Keywords
Citation
(2005), "Maestro, multi axis supervisor controls up to 126 axes of motion with remote monitoring via a web browser", Assembly Automation, Vol. 25 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2005.03325bad.003
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2005, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Maestro, multi axis supervisor controls up to 126 axes of motion with remote monitoring via a web browser
Maestro, multi axis supervisor controls up to 126 axes of motion with remote monitoring via a web browser
Keywords: Motion, Controllers control systems
The ability to control up to 126 axes of motion via a single unit is provided by the Elmo Maestro, a network-based, multi-axis motion supervisor (MAS) launched by Inmoco in the UK. The Maestro operates in conjunction with Elmo intelligent servo drives to provide real time, synchronized and interpolated multi-axis motion control solutions that can be monitored anywhere in the word via a web browser (Plate 3).
Plate 3 The Elmo
Maestro from Inmoco
The Maestro is the heart of a distributed network architecture that delivers cost savings through reduced systems hardware and wiring, and also lower development costs due to the combination of transparent CANopen communications and an integrated development environment that allows the flexible integration of all intelligent nodes – drives, I/O encoders, HMIs – using industry standard protocols.
With less hardware and wiring to maintain, plus comprehensive remote drive and motor diagnostics, the Maestro also delivers reduced maintenance costs for the machine user. In addition, when maintenance is required, the short machine set-up times provided by the combination of the Maestro and Elmo's SimpllQ servo drives to ensure that production downtime is totally minimized.
The package of the Maestro and SimpllQ servo drives provides the capability to manage up to 126 axes in standard applications, with 2-16 of these axes interpolated, depending upon bus load. This performance is the result of sharing the motion processing workload in a distributed motion control architecture which enables real-time motion management tasks to be off-loaded from a host; typically a PC.
In its central system management role, the Maestro fulfils a number of strategic roles. First, it operates as an Ethernet CANopen gateway; interfacing with multiple hosts via Fast-Ethernet (10/ 100Mbps), whilst at the same time co- ordinating motion between various axes in synchronized interpolated mode, and integrating event handling into motion control procedures.
Second, the Maestro operates as a CANopen Network Node Master for such tasks as Network management, Network Configuration (NMT), Clock synchronization and Heartbeat functions. Third, it provides the File Administrator function for firmware such as intelligent drives, multi-axis user applications and systems resources.
Forth and final, the Maestro is a powerful multi-axis motion analysis and development tool offering OEMs a user friendly multi-axis development environment, complete with multi-axis recording and analysis tools.
For further information, contact: Inmoco Limited. E-mail: GerardB@inmoco.co.uk