drives; brushless ac motors; and it assures quality at any speed, regardless of materials used.

‘BX2 provides the performance features the packaging industry is demanding,’ says Alain Descoins, Berkeley’s business development director for packaging and converting machinery. ‘The industry wants superior throughput; packaging flexibility with no setup delays; spot-on registration accuracy; a simple and intuitive operator interface; reliability; and improved machine life via backward compatibility in control products.’

Berkeley adds its modular hardware architecture and reusable software modules provide an ideal platform for OEMs of packaging equipment. Berkeley’s hardware and software integration insures seamless event synchronization over the dynamic range present in automated packaging machinery.

Some packaging and converting machinery manufacturers have already leveraged the multi-tasking and computing power of Berkeley’s 64-bit, RISC-based controllers. Besides packing twice the power of its predecessor, BX2 drives brushless ac motors, and is backwards compatible.

In addition, each BX2 controller provides advanced control features present in motion-intensive packaging machines, such as electronic line-shafting, flying position measurement, cam profiling, PID loops and programmable limit switches. Berkeley’s RTOS enables reliable management of multiple priorities, regardless of system load at high speeds, which guarantees performance. For machines with photocell registration, on-the-fly adjustments insure perfect synchronization regardless of web variations present in complex laminations.

Also, BX2’s predictive maintenance capability minimizes unscheduled machine downtime, while its e-diagnostics feature enables remote monitoring, troubleshooting and data logging of an entire machine via a corporate intranet or the internet. Information is easily integrated into enterprise software. BX2 also features a sophisticated development environment that reduces new software development.