Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Solving Positioning Tasks easily and optimally using SIMATIC S7-200 and the SINAMICS G110 Frequency Inverter.
by Warren Scott#, Lance Benn* and Bruce Burton*
#
Many motion control tasks are often over-engineered and use complex equipment and software to perform tasks. After Siemens awarded local company, Abacus Automation, the prize for the most innovative project in 2006, Siemens Germany commissioned Abacus Automation together with their joint venture development partner Exigo, to develop the concept into a standard product for them. High-speed, high-accuracy, robust, low-cost and simple to use motion control using standard easily serviced Micro Programmable Logic Control (PLC) hardware, induction motors and standard Variable Speed Drives (VSDs). Sounds too good to be true? Read on!
Siemens has launched free motion control library blocks designed for use on their Micro Automation PLCs. These blocks empower the Micro PLC users to perform a wide scope of medium to high performance motion control tasks with a minimum of drive or motion control knowledge and the most basic of hardware components. The current library of blocks can do single axis motion closed-loop motion control tasks for linear (horizontal or vertical) or rotational axes as well as a variety of advanced functions to assist with implementing and commissioning the users application. These tasks not only include accurate point to point positioning, by also speed controlled jog functions with torque limiting functionality. Future blocks currently undergoing final development and testing at this stage include on-the-fly profiling for more complex positioning, traction control for slipping product and the ability to control two axes from one Micro PLC.
Press feeding - pick and place. Vertical/horizontal spray painting. Pipe bending. Vertical bagging machines. Vertical equipment lifting. Metal rack welding. Container filling with positive displacement pump. Replacement of high maintenance brake and clutch positioning systems.
Most stand-alone single axis positioning tasks can be undertaken with this solution. However, some features and limitations need to be considered: Induction motors of most sizes and pole pairs are supported, even very large motors and drives. Motor speeds of up to 2 600 rpm with a four-pole motor are possible. The transmission system should allow 40 axis length units per motor revolution to position it to better than a single unit. Typically, performance is much better than a single unit in most applications. Induction motors have a low power density and the application should have space for the motor frame size.
Noisy speed feedback (some drives exhibit this behavior). Gravity influence on vertical/inclined axes (differs with direction). Mechanical wear and tear (stiction, friction, play, etc). Motor temperature (motor performance changes with temp). Machine workload (cold: components, hot: bearings, grease, etc).
Achieving optimal motion control under these changing conditions would be a challenging task for even the most competent engineers specialising in the field of motion control. The library and the algorithms within the library were designed to be robust enough to withstand these changing conditions and deliver as optimal a performance as possible. The algorithms use complex model based nonlinear observers that continually adjust controller gains for changing conditions. By so doing, the flux in the airgap of the motor is controlled and hence the torque. This robust torque controller then forms the basis for the accurate and equally robust position control scheme seen in Figure 1 that is capable of performing the most challenging of tasks. The commissioning of the system requires the user to enter the motor data (found on the nameplate) as well as some basic mechanical data, such as the gear ratio and the moment of inertia of the system. These can be calculated using basic mechanical formulae as documented in the manual, or optimized in the basic commissioning procedure.
w* + w
T*
Motor Parameters
Inertia Encoder
Induction Motor 3~
Figure 1: MAP_Ind Block diagram. Optimal motion is term widely promised but rarely delivered; in order to achieve this full torque must be used for acceleration to full speed and again for deceleration from full speed to zero landing on the mark without overshoot regardless of the move size and robust to changing conditions. This ideal move would result in a triangular speed profile as seen in Figure 2A. In practice the move size could be too short to reach the maximum speed, resulting in a smaller speed triangle, or too large, resulting in a flattop in the speed profile as seen in Figure 2B. These figures help us to understand how the MAP_Ind library blocks position without the need of a control expert.
100 80 60 40 Magnitude 20 0 -20 -40 -60 -80 -100 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 Time 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 Torque Speed Position
100 80 60 40 Magnitude 20 0 -20 -40 -60 -80 -100 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 Time 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 Torque Speed Position
B Figure 2: Optimised positioning profiles with and without speed limit reached.
Figure 3: Data capture and display tools assist with analysis of the move.
The original control system comprised obsolete servo drives, motion controller, and 4 Nm 6 000 rpm servo motors on gearboxes. A decision was made to use a four-pole induction motor for the main positioning axis. The motor can be operated at a maximum speed of about 2 800 rpm with the MAP_Ind solution. Due to the servo motor having a higher speed rating a gearbox with a lower ratio had to be fitted. For the correct specification and satisfactory performance of the system, an analysis of the axis dynamic motion was done. The important motion dynamics looked at included maximum axis speed and motor torque requirements. The motion of the old system was a tabletop speed profile which had a maximum speed of about 1,5 m/s. The new gearbox ratio was firstly determined, based on achieving a maximum axis speed of 1,8 m/s (headroom allowed), and an axis drive belt pulley diameter of 150 mm:
(2800 60)
VMAX *D
= 12.2 : 1
1800 *150
The next lowest standard gearbox ratio available was 10:1 and was thus chosen. The MAP_Ind solution is capable of positioning to better than 1/40th of the distance traveled per motor revolution. This meant that the gearbox ratio would result in 35 mm travel per motor revolution. The positioning tolerance would thus be better than 0,875 mm which was well within the requested positioning tolerance of 1,5 mm. For the record, the actual achieved tolerance was much better than 0,875 mm and was typically better than 0,2 mm! The next design calculation was the required induction motor torque. This was calculated from the mechanical specs, load mass and required max acceleration. It was decided to match the available torque of the previous motor and then do a few calculations to reconfirm. Based on the original servo torque (4 Nm), old gearbox ratio (19.5:1) and new gearbox ratio (10:1) calculations were as follows:
Induction =
4 Nm * 19.5 10 = 7.8 Nm
By using this rated torque specification, a standard four-pole induction motor of 2,2 kW (15 Nm) was selected to deliver the same torque and meet the dynamic performance specifications of the old servo solution. The motor would have sufficient torque, even at a double-rated speed of 2 800 rpm, where the torque would typically be half.
Conclusion
An international joint venture, emanating from a local companys innovation, has lead to the development of a technology that enables manageable, affordable, robust and easy to use motion control tasks to be undertaken in a variety of single axis applications without compromising speed, accuracy and efficiency.
A simple building block approach, downloadable from the web, puts motion control back into the engineers hands without having to first acquire expert knowledge in the field. These blocks enables Micro PLC users to perform a wide variety of medium to high performance motion control tasks with building blocks that allows single axis basic positioning tasks for horizontal, vertical and rotational axis with easy implementation and commissioning.
Abbreviations
HMI PLC VFD - Human Machine Interface - Programmable Logic Control - Variable Frequency Drive
Take note
An award winning concept rolls over into a solution for complex motion control tasks. Conventional complex motion control equipment can easily be replaced by the Micro Automation solution. The use of advanced algorithms enables robust and optimal performance with minimal motion control knowledge required. Graphical views and downloadable manuals allow for simplified implementation and commissioning.