A motion controller is an electronic device, usually used in conjunction with motion control software, that is used to control robots, CNC machine tools, and other automation equipment to move or perform various tasks. A motion controller consists primarily of a computer and associated hardware, such as a digital signal processor (DSP) and analog/digital converter (ADC), and communicates with devices such as servo motors, drives, and sensors in a motion control system.
Motion controllers are widely used in many fields, especially in AC servo and multi-axis control systems. It can make full use of computational resources to help users plan trajectories, execute predetermined movements, and perform high-precision servo control.
The development of motion control technology is the melody of the development of manufacturing automation and the key technology to promote the new industrial revolution. Motion control usually refers to the conversion of predefined control system and design instructions into desired mechanical motion under complex conditions to achieve precise position, velocity, acceleration, torque or force control.
Motion controllers are special controllers used to control the operation mode of a motor: for example, the motor is controlled by an AC contactor via an impact switch that pulls the motor to a specified position and then drops it down or by using a time relay to control the motor's back-and-forth rotation or stopping it for a while and then stopping it again. Motion control is more sophisticated in robotics and CNC machine tools than in specialized machines, which have simpler forms of motion and are often referred to as general-purpose motion control.
Depending on the energy source, motion control can be mainly categorized into electric motion control using electric motors as the energy source, gas-liquid control using gases and liquids as the energy source, and thermo-motor control using fuels (coal, oil, etc.) as the energy source. According to statistics, more than 90% of electricity comes from electric motors. Electric motors play a very important role in modern production and daily life, so electric motion control is the most commonly used of these motion controllers.
Electric motion control evolved from the use of electric motors, and electric motor is a generic term for control systems for electric motors. There are many types of motion control systems, but from a basic point of view, the typical equipment of a modern motion control system consists mainly of a supercomputer, a motion controller, a power drive, a motor, an actuator and a motion controller feedback device. The motion controller is a control unit with a centralized control unit at its core, its sensor is a signal detection element, and its motor or drive unit and performance unit are controllers.
Motion controller control form
Point-to-point motion control:
That is, there is only one requirement for realizing the position without regard to intermediate processes or trajectories. An appropriate motion controller should rapidly localize the speed and apply various acceleration and deceleration control strategies during the acceleration and deceleration phases of the motion.
At the speeds set in the system's rapid acceleration motion, it is common to increase the system's reinforcement and acceleration, and to apply S-curve deceleration adjustments at the end of the deceleration. In order to avoid vibration after the system is installed, the system's merit is designed to be reduced accordingly. Therefore, point motion controllers usually have the ability to control parameter changes and deceleration profile changes in the network.
Continuous motion control for paper rolling:
This type of control, also known as contour control, is primarily used for motion contour control in conventional CNCs and cutting systems. The corresponding motion controller must solve the problem of how to ensure the accuracy of the system in modifying the contour and how to keep the tangential speed constant when the tool moves along the contour at high speed. For the processing of small segments, the program has several pre-processing functions.
Synchronized Motion Control:
Refers to multi-axis coordinated motion control, which can synchronize multiple axes throughout the motion or synchronize speeds locally during the motion. It is mainly used for system control and requires electronic transmission and electronic beak functions. Industries include dyeing, printing, paper, steel rolling and synchronized cutting. Adaptive power control is usually used in the control algorithm of the corresponding motion controller. By automatically adjusting the magnitude and phase of the tuning variables, it ensures that the increased output control function is equal in magnitude to the disturbance but opposite in phase, eliminating periodic disturbances and ensuring synchronized control of the system.
In other words, motion controllers are widely used in many fields, especially in AC servo and multi-axis control systems. It can fully utilize computer resources to facilitate users to realize motion path planning, execute predetermined actions, and achieve high-precision servo control. The combination of motion control technology and AC servo drive technology promotes the continuous development of electromechanical technology in China.
Motion controllers have the following advantages:
High precision: it can realize very accurate position control, as well as control of acceleration and speed.
High flexibility: can be freely programmed to adapt to different automation environments.
High reliability: the reliability of motion controllers can be better ensured by monitoring and feedback control loops.
Role of Motion Controllers
Motion controllers can be used in a variety of automation equipment, for example:
Industrial robots: Motion controllers can control robotic arms to accomplish a variety of tasks, such as machining, assembly and welding.
CNC machine tools: they can accurately control the position and speed of machine tools to achieve efficient machining processes.
Medical equipment: can be applied to medical scanners, radiation therapy equipment, etc. to improve the precision and stability of medical equipment.
Automated production lines, etc.: from conveyor belts to shelves loaded with the use of motion controllers to move packages or goods smoothly and quickly
Other automation equipment: such as drones, logistics vehicles in the automotive industry, semiconductor production systems, etc.