Controls - Motion Control Tips

Drives and controls for robotics: See them at the 2019 Robotics Summit

May 16, 2019 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

In a couple weeks, the 2019 Robotics Summit (focused on the design, development, manufacture, and delivery of commercial robotics) will take place in Boston. It will be co-located with the DeviceTalks event at the Seaport World Trade Center. One display will be an array of precision processing and powering technologies for robotics.

Elmo Motion Control • Booth #118 — This is a top visit if you’re interested in drives and controls for on-robot (distributed) control. We recently touched on some multi-axis solutions for these setups in a visit at Automate:

In fact, you will get to see Brian Mason (who gives the booth tour in the above video) on Wednesday, June 5th at 2:00 at the Robotics Summit, when he will present on motion control in robots. You’ll also get to ask him questions about miniature network-based servo drives and novel ways to power and control robot joints for less cabling.

Infranor • Booth #139 — Look for servo drives and servomotors here, and give us a shoutout on LinkedIn if you end up having a conversation with this company about new robotics applications for semiconductor, packaging, or aerospace industries (and are at liberty to divulge a vague detail or two).

Performance Motion Devices • Booth #145 — Little-known fact about PMD … this company is well-versed in sharing motion fundamentals with the industry. So if your primary engineering focus is in fact not motion control and you attend the Summit, say hello to the team here to get answers to questions you’ve always wanted to ask but felt were elementary. Performance Motion Devices sells multi-axis motion products (and ICs, digital drives, and amplifiers, and machine boards) and provides technical support on these technologies.

PI • Booth #151 — Physik Instrumente makes regular appearances in our editorial for its precision subsystems. Piezomotors feature large in a lot of miniature designs — see what we did there? — although this company integrates a whole host of other actuator and motor types as well as various kinematics iterations. Check out this FAQ for more on the kinematic possibilities for some robotics: What’s the difference between serial kinematics and parallel kinematics in multi-axis motion design?

This is a piezo motor from Physik Instrumente (PI) that moves to 200 mm/sec. It has an integrated driver.

Kollmorgen • Booth #202 — Catch up on the features and case studies we’ve done (listed below) on how to size and apply servomotors, frameless motors, and stepper motors to robotics and other applications. Then go see the engineers from Kollmorgen at the Summit to see what new robotics applications they observe on the horizon for these technologies — especially for collaborative robots, industrial articulated robots, and medical robots … and particularly those employing frameless motors (a huge trend in the industry) as well as harmonic gearing for high torque density and smaller and faster robots.

Trends in electric motors Part II — Scott Evans sets record straight on motion design

Difference between continuous ratings and holding continuous loads (an ac servo-motor terminology primer)

Thermal time constants and managing PMAC servo motor overloads

Frameless motors and gearmotors for robot design at XPONENTIAL 2019

JF Shaw • Booth #212 — You’d be hard pressed to think of a component used in automaton and robotics that this company doesn’t supply, as they include sensors, connectivity equipment, motors, and drives; mechanical offerings relevant to the application of robots include spur gears, industrial belts, pulleys, and couplings … as well as whole assemblies and end-of-arm tooling including electrical and pneumatic grippers. We editors at motioncontroltips.com are just learning of the capabilities from this supplier ourselves, so stay tuned in coming months to get more on its engineers’ expertise in the design and integration of various industrial applications.

What are some common PAC chassis, module, controller, and I/O options?

May 15, 2019 By Miles Budimir Leave a Comment

ControlLogix PACs from Rockwell Automation feature tight integration between the programming software, controller, and I/O modules which helps reduce development time and cost.

In the field of programmable controllers, there are a number of different types of product offerings, depending on the application requirements. Traditional programmable logic controllers (PLCs) have been the industry standard for decades. They are well known and understood in terms of operation and programming and there are many PLC manufacturers to choose from.

As control demands became more complex, programmable automation controllers (PACs) came onto the scene to handle these more demanding cases requiring more complex control and coordination, involving many more axes and I/O than a typical PLC could handle. According to an industry standard definition, PACs operate on a single platform and handle multiple tasks including logic, motion, drives, and process control.

PACs stand between PLCs and PC-based controllers, combining the best elements of both. PACs are characterized by multiple processors, more memory and communication options, and more functionality beyond just the logic-based operations of traditional PLCs. They also can be programmed using ladder logic familiar to PLC programmers and other higher-level languages consistent with IEC 61131-3 standards.

Because PACs are similar to PLCs both in function and form, many of the options ordinarily available for PLCs are the same for PACs. So for instance, common component options include the controller, chassis, modules, and I/O.

Analog I/O modules from AutomationDirect are available in current, voltage, and temperature models with LCD displays. They can handle many standard analog I/O signal types including 0-20 mA, 4-20 mA and 0-10 Vdc.

Controller – the controller contains the central processing unit (CPU), memory, and the main networking and communication ports such as Ethernet and USB.

Chassis – the physical enclosure housing all the PAC components such as the controller/CPU unit, power supply, and modules and I/O. Options include rack-based systems (mountable to backplanes inside equipment racks via DIN rails) or mounted directly to machines.

Module – modules exist for all manner of applications and uses, designed to perform some specific function. So for instance, there are modules designed specifically to accept either analog or digital signal inputs and designed for specific uses. Examples include relay modules, counter modules, serial modules, servo or stepper controller modules, timer modules, and data acquisition modules, among others, including I/O modules (see below).

I/O – Just as with PLCs, I/O type can include voltage or current analog, digital, or mixed analog/digital. Common physical variable inputs to I/O modules can be pressure, force, or temperature data from thermocouples, among others.

What is disturbance rejection in motion control?

May 13, 2019 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

One of the key functions of a motion controller is to create the trajectories the motor follows in order to reach the target position (or velocity or torque). As the motor turns, the controller processes feedback from the encoder and compares the actual position of the motor with the desired position. If there are any deviations between the actual position and the desired position, the controller issues commands to correct the error.

Deviations can be caused by inaccuracies in the mechanical components (backlash in screws, compliance in connecting elements, or errors in mounting surfaces) or by unknown disturbances — often in the form of unexpected forces on the system that cause the position, velocity, or torque to rise or fall sharply and unpredictably.

The motor’s ability to follow the given trajectory and achieve the desired position is tracked and managed by the controller through a function known as command tracking or reference tracking. (When the controller is monitoring a process variable, such as temperature or fluid level, rather than the position, speed, or torque of a motion control system, this function is referred to as setpoint tracking.)

Each gain in the PI (proportional-integral) or PID (proportional-integral-derivative) control loop affects the system’s reference tracking. In addition, feedforward control, a proactive control method that predicts the system’s error and injects commands into the control loop to minimize the error, is often used to improve reference tracking and further minimize the deviation between the commanded position and the actual position of the motor.

To address unexpected forces that cause the motor to move away from the target value, the controller uses a function known as disturbance rejection, which processes the disturbance and provides commands that correct for these unknown forces or conditions.

Block diagram for a PID controller with an input disturbance (T_d).
Image credit: Quanser Inc.

In control tuning, the proportional gain (k_p) determines the amount of disturbance rejection. This makes sense because the proportional gain issues an error correction signal that is directly proportional to the error. So when a disturbance occurs, causing the motor to deviate from the desired state, the proportional gain outputs a correction signal to bring the motor back toward the desired state. In theory, the higher the proportional gain, the better the disturbance rejection. But in real-world applications, the maximum value of proportional gain that can be used without causing instability is limited by the system bandwidth and phase margin.

A controller can be tuned to balance the reference tracking and disturbance rejection functions, as shown here, or to favor one or the other.
Image credit: MathWorks Inc.

Motion controllers often use both functions — reference tracking and disturbance rejection — to provide accurate, steady-state performance and to reduce sensitivity to changing or unexpected loads. However, there are tradeoffs when both functions are used: the lower the overshoot and settling time for reference tracking, the more sluggish the disturbance rejection will be, and vice-versa. Tuning the controller involves finding the appropriate balance between the overshoot and settling time of the reference tracking function and the response time of the disturbance rejection function.

Robotics Summit in June: Attend for technology insights (and hero Tyler Shultz)

May 6, 2019 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

In a few short weeks, the 2019 Robotics Summit (focused on the design, development, manufacture, and delivery of commercial robotics) will take place in Boston. It will be co-located with the DeviceTalks event at the Seaport World Trade Center.

Side note — and yes, we at Design World are quite excited about this one: DeviceTalks is featuring a truly remarkable keynote speaker in Tyler Shultz, the entrepreneur and Theranos whistleblower who brought to light many of the revelations detailed in Bad Blood, which we cover here on designworldonline.com.

Shultz is the closing keynote in the afternoon June 6th and goes later than the Robotics Summit closing keynote from Dev Singh of Qualcomm Technologies on the application of 5G in robotics. That means if you register for the Robotics Summit, you’ll get to see and ask questions of both Singh and Shultz.

On the technologies themselves, we of course know that motion control and power-transmission technologies are at the heart of all robot designs. Following is a smattering of some such components you’ll see at the Summit.

Robot degrees of freedom — tracked with feedback

Sensing and feedback allow for monitoring of robot axes (to track position in space as well as speed, acceleration, and torque) for the correction of motion … to deliver on preprogrammed moves and adjust to external factors. In most cases, sensing and feedback components in robotics take the form of encoders (on electric-motor-driven axes) and other sensors for end-of-axis tracking or mapping. Some suppliers showing such technologies at the 2019 Robotics Summit include the following.

ifm • Booth #104 — Information to glean from these folks includes that on position and fluid sensors as well as diagnostic, networking, and connectivity solutions (which are increasingly pre-engineered, as we cover here and here). ifm manufactures industrial sensors and other control products to support an array of robotics applications — and those for assembly too.

Renishaw • Booth #130 — If you attend the Summit, get this team to summarize for you how to choose between and apply optical, laser interferometer, and magnetic encoder technologies. Renishaw sells (among other things) components for measurement and motion control, though the supplier is probably best known for its encoders for OEM positioning applications.

Motors propel, rotate, actuate robotic axes

Electric motors are far and away the most common technology imparting motion to robotics. On the rise today are PMDC motors, stepper and servo motors, PMAC and brushless motors, and frameless iterations of various motor subtypes. That latter can include direct-drive motors and (often when referring to motors that drive AGVs and similar autonomous robotics) torque motors.

Nidec • Booth #110 — As we outline in more detail in this article (Motion Trends: New motor breeds are smart, connected, and compact) Nidec founder Shigenobu Nagamori identifies these trends in industries employing electric motors:

• Home appliances traditionally employing brushed motors are increasingly using brushless dc motors
• Rising electrification of automobiles relies on electric motors
• There’s significant replacement of manual tasks in logistics and agriculture with automated designs — and the potential for drones in these markets is especially high
• Proliferating robots (including collaborative robots) are almost all equipped with electric motors and speed reducers. These robots are expensive, but use will rise as prices decrease, said Nagamori.

Visit Nidec at the summit to see its lineup of precision motors suitable to impart motion to robotic designs.

maxon precision motors • Booth #114 — If you missed the recent Automate show in Chicago, you didn’t get the chance to see the tabletop robotics display maxon had at its booth … a KINOVA arm:

The company’s Jaco2 Robotic Arm provides a lightweight, quiet and easily controlled device to the service industry; it actuates in six degrees of freedom using six flat motors.

You’re likely to see this or comparable application examples (as well as maxon motor and drive offerings to satisfy robotic designs with parameters as demanding as those for Mars rovers) in Boston — so go say hello.

Bodine Electric Co. • Booth #122 — This is a stop for stock and custom gearmotors and drives as well as fixed and variable speed ac, brushless dc, and permanent magnet dc motors and motion controls. Again, tag us on LinkedIn if you visit Bodine and want us to share your conversation online.

Electrocraft • Booth #226 — Here get a unique take on application-engineered motors and motion products for inspection and agricultural robots, robotic mowers, surgical robots, domestic-service robots, and end effectors. This motor maker also sells gearboxes, gearmotors, linear actuators, and integrated motor drives for such applications.

MICROMO • Booth #248 — One reason attend the Summit in Boston is to see this manufacturer’s micro dc motors firsthand — especially if you’re an engineer or OEM aiming to boost design quality. Besides brush and brushless dc motors, stepper motors, and linear dc servomotors, MICROMO also supplies gearheads, encoders, and micro linear actuators. As the North American supplier of FAULHABER micro-motion products, MICROMO also provides value-add design and engineering services.

Precision power-transmission for robotics

Harmonic Drive • Booth #119 — Strain-wave gearing sets are core to so many robotics applications. One company supporting this technology’s application is Harmonic Drive — which designs and sells an array of precision servo actuators, gearheads, and gear component sets. Solutions are standard or (in most cases) custom.

Note that on Wednesday at the Summit (11:45 to 12:30 pm) president and CEO of Harmonic Drive Doug Olson will present on these technologies for robotic actuators.

Intech • Booth #124 — Here you’ll get to see various robotic applications for self-lubricating plastic rollers, gears, and cam followers of non-hygroscopic Power-Core material (and supplied with durability calculations). Fast as well as lubrication (and maintenance) free, these motion components also have low inertia and deliver smooth motion so critical to automated designs.

See you in Boston.

EtherCat compatible piezo motion controller for nano-scale automation and precision positioning

May 2, 2019 By Miles Budimir Leave a Comment

PI (Physik Instrumente) now offers a new EtherCat compatible version of its E-727 digital piezo controller family. The piezo controller can be easily integrated into complex automation environment systems and operated as an “intelligent driver” for two- or three-axis piezo-based nanopositioning systems. PI also offers ACS based EtherCat motion controllers for long travel precision positioning stages such as used in laser machining and gantry systems for 3D printing.

Piezo controllers with digital servos provide advantages over traditional analog piezo controllers, such as higher bandwidth, linearity, and easy optimization of the servo parameters by software. The E-727 also provides two notch filters that help suppress mechanical resonances in high-speed operation of piezo-mechanisms yielding higher bandwidth. A sensor sampling frequency of 100 kHz and servo update rate of 20 kHz boost performance while minimizing noise. Intelligent servo algorithms minimize the settling times and allow repeatability into the subnanometer range.

Other advanced features of the digital piezo controller include 4th-order polynomial linearization for the piezo mechanics and control electronics, an integrated data recorder, an ID chip for fast and quick exchange of the system components, as well as subordinate, programmable drift compensation. There’s also an option of dynamic digital linearization. This DDL function lowers phase shift and trajectory errors to an indiscernible level in the case of dynamic-periodic applications. This is important for scanning applications that have to identify a particular position and reach it again accurately.

Like all PI motion controllers, the E-727 comes with extensive software support such as LabVIEW drivers and dynamic libraries for Windows and Linux. The E-727 can also be operated via TCP/IP or USB even without an EtherCAT master and commanded with PI GCS codes. Additional interfaces are SPI for fast serial transmission of position values to/from an SPI master, 4 digital I/O (each) and 4 optional high-resolution analog I/O (20 bits) for external sensors, target values or external amplifiers.

For more information, visit www.pi-usa.us/enc.

Automate 2019 closes last show in Chicago with record attendance and leads

April 30, 2019 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

Automate, North America’s largest showcase devoted to automation industry trends, leading-edge technology and business innovation, ended its eight-year run in Chicago with record numbers. According to preliminary figures, more than 20,000 walked the show floor at the biennial event – an increase of 25% over 2017 – to see the advancements in robotics, vision, motion and advanced automation technology from over 500 exhibitors from around the world.

President of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) Jeff Burnstein reports that the majority of the largest exhibitors have already reserved their spots for 2021 in Detroit, all citing the strong connections they were able to make at this year’s show.

The Association for Advancing Automation is the global advocate for the benefits of automating. A3 promotes automation technologies and ideas that transform the way business is done. A3 is the umbrella group for Robotic Industries Association (RIA), AIA – Advancing Vision + Imaging, Motion Control & Motor Association (MCMA) and A3 Mexico. RIA, AIA, MCMA and A3 Mexico combined represent over 1,200 automation manufacturers, component suppliers, system integrators, end users, research groups and consulting firms from throughout the world that drive automation forward.

Automate has proven once again to be a suitable venue for manufacturers to find the latest innovations in automation — from collaborative and mobile robots to artificial intelligence, machine vision and motion control, Burnstein said. “From what we’ve heard from exhibitors and attendees alike, the show was a great success, generating thousands of valuable leads as business leaders learned how the various innovations can help their companies thrive in today’s highly competitive global environment. We can’t wait to do it all again in 2021, this time in Detroit.”

Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR) is one exhibitor planning a return to Automate in 2021. According to Ed Mullen, MiR’s vice president of sales for the Americas, the company received more than 1600 leads over the week, the most the Danish manufacturer of autonomous mobile robots has received at any trade show to date.

“Automate attracts thousands of companies from across the United States, which makes it an suitable venue for us,” Mullen said. “The massive amount of highly qualified leads we received at Automate this year compared to when we first launched in North America in 2017 completely validates the decision to exhibit at the show. We’re looking forward to 2021.”

Another company at Automate was Innovative Mechatronic Systems B.V., which was the 2019 winner of the $10,000 Launch Pad Startup competition for its Archimedes Drive. This toothless gearbox with speed reducer technology brings groundbreaking improvements in performance compared to current drive solutions. Founder Thibaud Verschoor and six other finalists had five minutes to present their innovations before the judges chose the winner. Judge Oliver Mitchell of Autonomy Ventures wrote that IM Systems universally stood out for its important contribution … with potential to generate a billion-dollar valuation with its promise of bringing down the cost of adoption and quickening the speed of deployment.

At Automate, A3 also announced the date and location for Automate 2021. It takes place May 17-20 at Detroit’s Cobo Center. Exhibitors, participants and attendees can find more information about Automate 2021 at www.automateshow.com.

Beckhoff Automation offers OPC UA integration in TwinCAT Scope software

April 30, 2019 By Miles Budimir Leave a Comment

Beckhoff Automation announces greater integration of OPC UA communication technology into TwinCAT Scope software. In the context of Industry 4.0 and big data applications, machine data acquisition via OPC UA and analytics tools are becoming increasingly important. The information must be presented in clearly and efficiently, and the machine control system also has to cover a wide range of other smart components. TwinCAT Scope software provides optimum support for integrated data acquisition across heterogeneous system environments. A standardized OPC UA communication channel enables this charting tool to analyze data from diverse sources such as TwinCAT controllers and third-party components.

TwinCAT 3 Scope consists of Scope View for the graphical display of signal curves and Scope Server for the actual data logging. The Scope Server can be installed on a target device for autonomous logging (without the View component if desired) or on the corresponding engineering system together with Scope View for remote logging. The latter solution offers the advantage that no additional software has to be installed on the target device. As a result, no updates to TwinCAT controllers are required, and devices without TwinCAT software do not require modification to display their data graphically in Scope View.

For logging measured signals, the Scope Server now not only features a TwinCAT-specific ADS channel, but it also offers support for another standardized communication channel in the form of an OPC UA client. The widespread use of OPC UA in automation technology enables TwinCAT Scope to acquire and display measured data in a vendor-independent way. OPC UA achieves this reliably and securely, especially if certificates are used.

The TwinCAT Target Browser, which is used to manage connected data sources in TwinCAT Engineering, has also been expanded with OPC UA support. It enables browsing in the namespaces of connected OPC UA servers. This feature can be used to select the desired variables for logging by the Scope Server with configuration options for certificate-protected access.

A TwinCAT 3 Engineering installation always includes a Scope View tool and a local Scope Server. Both software components are included free of charge in the basic version, which enables testing of the OPC UA communication. With a rich set of features including multi-core support, triggers, chart synchronization and numerous zoom functions, the tried and tested charting tool is now perfectly suited for an even larger group of users and even more diverse application scenarios with these newest communication enhancements.

For more information, visit www.beckhoffautomation.com.

Available May 2019: Trinamic six-channel stepper-motor controller module for improved performance

April 29, 2019 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

TRINAMIC Motion Control GmbH & Co. KG now sells the TMCM-6214, a highly integrated module capable of driving up to six two-phase stepper motors, drawing up to 1.9A RMS each at supply voltages of up to +24 V. Thanks to its three integrated encoder inputs for incremental A/B/N encoders, it can support high-precision position feedback for three of its six motors, making it suitable for multi-axis applications in laboratory and factory automation, life science, robotics, test and measurement, and applications handling precious goods and liquids.

This is Trinamic’s TMCM-6214. Featuring SixPoint ramping profiles and multiple encoder inputs, the TMCM-6214 6-axis motor controller/driver board for two-phase stepper motors simplifies the design of robots, industrial automation, and other advanced multi-axis motion control systems.

“By monitoring the motor and relaying feedback back to the operator, the customers can closely track performance of their applications. Making it easy for customers to use these features allows them to implement a wide variety of applications. The controller’s position feedback capabilities, for example, can be used to implement predictive maintenance functions, which can dramatically reduce equipment downtime while increasing its overall lifespan,” states Michael Rand, Founder and CEO of Trinamic.

The TMCM-6214’s advanced features allow engineers to add an extra layer of reliability to their applications, while ensuring the best performance possible throughout its extended life span. The controller also incorporates Trinamic’s industry-exclusive DcStep function that enables the stepper motor to mimic the characteristics of a dc motor by delivering higher torque at lower speeds. Similarly, Trinamic’s unique SixPoint ramping profiles allow developers to create complex acceleration/deceleration profiles that are precisely tailored to their application’s requirements.

To increase ease of integration, the TMCM-6214 is available in two versions. The first version supports Trinamic’s TMCL motion control command language.

Note that TMCL (the Trinamic Motion Control Language) is a programming language dedicated to motion control applications. TMCL includes commands for moving one or more motor axes at certain velocities or to certain positions, and for setting all relevant motion controller parameters. TMCL also provides access to additional general-purpose digital and analog inputs and outputs. TMCL is available on most Trinamic modules with an integrated motion controller.

Full remote control of the device with feedback is possible and the module’s TMCL firmware can be updated via any of the serial interfaces. As an alternative to the TMCL version, the TMCM-6214 also comes with firmware that supports the industry standard CANopen communication protocol.

Recall that CANopen is a communication protocol and device profile specification for embedded systems used in automation. regarding the OSI model, CANopen implements the layers above and including the network layer. The CANopen standard consists of an addressing scheme, several small communication protocols, and an application layer defined by a device profile.

The module supports CAN, RS485, RS232 and USB interfaces for communications. Both versions of the controller module come with six general purpose digital inputs and two analog inputs. The modules also have eight protected general purpose outputs that can be used for diagnostics. An integrated power supply switch is available together along with two hardware torque off inputs. The controllers’ powerful, integrated processor helps minimize communication traffic by performing all time-critical operations, such as ramp calculation, on-board without the assistance of an external host.

Both versions of the TMCM-6214 will be available through Trinamic’s normal distribution channels at the end of May.

Features and benefits:

Six-axis controller/driver for two-phase bipolar stepper motors
Linear and SixPoint ramps
+9V to 30V DC supply voltage
Up to 1.9A RMS motor current
RS485, CAN, RS232 & USB interfaces
3x A/B/N encoder inputs
Multi-purpose inputs and outputs (protected)
Hardware torque off with integrated power switch for the driver supply
On-board voltage regulators (+5V and +3V3) for supply of all on-board digital circuits.

TRINAMIC Motion Control develops the world’s most sophisticated technology for motion and motor control applications, making it as easy as 1-2-3. the state-of-the-art ICs, modules, and mechatronic systems enable today’s software engineers to quickly and reliably develop highly precise drives that work efficiently, smoothly, and quietly. Trinamic is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany with a research center in Tallinn, Estonia, and Sales Engineers in both Chicago, IL, USA and Suzhou, China.

For more information, visit this TMCM-6214 product page on trinamic.com. Also download the data sheet (as a PDF) listing the specifications of the motor controller/driver board.

AMETEK Haydon Kerk Pittman launches new mobile app

April 25, 2019 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

Haydon Kerk Pittman, a business unit of AMETEK Advanced Motion Solutions division, now offers an HKP Mobile App for Apple and Android mobile devices.

The HKP Mobile App offers streamlined user experience that optimizes accessibility and a wide variety of resources: applications suggestions, product data sheets, brochures, catalogs, guides, technical documents, case studies, white papers and more. The app offers convenience and simple navigation: Each resource can be easily shared among colleagues and teams with a Send Asset feature.

Additionally, customers can view the videos without WiFi, locate a sales representative nearest to their location, and contact Haydon Kerk Pittman for technical support or a quote. The HKP Mobile App also lets customers shop the Haydon Kerk Pittman online store for hundreds of products that ship for free and in 24 hours.

Install the HKP Mobile App for special access to deals, promotions, and push notifications. Receive advance notices of new products, demos, videos, white papers and so much more.

Haydon Kerk Pittman is a business unit of AMETEK, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices with annual sales of approximately $5 billion.

Haydon Kerk Pittman is the joining of three world-class brands in the field of linear and rotary motion. Saw as a leading manufacturer of stepper motor-based linear actuators, rotary motors, lead screw assemblies, brushed and brushless dc motors, and linear rail and guide systems used in niche market applications, Haydon Kerk Pittman has developed industry-renowned brands built upon its technical innovation, versatility, customization, product durability, and dedicated customer service. For more information, visit www.haydonkerkpittman.com.

Beckhoff expands compact industrial PC line with C6032

April 25, 2019 By Lisa Eitel Leave a Comment

To boost connectivity options in ultra-compact PC Control hardware, Beckhoff Automation has introduced the new C6032 Industrial PC (IPC). With dimensions of only 129 x 133 x 104 mm, the C6032 IPC enhances the scalability of the PC-based controller portfolio from Beckhoff. A high-performance device in a modular design, the C6032 adds two slots for PCIe Compact modules to the C6030 single-board IPC, which is comparable regarding computing power, to accommodate modular interfaces and functional extensions. With the use of compact PCIe modules, the C6032 can be optimally adapted to the unique requirements of individual applications.

Equipped with powerful Intel Core i processors of the 6^th and 7^th generation — up to the Core i7 with four 3.6 GHz cores — the C6032 is suitable to support extensive multi-axis motion control, complex HMI applications, extremely short cycle times and handling of large data volumes.

The compact motherboard and the die-cast zinc and robust aluminum housing were newly developed according to the high standards Beckhoff is known for – such as industrial-grade assembly, Made in Germany quality, high reliability and a premium look and feel. Other features include the exceptionally compact design typical of the ultra-compact C60xx IPC series and the flexible installation options with vertical or horizontal mounting at the rear of the enclosure – and a totally free orientation of the connection area.

High flexibility through PCIe modules

The C6032 features two PCIe compact module slots that enable flexible expansion of the connection area on the front of the device. The first available PCIe modules are the following:

2 x Gbit Ethernet
2 x USB 3.0
2 x RS232
1 x CP-Link 4 (for connection to Beckhoff industrial displays)

The use of an extremely durable, speed-monitored and controlled fan makes the C6032 suitable for an operating temperature range of up to 55° Celsius. Available options include Windows 7 or Windows 10 operating systems as well as a second M.2 SSD in RAID configuration. The C6032 also offers storage capacity of 40 GB M.2 SSD, 3D flash even in the basic configuration.

A device generation designed for universal use

The Microsoft Azure -certified devices in the ultra-compact C60xx IPC series are suitable to meet current requirements in machine building, such as increasing modularity, reduced space requirements in control cabinets and increased computing power at an affordable price point. Designed exactly with all these requirements in mind, the new device generation is suitable for use in a broad range of application scenarios, including distributed architectures and current Internet of Things (IoT) or Industrie 4.0 concepts. The exact computing power is flexibly scalable to suit nearly all medium to high-end machine performance levels:

C6015 and C6017 for medium performance requirements with Intel Atom CPUs (up to four cores)
C6030 and C6032 as high-end devices with Core i processors with up to 3.9 GHz per core (for dual core processors)