Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

Arun K Guru

Robert H Schmidt

Chetan Chandrasekara

Craig R Winterhalter

Zoran Vrankovic

John Balcerak

Mark Alan Gries

Aleksey Yegorov

Xiaobo Peng

Yuhong Huang

Robert J Miklosovic

Michael J Melfi

Dayin Xu

Zhenhuan Yuan

Jonathan D Hoffman

Gerry M Nagel

Shankernarayan Ramanarayanan

John Robert Figie

Linglai Li

Aderiano M Da Silva

Ryan J Jwanouskos

Yanbin Zhang

Kristin N Yee

Robert B Hirschinger

Fuhua Ding

Kevin J Riederer

Steven T Seidlitz

Jon P Vanderpas

Nisha Chandrasekharan

Randi J Relander

James C Sandell

Sikai Zhang

Jasper Hao Yang

Maulik Kalolia

John A Balcerak

Motion is coordinated between a robot and a mover in an independent cart system. Positions for a mover along a track for the independent cart system and for each axis of motion of the robot mounted on the mover are received at the motion controller. The axis position corresponds to either an angular position of the motor or a mechanical position of a corresponding axis on which the motor is mounted. The motion controller receives a robot motion command corresponding to a desired operation of the robot and generates a mover motion command for the mover and an axis motion command for each axis of the robot. The mover motion command and the axis motion commands are generated as a function of the robot motion command, the position of the mover along the track, and the position of the motor or of the axis for each axis of the robot.

Coordinated motion of a robot and vehicle in an independent cart system

To improve integrity of time synchronization, a node in a safety rated system verifies that its clock remains synchronized to another clock. Two adjacent, time-synchronized nodes transmit diagnostic messages to each other at an agreed upon interval and generate timestamps when the diagnostic message is received from the other node. The nodes then transmit their respective timestamp back to the sending node. Clock drift is detected by comparing a difference between the two timestamps at which the messages were received against a threshold. To avoid accidental detection of clock drift, a difference in transmission delays between the two nodes is stored in a FIFO buffer. Each node monitors the average of the data in the FIFO buffer. If the average deviates from the target value by too great a value, then the node determines the values of the clocks have skewed beyond an acceptable range and generates a fault condition.

Diagnostic system and method for network synchronized time in safety applications

A method and system for communication between a motor controller and an analytic module includes a Single Pair Ethernet interface with power supplied over the two data lines. The analytic module, in turn, connects to a motor or other devices proximate the motor. The analytic module receives input signals from the motor or different types of sensors or devices. A processing unit in the analytic module may perform some initial processing on the incoming data. The processing unit is configured to transmit either the raw input signals or processed data via the Single Pair Ethernet connection back to the motor controller or to other controllers in the system with the motor controller acting solely as a pass-through gateway. The analytic module unit may be configured to transmit data at different update rates. One of the update rates may be synchronized to an update period in the motor controller.

Method and apparatus for communication between analytic modules and a motor drive

A method includes using at least one processor to detect that a tool coupled to an end effector of a robot having multiple joints is contacting a surface. The robot includes multiple joint motors configured to control multiple motions of the multiple joints. One or more control systems are configured to control each of the joint motors in a joint position mode. The method also includes identifying, via the at least one processor, a first joint of the multiple joints in response to detecting that the tool is contacting the surface. The method also includes sending, via the at least one processor, a command to at least one of the one or more control systems associated with a first joint motor of the multiple joint motors that corresponds to the first joint. The command is configured to cause the at least one of the one or more control systems to operate in a torque mode. The method also includes sending, via the at least one processor, a joint torque value to the at least one of the one or more control systems. The at least one of the one or more control systems is configured to cause the first joint to apply the joint torque value via the first joint motor.

Applied force control for robots

A system for distributing DC bus voltage and control power to multiple motors includes a rectifier front end supplying a DC bus voltage and a DC control voltage. Both the DC bus voltage and the DC control voltage are distributed via a common set of conductors. Diodes are operatively connected between the DC control voltage and the common set of conductors. The diodes allow forward conduction of the DC control voltage and distribution of control power to distributed devices when the DC bus voltage is not present. Once the DC bus voltage is present, the diodes block conduction of the DC control voltage. Each of the distributed devices are configured with an internal power supply that is operative to generate an internal control voltage from either the DC control voltage or the DC bus voltage.

Apparatus for distributing DC bus power and control power over common conductors in a distributed DC bus system

A communication module mounted to a motor provides for communication between a motor controller and a motor or between the motor controller and devices mounted on or proximate to the motor. The communication module may be configured to accept signals from various different encoders and/or load devices mounted on or proximate to the motor. The communication module receives a position feedback signal from a primary encoder interface and is configured to transmit the data to the motor controller at a periodic update rate. The communication module also receives feedback signals from at least one additional device and transmits the data to the motor controller. The communication module synchronizes its periodic update rate with the motor controller such that the position feedback signal may be utilized to control operation of the motor. The additional feedback signals may be communicated at the same or differing update rates.

Method and apparatus for communication with a motor or load mounted device in motion applications

A system for distributing DC bus voltage and control power to multiple motors includes a rectifier front end supplying a DC bus voltage and a DC control voltage. Both the DC bus voltage and the DC, control voltage are distributed via a common set of conductors. Diodes are operatively connected between the DC control voltage and the common set of conductors. The diodes allow forward conduction of the DC control voltage and distribution of control power to distributed devices when the DC bus voltage is not present. Once the DC bus voltage is present, the diodes block conduction of the DC control voltage. Each of the distributed devices are configured with an internal power supply that is operative to generate an internal control voltage from either the DC control voltage or the DC bus voltage.

A motor drive utilizes redundant current feedback to monitor force being produced by a motor and to provide safe limited force producing operation of the motor. A first set of current sensors provides a first current measurement, and a second set of current sensors provides a second current measurement. The two current measurements are provided to two diverse force producing calculations, where each force producing calculation provides a value of the force produced by the motor. The motor drive compares the output of the two algorithms to each other. If the output of the two force producing calculations is the same, within an acceptable band, the controller continues operating as commanded. If the output of the two force producing calculations differs beyond the acceptable band, then the controller may generate a fault message provided back to a central controller, stop operation of the motor, or a combination thereof.

System and method for providing safe limited force producing power in a motor

A motor includes a housing containing a rotor and stator. A brake assembly is adapted to restrain rotation of the rotor. A brake controller includes a brake diagnostics system. At least one vibration sensor is located in the housing and provides vibration data to the brake diagnostics system in response to a brake operation cycle of the brake assembly. The vibration data is used by the brake diagnostics system to assess an operative condition of the brake assembly.

Motor brake system

A motor having a circuit board including at least two MEMS sensors. The circuit board is mounted within a housing of the motor using the same fasteners as an encoder of the motor. Mounting the MEMS sensors to the circuit board simplifies assembly of the motor and standardizes the positioning of the MEMS sensors within the housing, while the overall motor footprint is unaffected.

Board mounted microelectromechanic system (MEMS) sensors for motor diagnostics and analytics

A motor includes a brake diagnostics system with sensors to assess the brake assembly condition. Acoustic or other vibration sensors provide vibration data that is compared to known vibration spectrum data to compare the condition of the brake assembly to a properly functioning brake assembly. The brake diagnostics system monitors current flow in the brake coil to assess the condition of the brake assembly. The sensed brake coil current is compared to known coil current spectrum data to compare the condition of the brake assembly to a properly functioning brake assembly. The voltage input to the brake coil is varied depending upon the current sensed in the brake coil to minimize heat in the brake coil. The motor also includes a resilient layer of thermally conductive material located between the brake assembly and the housing that provides a continuous, uninterrupted thermal pathway between the brake assembly and the motor housing.

An improved system for monitoring drive members in a belt-driven application during installation and during operation and for detecting common failure modes in belt-driven equipment is disclosed. Sensors are positioned within or proximate the motor housing to detect vibrations on the belt or in the electric machine. The vibration signals are used to monitor operating conditions and/or to identify the failure modes in belt-driven equipment. The vibration signals may be used, for example, to determine tension on a belt, detect either a static or dynamic force applied along the belt, a misalignment between a pulley and the belt, or a shock load applied to the belt during operation. By monitoring the various operating conditions of the belt-driven equipment, a controller may identify an existing failure mode or predict a premature failure mode.

System and method for monitoring installation and health of belt driven motor/drive applications

A system for detecting a mismatch between how a motor drive is connected electrically and how it is configured for operation is disclosed. The motor drive may either be connected in a stand-alone mode to control operation of a motor from an AC source without connection to another motor drive or be connected electrically to other motor drives, for example, in a paralleled mode, shared DC bus mode, or a combination thereof. A parameter identifies the expected electrical configuration of the motor drive. The power transferred to the DC bus is compared to the power transferred from the DC bus in the motor drive. If the difference between the power transferred to the DC bus and the power transferred from the DC bus exceeds a predetermined threshold, the motor drive detects the mismatch between how a motor drive is connected electrically and how it is configured for operation.

Method and apparatus for detection of drive misconfiguration in a multi-axis configuration

An apparatus for accelerating communications over the Ethernet between a first processor and a second processor where the communications include CIP messages, the apparatus comprising a network accelerator that includes memory locations, the accelerator associated with the first processor and programmed to, when the second processor transmits a data packet to the first processor over the Ethernet, intercept the data packet at a first processor end of the Ethernet, extract a CIP message from the data packet, parse the CIP message to generate received data, store the received data in the memory locations and provide a signal to the first processor indicating that data for the first processor in stored in the memory locations.

Method and apparatus for communications accelerator on CIP motion networks

The subject innovation provides for systems and methods to optimize control systems for networked industrial sensors or devices and methods for self sensing, communicating with, monitoring of, controlling and optimizing utilization of networked industrial sensors and related control systems primarily in an industrial automation environment. The invention provides self-sensing and communication with sensors, and integration of control methods and strategies with decision support and logistics systems, to optimize specifically defined operational and performance objectives.

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Brookfield, WI, United States of America

Arun K Guru