What is Gantry Control?

Another important motion technique used with gantries is acceleration feedforward. Acceleration feedforward is a position servo loop technique that minimizes the work that the position servo loop needs to do to provide the highest tracking accuracy, particularly during acceleration and deceleration trajectory phases. Note that if step motors are used to drive the gantry feedforward techniques do not apply.

Another motion technique that can be very important for gantry control is motion error detection. This is typically achieved by continuously comparing the position servo loop desired position command with the actual encoder position. If a programmable threshold is exceeded due to a blockage the motion controller automatically shuts down motion, thereby protecting the gantry mechanism and possibly the load.

Almost all gantry-based system carry some sort of actuator, applicator, tool, or sensor at the end of the moving axes system. For lab automation this is often a device that dispenses and aspirates liquids. For other types of machines that use a gantry this may be a gripper, a touch sensor, a material dispenser, a camera, a cutting device, a robotic arm, and more. There are a nearly endless variety of systems that use a gantry mechanism to achieve their intended operating purpose.