Drives & Controls March 2022

TRIOMOTIONTECHNOLOGY has launched a high-performance controller for stepper or pulse- and-direction servodrives which controls four axes. The MC404-Z is aimed primarily at OEMs that need fast and accurate motion performance as well as cost- optimised machine builds. The controller allows I/O to be extended through CANbus and can also integrate directly with common PLC and HMI protocols via an Ethernet port. Potential applications include cutting machines, as well as glue-laying and gantry control. The controller provides linear, circular, helical and spherical interpolation and can achieve flexible CAM shapes and linked motion. It can also control robotic motion using integrated kinematics. “The MC404-Z is designed for machine-builders that need to keep costs low by using stepper motors, or pulse-and-direction servomotors, but who also need high-performance motion control,” explains Trio’s president, Tom Alexander. “For smaller, lower-power machines, the MC404-Z can be used as a standalone machine controller, saving significant cost compared to integrating an additional third-party PLC into the machine’s design.” High speed and accurate control of pulse-and-direction axes uses advanced acceleration profiles with jerk limitation up to ninth-order polynomials for fast, smooth motion. The axes offer a maximum stepper output frequency of 2MHz, and a choice of servo periods from 4,000μs down to 125μs. A master encoder on the fourth axis port can be set up as incremental, Biss, EnDat or SSI absolute. The axis can be used for applications such as lineshaft- following on flow wrapper machines with a form, fill and seal process, or as an axis control handwheels on CNC machines. The MC404-Z can operate as a standalone all-in-one controller thanks to its onboard I/O. It is claimed to offer significant cost savings over PLCs or IPCs. There are 16 digital inputs and eight digital outputs, as well as two registration inputs with a speed of 1μs, plus an analogue input. The MC404-Z’s Ethernet port enables connection to HMIs or PCs running bespoke customer applications, such as a CNC programs, as well as connecting to third-party PLCs. The MC404-Z is fast to set up, with a single cable and connector per axis. Commissioning is done using Trio’s Windows-based MotionPerfect PC tool. www.triomotion.uk TECHNOLOGY n Four-axis controller promises ‘cost-optimised’ high performance Trio’s MC404-Z controller offers high-performance control of stepper motors