The central issue with anything that is programmable is the programming itself. Regardless of whether the system is open source or proprietary, the key to successful control applications is to correctly program the design intent. Capturing the full intent at the start of a project is impossible, especially if the project has not been done […]
Choosing between automation technologies based on industrial PC control
Today’s state-of-the-art PC-based controls deliver performance that exceeds most industrial machine-control requirements. Processor power and memory continue to expand — following Moore’s Law and doubling in capability every couple years. What’s more, cost per processor continually declines as performance increases. Whenever control manufacturers update their electronics, it makes more power available to end users. Here’s […]
The hardware and software of a PC-based motion controller
Physically, a PC-based controller is made up the same kinds of hardware components as most personal computers — a processor, some memory and an interface bus. The interface bus is a high-speed dedicated bus that provides all types of information to and from the processor. In personal computing, the hardware I/O consists of a keyboard […]
Step motors take a step in the right direction
Because stepping motors are relatively inexpensive and easy to control, they’re often the first option to consider in machine designs. Low-cost solutions have had performance limitations, but new control technology substantially enhances stepping motors capability. Stepping motors have progressed over the years from the early days of the world’s first digital motor into a broad […]
