Modular Synchronous Controller Architecture for Multi-Axis Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional synchronous controllers for multiple-axis control face challenges such as high costs and large housing requirements due to the reliance on a single main CPU, leading to increased processing demands and potential synchronization mismatches as the number of axes increases, especially for users requiring fewer axes.
Innovation Solution
A modular synchronous controller architecture featuring a cycle master module and multiple control modules connected via a synchronous bus and an event bus, allowing for efficient synchronization and data sharing, reducing the load on each CPU and enabling flexible configuration based on the number of axes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single main CPU is used for multiple-axis control, then the controller can provide centralized control capability, but the processing capability requirements increase and the controller becomes expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The controller is divided into a main CPU and multiple distributed motion control units (MCUs), each responsible for specific axes. This segmentation distributes the processing load, allowing each unit to handle only its designated tasks, thereby reducing individual processing requirements while maintaining overall multiple-axis control capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single unit housing contains the control function for many axes, then the controller provides integrated control, but the housing size becomes large requiring large installation space
Solution Approach 1:
The controller architecture is segmented into modular components (main CPU unit and multiple MCU units) that can be physically distributed. Each motion control unit is housed separately, allowing the system to provide integrated control functionality without requiring a single large housing, thus reducing installation space requirements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If data transmission ratio is 1:N for N motors controlled by one main CPU, then the network format enables multiple-axis control, but time lags appear causing mismatching in synchronization
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the control architecture so that each motion control unit has its own dedicated CPU for real-time control of specific axes. This eliminates the 1:N transmission bottleneck and associated time lags, as each axis is controlled independently with dedicated processing resources, ensuring high synchronization accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a synchronization master mechanism where one motion control unit acts as the master and others as slaves. The master provides timing signals and coordination information to slave units, creating a feedback loop that ensures all axes remain synchronized despite independent processing, thereby maintaining reliability.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the communication cycle increases with the number of axes, then more axes can be controlled, but the magnitude of mismatching increases in proportion
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into multiple independent motion control units, each with its own processing cycle. This allows the system to control more axes without increasing the communication cycle of any single unit, as each unit operates independently with its own optimized cycle time, preventing synchronization mismatching.
Data Source
AI summary
A synchronous controller is formed with a cycle master module and one or more control modules doubly connected through a synchronous bus and an event bus. The event bus is used for transmitting data with a larger volume. The control modules each cyclically carry out execution of a user program for controlling an object apparatus to be controlled. The cycle master module exchanges data with the control modules through the event bus and the synchronous bus. Each of the control modules carries out one cycle of the execution of the user program by using reception of synchronous data transmitted from the cycle master module through the synchronous bus as a trigger.