Motion controller: Supports multiple motor types

Performance Motion Devices Inc. (PMD) announced advanced capabilities for its Magellan programmable motion processor to directly support multiple motor types in single and multiple axis applications. The company says that reduced application design time is achieved using these ultra-high performance ICs to create motion control applications supporting all major motor types including dc brushed, brushless dc, step motors and pulse and direction motors.

By Control Engineering Staff November 29, 2007

Discrete control; machine control & discrete sensors Information control; controllers

Performance Motion Devices Inc.

announced advanced capabilities for its Magellan programmable motion processor to directly support multiple motor types in single and multiple axis applications. The company says that reduced application design time is achieved using these ultra-high performance ICs to create motion control applications supporting all major motor types including dc brushed, brushless dc, step motors and pulse and direction motors.

To streamline the design effort, the company offers a comprehensive and easy to use motion software developers kit that provides profile generation, servo loop closure, PLC-style signal manipulation and motor signal generation, enabling designers to create cost-effective, advanced motion systems using standard C or C++ programming. Advanced features include programmable PID filters with velocity and acceleration feedforward, 32-bit position error, and 50

Motion system reliability is increased through reduced resonance, reduced motor wear and smoother motion. Magellan’s programmable dual biquad filters offer a variety of filters that can emulate the output of the PID loop providing designers advanced motion control tuning and correction.

A wide variety of I/O options enable the processor to meet current and future design requirements. The motion chip is driven by a host microprocessor using a CANbus 2.0B, 8 or 16-bit parallel bus, or an asynchronous serial port. Analog inputs include eight 10-bit inputs for parameters such as position, velocity, and acceleration from the host to generate corresponding trajectories. The system accepts input parameters such as position, velocity, and acceleration from the host and generates the corresponding trajectory. It accepts feedback from an incremental encoder at up to 10 megacounts per second or from an absolute encoder or resolver at 160 megacounts per second.

Magellan Motion Processors are available now in a single-IC / single-axis version, or in a two-IC / multi-axis version. The IC’s are packaged in a 144-pin TQFP, and a 100-pin TQFP. These devices operate at 3.3 V.

—Edited by C.G. Masi , senior editor Control Engineering Machine Control eNewsletter( Register here and scroll down to select your choice of eNewsletters free .)