Issue 8

Applications
›Healthcare positioning
›Glass decoration
›Cut-to-length

Motion Intelligence
advanced motion control technology for machine designers
News
›
›
›
The Ethernet Revolution
Stainless steel servos
Stepper motors/drives
›Eurocard drives
›AC drives

Pin-Point Precision
for Protons
A motion control system capable
of positioning patients to within
0.5mm/0.02inch, is about to enter commercial
operation at the Rinecker Proton Therapy
Centre in Munich. The system will be used for
proton beam irradiation - a therapy offering
considerable advantages over X-rays as it does
less collateral damage.
Take a giant step - with
A Novel Control Solution
The novel eight-axis control system inside
the machine has been designed by IPG of
Switzerland. It is based on motion control As IPG had a considerable experience with
components from Baldor, and Baldor’s Mint- Linux, The result gave IPG a very flexible motion
language motion commands - specially ported software environment, with a library of high-level
to run under Linux for this project to provide an commands providing sophisticated movement
open and maintainable system. functions.
The proton beam machine consists of a
Ultra Smooth Movement
large steel cylinder housing a gantry with very
Among the advanced features IPG employs
large magnets that guide the accelerated proton
beam. The patient is driven into the path of the
in the control system are Mint’s BLEND,
CONTOURING and S-RAMP commands. These
beam by means of a table with control of X, Y,
allow moves to be overlapped with no jerky
Z, rotation, pitch and roll axes based on closed-

A n innovative
solution for
implementing
loop BSM servo motors. The table itself weighs
over 4 tons, to provide the stiffness required for
transitions - in this instance to ensure ultra-
smooth movement and positioning of the
patient.
accurate and repeatable positioning.
machinery and
Continued on page 2
motion control Linux Based Platform
systems using At the heart of the control system is a PC fitted
the industry- with Baldor’s multi-axis motion controller, › Application Summary
standard NextMove-PCI. Control is provided by a Linux-
Application:
ETHERNET Powerlink (EPL) protocol is now based application written in ‘C’. This issues
Precision patient positioning
available. Consisting of servo motor drives, a motion commands to NextMove-PCI using
Motion controller:
full-function machine controller that will also Baldor’s library of ‘C’-compatible Mint functions.
NextMove-PCI
manage over 200 axes/devices, and a license- IPG needed to use Linux for the project in order
FlexDriveII and BSM motors
free software environment, it provides machine to obtain open access to the source code
Key Design advantages:
builders with the platform to make radical - but in order to do this, a new Linux driver for
Rich programming language
progress. Baldor’s Mint-compatible ‘C’ library had to be
simplified the movements required
written.
See inside for more detail or access - Linux support
www.baldormotion.com/epl2

1
Mint - The Clear Choice
T wo novel machines from partners CADRAM
and R&R Sondermaschinen are providing
the first automated solutions for applying
decoration to window glass, using lead or
prismatic-effect 3M Accentrim tape. They deliver
substantial productivity increases compared
with traditional hand-application processes, and
offer great flexibility of patterning thanks to novel
motion control.
Control for both machines is provided by
a subsystem engineered by Baldor, based
on the standalone NextMove-ESB controller.
This compact
box controls
“NextMove has given us an economic
a precision
platform for this new kind of automation,
three-axis servo
and allowed us to introduce more
positioning
features than we originally planned”
system that
drives a gantry incorporating a multi-function
toolhead - providing X-Y positioning combined
with a rotational facility for changing direction.
NextMove-ESB also incorporates the I/O that
controls other accessories required including
a ‘pizza knife’ that trims the tape, miniature
pneumatics that provide support functions
such as pressure to bond the tape to the glass
Continued from page 1
Behind this smooth motion, however, is a
complex control program that converts polar
coordinates into the Cartesian coordinates
required for the three-dimensional patient
positioning, and which also corrects for
the non-linearities of the table and the
slight flexing that occurs depending on the
extension from its mountings. IPG simplified
this problem by dividing movements down
into sequences of smaller steps.
2
surface and a guillotine that cuts tape from the
reel, and a DC motor-based tape feed.
The control software is written using the Mint
language, which combines a rich choice
of motion control functionality with general
machine control features, including a license-
free multitasking operating system.
The top-of-the-line LYNX-2 machine is
designed for applying lead tape, and speeds
the creation of Georgian-style doors and
windows. The real-time motion subsystem’s USB
interface is employed to interface with a PC
host that provides the
operator interface.
A key feature is its
ability to accept
drawings from
conventional CAD
programs, and automatically convert these to
streaming real-time motion commands.
This facility relies on MintNC, a PC-based
environment that imports information in
industry-standard CAD formats and generates
the required real-time motion commands.
MintNC also automatically manages all
the background processing and geometric
The motion subsystem consists of a NextMove-
PCI card plugged into the PC, connected to
six Baldor FlexDrives and BSM servo motors.
Two further axes on the card are also used to
control the linear extension of the proton beam
nozzle as it is set up for a treatment session,
and a heavy-duty industrial motor that adjusts
the magnet gantry.
“Mint’s sophisticated motion functions helped
simplify this complex project” notes Alexander
computation functions required when
changing tools and direction. This
software toolkit allowed CADRAM and
R&R to add a great deal of versatility into
the tape laying process without writing
lots of custom software.
The same basic machine control
subsystem is employed on the variant of
the machine for applying Accentrim tape
- LYNX 1 - which provides effects such as
beveling.
Here, operator control is provided
by a local HMI connected via CAN. The
tape application program is generated
following a simple configuration process.
The operator selects either a simple
frame design for applying tape to the
edges of a piece of glass, or a more
complex pattern with crossings, and inputs
the required number of rows and columns.
The machine will alternatively accept industry-
standard RWB files via USB.
“The engineering support provided by Baldor
allowed us to focus our efforts on the higher
level software required, substantially shortening
time to market.” says Ron Baker of CADRAM.
*NextMove-ESB is also now offered in an ETHERNET
Powerlink version, NextMove e100.
› Application Summary
Application:
Tape laying machinery
Motion solutions:
NextMove-ESB
FlexDriveII and BSM motors
Key Design advantages:
MintNC toolkit for interface to CAD
packages
Simple programming using Mint's
multi-tasking features
Ferro of IPG. “It allowed us to concentrate our
efforts on developing
the application-specific
algorithms that
underpin the
positioning
movements,
and on the
overall control
system”.
Take a Giant Step
A radical new solution for implementing
machinery and motion control systems is
now available, thanks to the industry-standard
ETHERNET Powerlink (EPL) protocol. Consisting
of servo motor drives, a full-function machine
controller that also manages over 200 axes of
motion, and a license-free software environment,
the range provides machine builders a platform
to make radical progress.
Among a very broad range of gains made
possible by this new Ethernet-friendly machine
control architecture are the means to provide
end users with machinery that will link
seamlessly into local and wide area networks,
and simpler system design, building and
commissioning. These are complemented by the
possibility of major hardware
bill-of-materials savings
from reduced wiring, and
the ability to use a single
controller for almost every
application - even those requiring very large
numbers of motion axes.
“We are implementing ETHERNET Powerlink
in such a way that users can implement hybrid
systems with a mix of digital and analog drives
if they wish, and continue to exploit low-cost
technologies such as CANopen for cost-sensitive
parts of the machine control system. This
gives OEMs the freedom to exploit Ethernet
immediately with migration-friendly technology”,
says David Greensmith of Baldor. as a fundamental tool for progress: “As with
everyday speech, the degree of articulation that
Bill of Materials Savings a language offers determines how elegantly
and efficiently problems can be solved. We
Greensmith goes on to estimate the hardware
believe the incredible richness of motion control
savings possible by the reduced wiring
functions available in Mint compared with
requirements of EPL to be as much as 100
open industry software,
Euros/$130 per axis. However,
gives engineers a real
system level gains are where
edge in the new Ethernet
the main benefits lie, and in
compatible machine
this arena Greensmith points to
automation development.”
Baldor’s unique Mint language

› Benefits of Using Baldor's EPL Solution

COST SAVINGS > PERFORMANCE GAINS > CAPABILITIES >

> Reduced cabling and infrastructure
> Shorter design cycles
> Faster build times
> Simpler commissioning
> Reduced hardware requirements
> No additional Fieldbus required
> No software license fees for Baldor products
> No analog signal issues or limitations
> Precise, pure digital demands
> Dynamic control of drive parameters
> Communications between all devices
> All control loops auto-tuned in one step
> Scalable and flexible architecture
> Improved reliability
> 16 axes of interpolated motion
> DS402 Positioning Drives for > 200 axes
> CANopen manager integrated in the drives
> Remote access possibilities
> Access ALL drive functions from motion
controller using Baldor's ‘redirection‘ system
> Powerlink I/O and absolute encoders

3
What is
ETHERNET Powerlink?
E THERNET Powerlink (EPL) is a proven real-time Ethernet solution for automation applications.
The protocol provides deterministic data transfer with cycle times down to 200μs, and ultra
precise timing (<1μs jitter). The technology is managed by an independent group (ETHERNET Powerlink
Standardization Group (EPSG - www.ethernet-powerlink.org) and has won worldwide support from
industry.

100% Ethernet Compliant Precise Timing

EPL is compatible to IEEE 802.3u standard for
Fast Ethernet. So all IP protocols TCP, UDP and
http can coexist with the isochronous time-
critical data, allowing seamless IT integration
from the management level to the drive and
sensor. Another benefit of standard compliance
is the use of standard wiring - 100BaseTx, CAT
5e shielded cable - for up to 100m (330ft)
segment length and 100BaseFx (fibre optic), for
up to 2000m (6600ft) segment length.
EPL is the only real-time protocol on standard
Ethernet which is compliant to IAONA real-time
classes 3+4 (www.iaona-eu.com). No matter how
many stations are connected, or if the cycle time
is 200μs or 10ms: timing-precision is always
guaranteed with tolerance below 1μs (jitter).
Future-Proof Technology
Ethernet is the most widely deployed networking
technology in the world, and is described by
an ever evolving set of standards managed by
Ease of Use
Simple wiring and configuration is important
for machine manufacturers. EPL allows any
wiring topology like line, star and tree. Unlike
real-time Ethernet systems which are based on
switches, EPL not only offers superior timing,
but a network which adapts to the machine’s
need and not vice versa. Integrated hubs in EPL
devices facilitate simple daisy chain connections
and drastically reduce infrastructure costs and
complexity.

Cross Traffic Between All Nodes

EPL allows information exchange between any
two or more nodes in a network, unlike some
fieldbuses or Ethernet approaches where all
information has to go through a master.

EPL precisely manages the exchange of data between all devices, in real-time. An asynchronous time
period provides for service data exchange and communications with external IT networks.
Deterministic Communication
Guaranteed
Data collisions are the ‘Achilles heal’ of
standard Ethernet. EPL avoids collisions by
simply managing the exchange of information
on the network, precisely controlling the order
and timing of each exchange. Hence EPL can
guarantee there will be no collisions ensuring
precise timing and deterministic behavior.
Network Security
In Protected Mode, EPL incorporates network
security by design. The real-time segment of the
network is separated from the open IT network
by an EPL router to avoid network collisions.
Firewall and features such as MAC address
the IEEE. Currently Fast Ethernet with 100Mbit
filtering techniques, ensure security for a
bandwidth is in common use. With 1Gigabit
machine network in an IT environment.
emerging and working groups having already
defined 10Gigabit Ethernet, Powerlink's future is
secure.
No Custom Silicon
EPL utilizes standard Ethernet chips only.
No special ASICs are required to achieve
microsecond cycle times and precision.

4
15 Axis Pipe Bending is a Breeze
B aldor's ETHERNET Powerlink control
solution is providing a breakthrough in
the performance of tube bending machinery
- allowing multi-stage bending operations to
take place in parallel, while also reducing the

Motion Intelligence
electrical bill of materials and machine footprint.
The technology is installed on Unison’s new
machine, Breeze Uniflex, which provides modular
multi-stage bending with automatic feeding,
positioning and clamping to progress tube
components through the process.

15 Axes of Motion Control

In the first production version of Breeze Uniflex,
a machine Unison configured to produce
condenser tubes for diesel engines, a single
NextMove e100 machine controller manages
a total of 15 motion axes powered by Baldors
MicroFlex e100 servo drives, combined with
Baldors high performance BSM servo motors,
as well as numerous I/O channels and
absolute encoders. On this application, tubing
components progress automatically through
four separate bending stages, with operations at
each stage happening simultaneously.
Four axes perform bending operations
and eleven axes feed, rotate and clamp tubing
components. In addition, a number of I/O
devices are controlled via the network, including
absolute encoders for automatic bend angle
verification on each bend axis.
Low Cost CANopen Expansion
For cost effectiveness, and to maintain the
machine’s modular architecture, many of
the I/O components are connected locally
to the controller using the CANopen fieldbus,
an architectural possibility opened up by the
decision of the Powerlink standards group to use
CANopen device profiles, and the availability of a
CANopen port on the Baldor drives.
The parallel processing multiplies
productivity compared with the more typical
› Application Summary
Application:
Multi-head Tube Bending
Motion solution:
NextMove-e100
MicroFlex e100 and BSM motors
Key Design advantages:
ETHERNET Powerlink
Mint's multi-tasking capabilities
CANopen expansion for I/O control
Networked Absolute Encoders
sequential operation of a multi-head bender.
Unison has also managed to reduce the size
of the electrical control cabinet dramatically,
by an estimated two thirds. This benefit was a
combined result of much simpler wiring, and
the ability of the machine controller - Baldor’s
NextMove e100 - to manage and synchronize all
the motion axes and I/O required via the high-
bandwidth (100Mbits/second) Ethernet network.
The centralized machine controller has
comprehensive real-time control of each drive,
allowing it to deterministically control parameters
such as motor torque and speed, as tube
components move through the machine. The
machine’s simpler architecture, with its single
Ethernet-based controller, also reduced software
complexity. In fact, Unison managed to get a
prototype of the control program working within
just one week of receiving the machine control
software - Baldor’s Mint programming language.
Modular Multitasking Software
Programming speed was aided by the Mint
software’s built-in multitasking kernel, which
allowed Unison’s development team to divide
the real-time control program into a number of
discrete software modules. Programming the
core bending control program was simplified
by using a single bend task throughout the
machine, of which there can be several
instances. The instances all run concurrently,
providing simultaneous control however many
bend stations are required; the first machine has
five, but adding a further station would simply
require the duplication of that code.
“Baldor’s ETHERNET Powerlink
solution provides such a leap
in motion control performance
that it makes this new multi-
stage bending machine
feasible,” says Mike Kay, the
Unison engineer responsible for the control
system. “The machine operates at several times
the productivity that would previously have been
possible, and in a space that’s probably half the
size of the last generation.”
“The benefits of all-electric
tube bending machinery are
now strongly established,
and the technology is taking
a substantial slice of the
market,” notes Unison’s
Managing Director, Alan Pickering. “We believe
all-electric technology now accounts for a fifth
of the high-end tube bending market - which
is around ten times the share of five years ago
- and with this technology, we expect market
share to double again in the next five years.”
More information:
www.baldormotion.com/epl2
www.unisonltd.com

5
Baldor's EPL solution
EPL Machine Controller
T he NextMove e100 control platform offers a
real-time core that can control over 200 EPL
devices such as drives, encoders, I/O, gateways
etc - up to 16 of which can be interpolated axes
- and also an extensive complement of general
machine control and connectivity features.
These include onboard analog and digital
I/O and a USB port for simple connection to PC
hosts - with free ActiveX components.
The controller additionally includes support for
three traditional analog controlled servo axes
and four stepper or open loop axes for maximum
system design flexibility, giving OEMs the freedom
to remain with conventional control technology if
Ethernet versions are not yet available.
Elegant Expansion
A CANopen interface provides a low-cost
means of adding local or remote I/O or other
components into the machine control system.
Users have the option of controlling any
additional independent axes using the DS402
positioning drives on Powerlink, extending
beyond the 16 axes of interpolated motion.
6
NextMove e100
16-axis stand-alone motion controller with
ETHERNET Powerlink and CANopen.
In addition NextMove e100 can manage
EPL devices such as absolute encoders and
distributed EPL I/O banks to provide a complete
networked solution.
EPL Servo Drive
MicroFlex e100 is an EPL compatible single-
phase servo motor drive family based on the
company’s successful MicroFlex single-axis drive
concept, a lean-and-smart drive that is now
installed in many systems around the globe.
The drives provide a dual-port Ethernet
hub interface to support simple daisy-chain
MicroFlex e100
DS402 Positioning Drive with ETHERNET
Powerlink and CANopen
connection, plus a CANopen interface for I/O
expansion. The range currently offers users a
choice of drives capable of delivering continuous
output currents of 1, 3, 6 or 9A.
DS402 Positioning Capability
Support for the CiA DS402 positioning drive
profile, provides system builders with an elegant
means of off loading the host motion controller,
allowing simple commands to activate remote
functions such as absolute or incremental
moves, changing target positions on the fly, and
performing homing sequences.
Mint Machine Control Language
The unique Mint language offers a fundamental
tool for progress in any automation application
involving motion. This high level language
makes it easy to write and develop modular
programs, and in addition to support for HMI,
communications, I/O handling and complex
mathematical functions, Mint offers probably the
richest motion control programming facilities
available worldwide.
The incredible range of Mint’s motion
control functions compared with ‘open’ industry
software - which includes several hundred
‘keywords’ providing software functions for all
common motion/movement related functions,
which greatly simplifies complex machine design
projects. The software also comes with its own
license-free multitasking operating system.
For more information contact
your local Baldor office or visit:
www.baldormotion.com/epl2
Digital Servo Drive:
Twice The Accuracy
B y equipping a high-speed cut-to-length
machine with an advanced digital servo
drive, Baldor managed to double its accuracy.
Since most manufacturers of downstream
cutting machines – and their customers
– regard cutting accuracy as the single most
important parameter, the improvement is highly
significant and likely to lead to increased
machine sales.
The machine that Baldor upgraded is
designed to cut plastic tube extrusion into 2inch
(50.8mm) lengths, at a rate of more than 300feet
(91m) per minute. It is produced by GF Goodman
& Son of Pennsylvania. GF Goodman asked
Baldor to investigate whether the accuracy of
its tube cutting machines could be improved
without major redesign.
These machines are installed downstream
of extrusion systems, forming one of the final
stages of fully automated production lines.
Goodman’s existing cutting machines employed
an earlier-generation brushless servo drive and
motor to control a rotary knife head.
Accuracy of cut depends primarily on the
response of the drive. To maximise accuracy, the
Advancing AC Drives
B aldor has introduced an advanced
new family of adjustable-speed
AC drives, with an initial choice of
powers up to 45kW. Designated H2,
the drives feature a modular expansion
bus and option range that allows users
to configure optimum solutions for
every application, from simple speed
control to advanced positioning and
sophisticated movements - with local
I/O and networking communications
for integration including Ethernet. They
have been engineered for reliability
and ease of use, and offer a choice of
open- or closed-loop control, including
inverter, encoderless vector, and
closed-loop vector operational modes.
drive needs to move the knife at a consistent
rate, and stop as repeatably as possible with no
overshoot. Goodman was typically achieving a
figure of 200μs with its existing servo systems.
However, even obtaining this level of
performance was time-consuming, because
the servo drive used analog potentiometers for
tuning, which only provide limited resolution and
offer no confirmation of performance.
Compared to the earlier servo used,
the Baldor FlexDriveII offers much faster I/O
and servo loop update response times, and
considerably more control over operating
parameters such as stiffness and overshoot.
The software also features auto-tuning wizards
and a Windows-based graphical user interface
› Application Summary
to help minimize set-up time, together with an Application:
oscilloscope facility which provides engineers Cut-to-length machinery
with instant visual feedback of the effect of any Motion solutions:
changes to tuning parameters. This particular FlexDriveII servo drive
feature proved key, enabling the performance of
BSM servo motors
the entire servo drive and motor system to be
Key Design advantages:
optimized very quickly and easily, halving the
Faster servo loop and I/O response
response time from 200μs to just 100μs.
Build-in tuning support
Small is Beautiful,
Tiny is Magnificent
T he DSM Series of
micro-stepping
motors come
with onboard
drives. Their
compactness is
ideal wherever space saving or
simplicity of installation is important - such
as in instrumentation, test, medical devices
and machinery adjustment applications. The
range can greatly simplify both development
and machine building for OEMs, eliminating
the need to find space in the equipment for
drives, and drive-to motor-cabling - reducing
potential problems from electrical noise.
There are three choices of NEMA frames,
each in three lengths, offering a choice of
nine torques spanning 22.6 to 749N-cm (32
to 1061 oz-in).
7
Clean As A Whistle
T he new SSBSM Series of all-stainless-steel servo motors provides
optimized protection for the most demanding applications in clean
environments. The new 25-strong range allows OEMs to deliver higher
speeds, accelerations and positioning accuracies in clean-in-place
machinery and automation.
Among the protection features is a 304 stainless steel housing
protected to IP67, which will easily withstand cleaning using caustic
materials at pressures to 103bar (1500PSI). Further protection includes an
FDA shaft seal to comply with food industry and BISSC (US Baking Industry)
standards; a potted stator for environmental protection and high voltage
protection; an internal thermal switch to safeguard against overheating; and
a laser etched nameplate to ensure there are no areas for process media
and bacteria to cling to.

› Available in sizes 0.45 to 32 Nm (3.9 - 283 lb-in)

Spring 2006

Applications: News
› Healthcare positioning ›
The Ethernet Revolution
› ›
Motion Intelligence
Glass decoration Stainless Steel servos
› Cut-to-length ›
Stepper motors/drives
Eurocard drives›
advanced motion control technology for machine designers AC drives ›
› Office Locations
World Headquarters (U.S.A.) United Kingdom
Baldor Electric Company Tel: +44 1454 850000
Tel: +1 479 646-4711 Fax: +44 1454 859001
Fax: +1 479 648-5792 E-mail: sales.uk@baldor.com
E-mail: sales.us@baldor.com Singapore
Germany Tel: +65 744 2572
Tel: +49 89 905 08-0 Fax: +65 747 1708
Fax: +49 89 905 08-490 E-mail: sales.sg@baldor.com
E-mail: sales.de@baldor.com Australia
Italy Tel: +61 2 9674 5455
Tel: +41 91 640 9950 Fax: +61 2 9674 2495
Fax: +41 91 630 2633 E-mail: sales.au@baldor.com

Take a giant step - with

E-mail: sales.it@baldor.com India
Switzerland Tel: +91 20 25 45 95 31/32
Tel: +41 52 647 4700 Fax: +91 20 25 45 95 30

ETHERNET Powerlink
Fax: +41 52 659 2394 E-mail: sales.in@baldor.com
E-mail: sales.ch@baldor.com

For all current motion control brochure and flyers visit our web site, www.baldormotion.com/literature

Copyright © Baldor 2006. All trademarks recognized. Specifications subject to change without notice NL1250- 04/06 USA
5000 Litho
8
For office locations visit www.baldor.com