Gatan Inc. makes specimen-preparation equipment and recently built an alpha prototype of a new machine. The iPrep prototype mounts to a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and shuttles samples back and forth between a processing chamber and SEM receiving dock. Within the processing chamber, two broad-beam ion guns polish samples. The iPrep’s automated transfer mechanism allows […]
Motion controllers help planes take precision aerial photos of disasters
Quick response to catastrophes such as floods and fires is critical, but disaster sites are often inaccessible and unsafe for inspectors and adjusters who come after first responders. Now Pictometry, an EagleView company, collects and supplies ultra-clear aerial photography to let insurance carriers, restoration companies, utilities, and contractors identify safe-access points, areas of total loss, […]
Leading the trend toward integration in 2016: Motion controllers
Motion controllers are more integrated and programmable than ever, thanks to increasing capabilities on both ASICs and FPGAs to process inputs and outputs for motion control. Some electronics even let end users customize feedback for closed-loop control. Industries spurring controller innovation for all hardware types are packaging, paper and pump processing, and medical. The former demands […]
More programmability tops motion controller trends
Motion controllers are getting better simply because state-of-the-art industrial automation needs more capable controls. That’s the message coming from motion-industry veterans these days. “The amount of programmable features that can reside in FPGAs continues to rise,” said Joseph Profeta, control systems group director at Aerotech Inc., supplier of motion control, positioning and automation systems for […]
AllMotion Questions and Answers
Q. Can I daisy chain the intelligent motor control systems and run three stepper motors using one serial connection? A. Yes, you can daisy chain up to 16 devices on the same serial bus. Each has an address switch to easily set the address of the unit. You can also use firmware settable address for […]
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