ION®/CME N-Series Digital Drives are compact, PCB-mountable modules that provide high performance motion control, network connectivity, and power amplification for Brushless DC, DC Brush, and step motors. These miniature devices are ideal for creating embedded control solutions in medical, mobile, scientific, semiconductor, and other automation applications.
In this article we will compare and contrast building a motion controller board for a three-axis gantry using two different design approaches. The first uses PMD’s MC58113 Motion Control ICs, and the second uses ION/CME N-Series Digital Drives. In the end, we will show you which design approach is easier, which is faster, and which results in a less expensive product to produce.
Mobile and portable motion applications are exploding in popularity due to the demands of patient treatment devices, mobile diagnostic equipment, and battery-operated medical devices. Design engineers are being asked to build systems that take up less space, use less power, and provide higher performance. Listen to this 30-minute Tech Talk to hear about the latest advancements in motion control drives, algorithms, and techniques as motion control goes portable!
In this white paper, we look at machines with non-Cartesian movement systems. These include SCARA (Selective Compliant Assembly Robot Arm) robots, PUMA (Programmable Universal Manipulation Arm)-style arms, Delta Robots, and a variety of other mechanisms. These non-Cartesian mechanisms present special challenges, but there are some basic techniques that will take you a long way toward getting these useful and common mechanisms under control.
Motion Control Goes Small
Machine designers are increasingly asked to build systems that take up less space, operate on less power, and run with higher performance. Thankfully, motion controls are answering the call with new motors, new sensors, and new architectures. Read on to learn about the latest developments as motion control goes small.
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Servo Motor Tuning – Rocket Science or Walk In the Park? Tuning a servo motor manually can be a daunting exercise, so in this paper we provide an overview of PID (proportional, integral, derivative) based servo tuning, and introduce two manual tuning methods that work well for a large variety of systems. We also show that ‘optimal’ parameters vary by application and performance goals, even for the exact same motor and amplifier setup.
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Field Oriented Control (FOC) - A Deep Dive This deep dive examines the popular motion control technique known as field-oriented control (FOC). Used for multi-phase motors such as Brushless DC motors and step motors, this important algorithmic method for phasing these motors increases top speed, improves torque output, and reduces heat generation in the motor. Read on to learn how this important technique works and when to apply it.
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PMD Motion Control Products Now Available Through Mouser PMD is delighted to announce the availability of our products through Mouser Electronics. With this agreement Mouser now distributes PMD’s Magellan, Juno, ION, Atlas, and Prodigy families of motion control products – giving customers the world over even more convenient access to PMD's wide range of world class motion control solutions.
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Mechanical Resonant Frequency and How to Analyze It
At some point in their career, engineers are likely to run into a machine design challenge where the resonance response of a system is causing motion problems and/or an audible annoyance. This resonance, or vibration, is undesirable and can lead to significant performance degradation. This paper will explore why resonances are present, what tools can be used to analyze them, and what control techniques can be applied to get your machine design project back on track.
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