Description

Design Features

• Drive-based motion controller - part of the Ensemble platform
• Powerful controller operates side-by-side on a motor drive, eliminating the need for additional hardware
• Connects to and synchronizes the motion trajectory and I/O of up to 10 drives over the AeroNet digital motion bus
• Multiple 10-axis systems can be controlled by a single PC via Ethernet or USB
• Delivers productivity and quality through combined motion and process control
• Executes real-time application code developed in the Ensemble Motion Composer Suite
• Directly programmable through the .NET, C, C++, MATLAB, and LabVIEW libraries
• Controller data is accessible to SCADA and MES control systems via libraries

Power and Flexibility in a Drive-Based Controller

The power of the Ensemble drive-based motion controller comes from both its powerful features and its flexibility.

The Ensemble controller is powerful. We develop our own controller technology from the ground up, allowing us to deliver an automation product that is centered around precision. This approach gives our products a new level of performance, especially when compared to products from other automation providers.

The Ensemble’s multi-axis coordination and precision often provide a new and rewarding experience for those used to coordinating several single-axis drives from a central processor (such as a PLC).

By using the multi-axis Ensemble controller while programming in the AeroBasic language, unique multi-axis functionality and performance is available, and this is very meaningful to the control of your machine.

The Ensemble controller executes programs that include Aerotech’s Position Synchronized Output (PSO) distance-based process triggering, gearing, advanced data collection, file access, analog and digital I/O control, as well as standard program flow and mathematical concepts.

Powerful servo control on the Ensemble can be executed at up to 20 kHz and this power is deployed with flexibility. The Ensemble is powerful enough to take on complete machine control. It can also live as an embedded motion controller, subservient to a higher level machine controller. Combined with powerful software tools, the Ensemble controller excels in simple testing and development motion control applications and is robust enough for production environments.

Powerful Single-Axis Trajectory Generation

At the heart of the controller is the ability to translate commands into the industry’s best trajectory. Our controller includes the Aerotech motion engine — a powerful piece of technology that differentiates Aerotech control from other motion providers. This technology translates your program into a multi-axis, synchronized, and coordinated trajectory that is sent out over the AeroNet Ethernet bus.

The AeroNet bus connects the Ensemble controller to up to 10 axes of motion control. Servomotors, piezos, voice coil, and stepper motor drive hardware can be connected on the AeroNet bus.

Advanced trajectory features include:

• Point-to-point (PT, PVT)
• Target position and target velocity
• Linear and freerun
• Torque (current) mode operation
• Digital gearing to a global variable, to an auxiliary encoder input, or to an analog input
• Cubic spline curve-fitting
• Velocity profiling
• Backlash compensation
• Error compensation
• Advanced queuing and deferred execution features

Motion Plus Animation

Modern machines do more than move a process tool. Many sensors and feedback devices need to come together in a larger control scheme.

The Ensemble controller, which runs on motor drive hardware, contains expandable I/O. The controller also connects to several other drives with expandable I/O. A simple four-axis Ensemble solution could have over 200 I/O points. Using the AeroBasic language, logic and control algorithms are easily programmed based on the state of I/O.

Ethernet and RS-232 Support

Ensemble drive hardware includes both Ethernet and RS-232 communication ports. These ports allow greater expandability of your automation solution — beyond the I/O available on the drives.

Modbus

The Ethernet port is configurable for Modbus communications. Class 1, Class 2, and part of Class 3 of the OpenModbus/TCP specifications are supported. While the Ensemble always functions as Modbus/TCP slave, it can also act as a Modbus/TCP master when enabled, thus acting as a master and slave at the same time. Several blocks of Modbus registers are used to exchange data between the master and slave devices.

Aerotech includes standard procedures in its help files for integrating both WAGO and AutomationDirect devices over Modbus.

EtherNet/IP

Aerotech offers an Ensemble EtherNet/IP™ option that communicates with Aerotech Ensemble drives and the various ODVA Common Industrial Protocol (CIP™) objects that are used. The Ensemble supports a Generic EtherNet/IP I/O interface by using Class 1 (implicit messaging) communications.

EPICS Compatible

Aerotech’s Ensemble controller is compatible with EPICS. Motor records are available from Argonne National Lab. Use your existing EPICS interface to control the most advanced motion controller in the industry.

TANGO Compatible

Aerotech’s Ensemble controller is compatible with TANGO environments. The TANGO Device Server is available on Sourceforge.net. Use the industry’s most advanced motion controller in your existing TANGO environment.

Flexible, High-Performance System Architecture

Our controller enables high performance by managing a distributed control architecture. Whereas centralized control architectures close the servo and current loops on a central controller, the Ensemble Platform closes the position, velocity, and current loops on each individual Ensemble drive, avoiding processing bottlenecks. Trajectory generation is done on a single drive. This controller executes programs and sends the position commands to the Ensemble drives via the AeroNet network.

Motion Composer Suite Engineering Software

Aerotech’s Ensemble Motion Composer Suite is a feature-rich engineering software package. This software allows each member of your design team to contribute in setting up the controller and motion to your application’s requirements.
Simply connect to the controller using the Motion Composer Suite. Then use several user-friendly tools to set up each control loop on each drive and also set up controller-specific parameters.

Programming for Performance

The Ensemble Motion Composer Suite includes the Motion Composer IDE — a feature-rich programming environment for developing real-time application code. The Motion Composer IDE allows you to quickly build, debug, load, and run real-time application code on the controller.

Programming Libraries Extend Functionality

When your goal is to deploy a custom user experience or access data from your drive, the Ensemble controller enables many paths to success. Standard programming libraries for .NET, C, and C++ are included with the controller.

A simple REST web interface is also included. If you are developing MATLAB or LabVIEW applications, support for each product is available.

No matter how you want to approach your precision motion control application, the Ensemble controller helps you to succeed.

System Setup with the Ensemble Drive-Based Motion Controller

The center of a powerful setup experience is the controller. Not only do you use the development environment to set up the controller parameters, you also connect to the network of drives through your controller. This enables the controller, fieldbus support, and all the drives in the control system to be set up simultaneously and with a single parameter file.

Programming Libraries

.NET, C, and C++ Libraries Plus REST Interface

Aerotech’s standard controllers are flexible enough to handle almost any control application. From simple motion to coordinating and synchronizing the motion of multiple axes in your machine, Aerotech automation controllers provide the flexibility and power required for today’s automation challenges, and it is all accessible through powerful programming libraries.

MATLAB® Library and LabVIEW^® VIs

Users who program in MATLAB and LabVIEW can benefit from Aerotech’s powerful automation tools. Integrate into your native environment with well-documented libraries.

.NET Library – Fully Functional for Developers

The Ensemble .NET library is made accessible to our customers in the same structure and format that we use to develop our own applications. Therefore, developers should never worry that using our API will somehow reduce the capabilities of their own products or developments.

Some of the high-level functionality available in our APIs include:

Accessing Data with the Ensemble Drive-Based Motion Controller

Accessing data from your controller is simple. The Ensemble controller allows fast and easy access to data: through both the Ensemble Motion Composer Suite and through the APIs.

Through the Motion Composer Suite

More than 30 axis status items are available for each controller axis, and 10 task state items are available for each controller task.

Through the API

These same signals are available for collection and analysis through industry-standard tools using the programming APIs.

Machine Performance with the Ensemble Drive-Based Motion Controller

Once set up and ready to go, the system performs. The Ensemble controller contains a long list of standard controller capabilities as well as advanced powerful controller capabilities.

These features are all easy to access with the powerful Motion Composer Suite software and controller APIs.

See the datasheet for the the full list of features.

Specifications

Ensemble Drive-Based Motion Controller Specifications

Specification	Description
Axes	10 axes available
Programming Tasks	5 tasks available
Position Modes	Absolute, incremental, dynamic trajectory correction
Coordinated Motor Types	Coordinated Synchronous Motion Coordinated motion refers to moves that follow a well-defined path in space. Coordinated moves start and stop axes at the same time. They can execute in velocity profiling mode. Linear motion Clockwise and counterclockwise Bezier Cubic-spline curve fitting CNC Option: RS-274 standard G-code motion including linear, circular, helical, and spherical interpolation, cutter compensation, normalcy, parts rotation, mirroring, path retrace, polar transformations and cylindrical transformations, scaling.
Independent Motion Types	Non-Coordinated Synchronous Motion Non-coordinated motion refers to moves in which axes start at the same time but do not necessarily end at the same time. Each axis moves at its own velocity specified in the command or by axis parameters. Program execution does not continue to the next line until all axes in the move command have completed motion. Homing Multiple procedures are available in order to establish the home position of an axis: Home past limit switch to home marker Home to limit switch and reverse to home marker Home to home marker Home to limit switch Home at current position and set to zero Home at current position and set to absolute position Asynchronous Motion Asynchronous motion commands cause program execution to continue on to the next program block immediately after the move starts. The controller does not wait for the move to end before continuing to the next command. Home an axis without waiting for completion Free-run an axis at the specified velocity Move to an absolute position Move incrementally Move an axis out of a limit condition Move an axis into a limit condition Oscillate (cycle at the specified distance and velocity) Debug Motion: Output a fixed current to the specified axis (use only with brushless motors) Output the specified electrical vector to the specified axis, typically for resolver or Hall effect device alignment
Planes and Tasks	In the Ensemble, there are programmable planes such that multiple tasks can use the same queue. It can also be configured so that tasks can use different queues — either as a way of separating axis groups by task, or as a way to generate simultaneous motion on the same axes from different tasks. Plane: a coordinate system and motion queue Task: a space in which a program is executed. Queue: a lineup of motion commands waiting in order to be executed Why use Planes? Synchronization: synchronize the motion between two user tasks, such as executing two linear moves from two different tasks. Using the same plane for motion in both tasks ensures that one motion segment will finish before the next starts. Axis Separation: Multiple planes can be used to separate motion on different axes so that the axes can be run simultaneously. Cumulative Motion: Multiple planes can also be used to create motion on the same axes from different user tasks and combine the motion profiles to form the axis position.
Acceleration Profiles	Acceleration Types SCURVE = 0: a constant acceleration applied resulting in linear velocity profile SCURVE between 0 and 99: a trapezoidal acceleration applied resulting in an “s-curve” velocity profile SCURVE = 100: a triangular acceleration applied resulting in an “s-curve” velocity profile Acceleration Modes Time based: axis acceleration takes place over a specified time Rate based: axis acceleration takes place at a specified rate Distance based: axis acceleration takes place over a specified distance
Velocity Profiling	Blend multiple coordinated motion commands into one continuous motion path. In this velocity profiling mode, the controller does not decelerate to zero between consecutive coordinated moves. During the move sequence you can change the velocity if necessary. The axes will increase or decrease in speed in a coordinated way such that the programming path is maintained.
Advanced Features	High-speed registration Multi-dimensional error mapping Orthogonality correction Electronic gearing (with optional auxiliary encoder input) EasyTune and Autotuning Backlash compensation Autofocus Gantry algorithms
Programming	AeroBasic C++/CLI, C .NET LabVIEW® MATLAB®

Ensemble Software License Specifications

Ordering Options and Details

Ordering Information

Ensemble Drive-Based Machine Controller Software Ordering Options

License Options

Software-Based Controller Configuration

Ensemble Controller Connection Cable (Items Ordered Separately)

AeroNet Communication Network (Items Ordered Separately)

Motion Composer Suite Add-Ons

FireWire Communication Network (Items Ordered Separately)

*Note: Aerotech strongly recommends the use of FireWire cables supplied by Aerotech (NCONNECT cables). These cables are tested to ensure proper performance. A single open PCI or PCIe card slot is required to accommodate the required FireWire PCI or PCIe card for Aerotech’s motion bus.

HyperWire Communication Network (Items Ordered Separately)