Introduction
Aerotech’s latest motion controller release focuses on ease
of use for the programmer, shortens development times
compared with other tools, and provides the flexibility to
use the tools or controller most familiar to programmers. A
complete Integrated Development environment and a
comprehensive .NET motion library provide classes for
motion, I/O, status, and diagnostic information. Program in
Visual Studio and use the .NET library, or use the Motion
Composer (IDE) to develop code with English-style
commands. A LabVIEW® VI library is available
for NI users, while a complete C library is available for
those using VB6, C++, or C.
Motion Composer Suite
The Motion Composer Suite includes the Motion Composer
IDE, Digital Scope Configuration Manager, Console, Status
Utility, and Firmware Loader. Optional modules include the
CNC Operator’s Interface, Motion Designer, Dynamic
Controls Toolbox, and Enhanced Throughput Module. The
Motion Composer Suite can be used with the Aerotech
A3200, Ensemble, or Soloist controllers, and the features
and benefits of each module are summarized below.
Key Function of Each Module
The Motion Composer is an environment for
developing and debugging AeroBasic programs for controllers, and also functions as a simple operator's
interface for the developer. The Motion Composer can be
used to perform the following tasks:
• Write and debug programs – use breakpoint, step into,
step over, colorized programming, and standard program
control (start, stop, pause, compile, etc.)
• Program flow control – If constructs, Looping constructs,
Subroutines, Command basic motion
• Inspect diagnostic information
• Perform basic configuration
Configuration Manager
Use the Configuration Manager to modify parameter files
and set the active parameter file, as well as connection
settings and program automation. All parameters are
explained in the integrated Help and presented in an
organized tree structure. A variety of calculators are provided to make setup quick and easy.
Digital Scope
The Digital Scope is a system analysis and tuning
application that allows the user to optimize system
performance using a collection of advanced tuning tools
and features. System analysis tools allow plotting and graphical analysis of system data, while tuning tools
provide automatic calculation of servo loop and feedback
device parameters.
The Digital Scope application includes a variety of utilities
that allow the user to perform analysis and tuning
operations including:
• Collecting and plotting various signals including position, velocity, and position error on multiple axes
• Viewing multiple overlapped one-dimensional and twodimensional
plots
• Graphically examining collected data using cursor and
zooming tools
• Executing motion commands while collecting data
• Computing the discrete Fourier transform of any of the
collected signals to identify system characteristics
• Automatically tuning the servo loop to achieve the desired
system performance using the Autotune feature
• Calculating and enabling multiple digital filters to
improve system performance
• Performing loop transmissions on each axis that allow
advanced analysis and optimization of servo-loop tuning
and performance
• Automatically tune an amplified sine encoder feedback
device and view the results
• Conditional plotting to configure plots collected in the
Digital Scope to display data differently based on input
from the controller
• Data collected from an axis can be set to display as a
different color, or not display at all, based on the state of
the controller’s digital outputs and inputs. This is very
useful when plotting tooltip trajectories during cutting or
machining times.
• Data collected during run can be plotted and each line
segment is linked to the program line generating the
command. This makes increasing the throughput of the
machine very easy on a line-by-line basis rather than just
slowing down the entire process.
Loop Transmission
• Measure the stability of the system with the Loop Transmission tool
• Graphically manipulate the Gain and Phase curve to change gain or phase and insert filters to optimize system performance
Operator Interface
The Operator Interface provides a traditional CNC look and
feel for operating a machine. The interface
provides a multi-axis readout with position, velocity shown
in user units, immediate command, MFO, program scan
during execution, modal status, and a multi-axis jog screen.
Typical cycle start, stop, feedhold, and system stop buttons
are included. The operator can open and load a new
program,
watch status, and manually control the machine.
All buttons are designed for use with a touchscreen or a
mouse.
Status Utility
The Status Utility is a debugging tool that graphically displays the status the axis and all controller tasks. Use this for initial machine setup and testing. It displays the state of drive signals including the axes' hardware limits, drive enables, drive faults, probe input, Hall effect, and encoder feedback signals.
Console
Console is a command line interface used for low level
system hardware debugging. It reads commands from text
files, similar to batch files, so that you can execute multiple
Console commands as if they were one command. It also
provides a status and integrated Help.
Firmware Loader
The Firmware Loader shows all of the drives connected to
the system upon opening or refresh and determines if a new
version of firmware should be loaded on the drive to
maintain compatibility with Motion Composer and the
Machine license loaded on the PC.
Help Files
Help files are separated into the Motion Composer Suite
programming Help file and the .NET and C library Help
files. This limits the amount of unnecessary information to
read when developing in one environment. Only licensed
software modules are shown in the Help file to provide
clarity for the user.
Optional Motion Composer Modules– Dynamic Controls Toolbox
They Dynamic Controls Toolbox provides control
algorithms that increase system performance such as settle
time, accuracy, in-position stability, and/or velocity
stability. These include Harmonic Cancellation, Threshold
and Dynamic Gain Scheduling. Harmonic Cancellation includes a set of controller-level algorithms that are
designed to improve performance by reducing the tracking
error due to sinusoidal reference commands, motor force
ripple (or other position-dependent disturbances), and
cross-axis disturbances such as those created in a linear axis
by an unbalanced rotational axis.
Threshold Gain Scheduling is a controller-level algorithm
that adjusts the servo-loop gains based on a specific input:
current or velocity either commanded or feedback. Two
threshold zones are available.
The Dynamic Gain Scheduling algorithm can improve
position performance and reduce cycle
times. The
algorithm changes the PID gains based on the servo error
vector.
Enhanced Throughput Module (ETM)
The ETM improves machine throughput by compensating
for the effect of frame vibration on the tooltip. It provides
for prefiltering input signals where necessary, and is
available for single- or multi-axis operations.
Motion Designer
Motion Designer is used to graphically generate and edit
motion profiles that execute on the controller, providing the
ability to import, run, and evaluate motion profiles
(trajectories). Motion Designer complements the Digital
Scope tuning and data analysis application. Motion
Designer features include:
• Importing an existing trajectory consisting of position,
velocity, and/or acceleration state vectors from an external
file
• Plotting trajectories and using analysis tools such as
cursors and frequency domain estimation
• Creating and modifying trajectories using predefined
building blocks
• Running a trajectory and plotting collected data
• Overlapping multiple runs of a trajectory
• Creating and exporting an AeroBasic program from an
existing trajectory
• Reducing position error between runs by using learning
algorithms
• Creating and running multi-axis trajectories
Learning Control
Learning Control can be applied to the trajectory in Motion
Designer to minimize the position error based on successive
runs of the same move. |
