Compact integration: The EPOS4 controller and EC 45 flat motor form a customer-specific drive unit on a single circuit board.
The new architecture also changed the require- ments for the technical implementation. Compo- nents, interfaces, and form factors had to be re- aligned. However, there was no suitable off-the-shelf solution combining a compact design, integrated motion control and CAN-based communication. Two platforms become one solution There was no need to develop a solution entirely from scratch. Instead, proven platforms from the maxon portfolio could be combined in a targeted way. This reduced development time and built on processes that had already been validated. The customer-specific solution was based on an EC 45 flat motor and an EPOS4 positioning con- troller. Both are already available as standalone products in the maxon portfolio. The customer-spe- cific adaptation consisted of integrating them on a single hardware platform. To achieve this, maxon’s EPOS4 controller was integrated directly into the motor’s electronics plat- form. At the same time, the form factor was adapted to the available installation space – or, as Roman Berger puts it, the solution was “designed into the available space.” The aim was not maximum miniaturization for its own sake. What mattered was bringing the elec- tronics and motor together in a well-engineered package. “One PCB costs less than two,” says Roman Berger. At the same time, integration reduces the effort required for cabling and interfaces. Depending on the application, a decentralized approach can offer advantages in terms of integra- tion, modularity, or cabling. Other applications con- tinue to rely deliberately on centralized control ar- chitectures. In this project, the decisive factor was therefore not choosing the “right” approach, but the ability to implement a demanding customer-specific solution quickly and in a technically sound way. More than a one-off project The result is a versatile unit suitable for applica- tions such as compact conveyor modules, diverter drives, and small autonomous logistics vehicles. The solution is already being evaluated for further applications. Each new application will, of course, require further adaptations – such as different form factors, motor sizes, or interfaces. This is precisely the strength of the platform approach: existing tech- nologies can be adapted quickly to new require- ments and provide the basis for further customer- specific developments.
A typical day at maxon – and an example of how customer-specific solutions are created: a customer selects a new motion control architecture for the project. This changes the requirements for the drive solution. “The drive intelligence was originally located centrally in one place,” explains Roman Berger, Business Development Manager at maxon. “Later, the customer wanted to move motion con- trol directly into the individual units.” The new architecture offered advantages in service and maintenance while placing new demands on the integration of the drive electronics. The higher-level unit now primarily handles communication via CAN, while motion control it- self is performed locally on each individual axis.
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Motion Control
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