Network-based Multi-axis Motion Control And Electronic Cam Technology

Internet is a hot technology today. It has an extremely high-speed communicationcapability, large-scale production and low cost characteristics, clear hierarchical managementstructure, and other good characteristics. Therefore, the introduction of this technology to thefield of industrial communication will make the industrial communication gets benefit fromthe progress of Internet technology. However, the ordinary Ethernet is not sufficient to meetthe requirements of industrial communication in response time and uncertainty. So someinstitutions develop real-time Ethernet to meet the application in the industrial field, such asEtherCAT, Powerlink, which has already become popular. Combining the Ethernet technologywith motion control system, the entire field applications are organized in module, and thesystem gets more flexible, and easier to manage and maintain.In addition to real-time Ethernet, motion control algorithm is also the core technology ofnetwork-based motion control system, including electronic gear and electronic cam. Therefore,this article makes research on multi-axis motion control based on the real-time EthernetPowerlink, and gives a realization of the electronic cam, hoping to play a valuable role in thedevelopment of domestic motion control.This paper focuses on motion control technology based on network. Firstly, the wholesystem structure is talked. A simple hardware and software framework of the study is given.Compared to traditional motion control solutions, motion control based on network is moreflexible, modular and hierarchical. It has several centralized controllers and many distributeddrivers, which are all connected with field bus. It gets the algorithm together to form the maincontroller node, controlling the drivers with network. Thus, the coordination between therespective axes is easier, and traditional mechanical connection is no longer needed. Also, it iseasier to achieve some complex algorithm, such as high real-time multiaxial synchronization,interpolation, etc.Then, this paper analyzes how Powerlink works and how to transplant for differentplatforms. Also, a brief analysis of how to achieve synchronization with Powerlink is made.Ethernet Powerlink is a real-time Ethernet protocol which meets IEC61158standard. It’s firstintroduced to the public by B&R in2001, and promoted by Ethernet Powerlink Standardization Group (EPSG). It combines the advantages of the Ethernet and CANopentechnology, which means that it’s high-speed and open-interface like Ethernet and it has SDOand PDO data definitions like CANopen. About Powerlink synchronization, this paperdiscusses the synchronization method based on data frame and another synchronizationmethod based on IEEE1588timestamp protocol. Finally, Powerlink implementation ondifferent platforms is discussed.Finally, this paper elaborates electronic cam technology used in motion control. And anexperiment which combines Powerlink with electronic cam technology is done, and good testresult is got, which may be inspired for multi-axis motion control in industry. With generalmotion control module, such as electronic gear and electronic cam, designers can design theirown control methods without thinking about industry background, and achieve good dynamicperformance, and high precision. Compared with the traditional mechanical, it has no frictionand easy maintenance.