AeroScriptPlus Advanced Controller Functionality

Description

Design Features

• Solves complex problems such as optical alignments and tool center point programming
• Enables AeroScriptPlus functionality on each controller you deploy
• Runs multiple AeroScriptPlus programs simultaneously with a single license
• Includes complex application specific programming that is ready for use

Automation1

The Automation1 AeroScriptPlus feature is part of the user-friendly Automation1 motion control platform, which includes the following:

• Development Software
• Controls
• Motor Drives
• Fiber-Optic HyperWire® Communication Bus

Optical Alignment Algorithms

The AeroScriptPlus optical alignment algorithms execute searches to align optical and fiber optic devices. Alignment is typically a two-step process.

Step one is detecting initial power. Step two is a peak power search. In the first step, you must detect initial power because it might be necessary for the peak power search routines to have an appreciable quantity of power to start. If you specify a loading position where there is always an appreciable quantity of power reading, then you do not need to do the first step of the alignment process.

The alignment routines can be broken into three categories: initial power searches, peak power searches (where initial power is necessary) and peak power searches (where initial power is not necessary). Initial power searches include the Hillclimb() and SpiralRough() functions. Peak power searches that depend on an initial power reading include the FastAlign and Centroid functions. Peak power searches where initial power is not necessary include Geocenter(), Hillclimb() (in whole window mode) and SpiralFine(). Note: these routines must start at a location that is near the power distribution and must search the area of power distribution to be successful.

Tool Center Point Programming

Tool Center Point Programming (TCP) allows you to create motion programs in part coordinates that are independent of the physical machine configuration. TCP is easily accomplished for 3-axis linear Cartesian X/Y/Z systems, as the position of the tool in part space has a fixed offset relative to the machine axes.

When one or more rotary axes are present, the calculation becomes more complex because there is no longer a fixed relationship between part and machine coordinates. The calculation of machine coordinates from part coordinates requires the application of a rotation matrix.

Automation1 is capable of transforming part coordinates into machine coordinates in real time for actuators with up to six degrees of freedom (three linear, three rotary).