New Industry Products

Delta Computer Systems Announces MultiCapabilities Motion Controller

February 07, 1999 by Jeff Shepard

Delta Computer Systems (Vancouver, WA) announced its newest multiple-capability motion controller, the MultiCapabilities controller, part of its RMC Family. According to Delta, the new controller has the ability to interface with most major transducers on the market. Included with the controller is PROFIBUS DP 12Mbaud ASIC open-architecture fieldbus technology. Delta claims that this provides a vendor-independent, open fieldbus standard, high-speed communications between PLC and distributed I/O, as well as high-speed on-the-fly downloading of positions and parameters and uploading of motion profile and status information.

Applications of the new MultiCapabilities controller include precision operations such as tooling and tool handling; injection, rim and blow molding; casting and forging; pinch rollers, winders and wrappers; edgers, headrigs, veneer lathes, and flying cutoff saws; cyclic testing; and mechanical animation. The module measures 4.16" x 5.8" x 4.05" and weighs two pounds. The PROFIBUS DP interface communicates via input and output registers. The controller is fully software-configurable and features wiring via unpluggable terminal blocks.

“The new RMC allows control of stepper motors, whether they have quadrature encoder feedback capabilities or not. With encoder feedback, stepper motors can now be automatically corrected for gearing backlash or motor slip. And, the controller provides position and speed control, a teach mode, along with gearing and splines for rotary and linear axes," commented Peter Nachtwey, president of Delta Computer Systems. He added, “MultiCapable just means the multi-functionality of a stepper motor interface can be used for electro-hydraulic, servo-pneumatic, servo or stepper motors."