Digital automation platform with a 32-axis motion engine features pulse synchronised output, with error mapped systems for enhanced accuracy laser machining.

Aerotech's A3200 Digital Automation Platform is a powerful, software only machine control system combining a high-performance, 32 axis motion engine with decentralised drives interfaced via Firewire and other machine control function modules such as HMI and soft PLC, for a completely integrated solution. Widely used in semiconductor, data storage, laser processing, automotive, and machine tool industries, the A3200 includes a wide range of advanced motion control commands aimed at increasing and improving the finished quality and throughput performance of demanding production and test applications. Along with an extended range of advanced commands for motion including electronic gearbox, cam profiling, high speed registration/position capture and velocity profiling, Aerotech have developed a number of commands targeted to augment application specific performance in combination with its wide range of mechanical positioning systems.

An example of such enhanced performance is that of Position Synchronised Output or PSO.

Widely used for high performance laser machining applications, PSO allows the precise, 'on-the-fly' synchronisation of the laser's pulse, power level and firing pattern with the exact position of a multi-axis positioning system typically moving the work piece undergoing laser feature generation.

PSO will acquire and analyse the position of all axes of motion on the A3200 using real time encoder feedback and will process a two or three axis vector position to provide an output for laser firing control which is exactly synchronised to the 2D or 3D contoured position.

For extremely high accuracy requirements, PSO can be combined with positioning systems that have been interferometer calibrated and error mapped using Aerotech's HALAR option, where micron level linear errors are analysed and the resulting calibration information is included as a look-up table in the A3200 motion controllers' parameter file.

The combination of PSO and HALAR is unique to Aerotech and allows the real time encoder information to be read then error corrected before the vector position is processed, resulting in laser pulse synchronisation that achieves an unsurpassed level of accuracy.

Aerotech's PSO provides a versatile and easy method of interfacing laser firing with high throughput positioning systems and has been broken down into a number of simple commands and parameters to allow for output modes including fixed pulse, analogue, PWM, ramping and bit pixel mapping.

Other PSO commands cover encoder position tracking input set-up, definition of distance and firing trigger, pulse sequence and pulse on/off characteristics as well as a command to define a window for absolute or incremental position window firing.

There is also provision for an array to be used to define bitmapped firing, used to fire the laser at only specific axis locations.

Interfacing with lasers that allow external control, including CO2, YAG and Excimer lasers is easily achieved.

Tracking latency varies depending upon the drive product used in conjunction with the A3200; the best performance is achieved with the Aerotech Nservo digital drive with 140 nsec for a single axis and 220 nsec for dual and triple axis tracking.

In addition to laser firing applications PSO has been successfully applied to non-destructive testing applications where its ability to provide a fixed pulse spacing along complex contours has been found ideal for ultrasonic, eddy current and X Ray inspection systems.

Aerotech's A3200 Digital Automation Platform is a software based machine control system for IEEE-1394 (Firewire equipped PCs combining synchronised motion control for up to 32 servo axes with fully integrated modules for HMI, machine vision and soft PLC functions.

Programming and software development tools allow the Automation 3200 to be programmed in native RS274 G-code and a software development kit may be used to program with ActiveX based components as well as other languages including C, C++, VisualBasic and Labview.

The high speed Firewire interface delivers fully deterministic position and velocity motion updates to all axes with no system degradation as the number of axes increase.

A range of compatible digital servo drives with high performance, 20kHz position, velocity and current loop update rate can be supplied in stand alone or rack mounted configuration.

All drives come complete with local I/O and an optional 10/100 BaseT Ethernet interface which may be used add third party I/O and PLCs if required.

Choices of PWM or Linear power stages are available with sinusoidal commutation and onboard encoder multiplication.

The A3200 also includes extensive system commissioning tools for servo tuning and system analysis.

A range of stepper drives for open loop control systems is also available.

When compared to traditional PCI card solutions, which usually include numerous breakout modules requiring complex wiring and interfacing, the reduced cost benefit of the A3200 in terms of its simplified wiring, fewer components and Firewire based plug and play interfacing, offers OEMs and System Integrators a complete machine control solution with lower startup and lifecycle costs.

Aerotech design and manufacture a wide range of mechanical position systems and associated control and drive products for laser machining applications.

These include the new VasculatheTM, single machine platform for the production of cardiovascular stents.

All Aerotech systems are supplied complete with motor power and encoder cables, all performance and calibration related documents and a CD with complete interconnection drawings to help integrators with their own system documentation.

In addition, all motor parameter set-up data for the software configuration file is included; with full technical support and product training always on hand, system commissioning is straightforward requiring little more than connecting cables and applying power before programming application software.