PMAC Product Guide INTRODUCTION This manual is the main source of information for installing and programming the Universal PMAC-Lite motion controller for a typical application. A typical application in this case is composed of up to four amplifiers each requiring a single ±10V differential command signal or DAC, a single quadrature incremental encoder per motor and a maximum of eight general-purpose digital inputs and outputs. The manual sections are in the following sequence:
• Description of PMAC capabilities and features • Description of PMAC on-board configuration jumpers • Complete description of how to connect PMAC to the machine • Complete description of how to program PMAC • Description of the EZ-PMAC Setup Software The PMAC motion controller is rich in features and expansion capabilities. Because this manual illustrates the implementation of PMAC in a typical application, some of the PMAC advanced features are not described. Further information of all PMAC features can be obtained from the PMAC Software Reference, the PMAC User and the PMAC Hardware Reference manuals. Use the EZ-PMAC program as a software tool for configuring and programming PMAC.
All the example programs provided in this manual can be found in the samples folder of the EZ-PMAC Setup Software installation directory. What is PMAC? PMAC, pronounced Pe’-MAC, stands for Programmable Multi-Axis Controller. It is a family of high- performance servo motion controllers capable of commanding up to 32 axes of motion simultaneously with a high level of sophistication. The Universal PMAC-Lite board, member of the PMAC family, is a 4-axis motion controller. The term Lite stands to indicate a maximum of four on-board axes of motion control.
The term “Universal” indicates that this motion controller can have different types of on-board backup memory, either battery based type or flash type. Each axis is controlled by an independent channel circuitry which in turn is composed of the following features: • A single differential 16-bits DAC output • Amplifier enable output • One quadrature incremental encoder input • Four dedicated flag inputs: two end-of-travel limits, one home input and one amplifier fault input The Universal PMAC-Lite can be programmed to control the motion of up to four motors in any coordinated fashion, either independently of each other or coordinated with, for example, linear or circular interpolation.
The Universal PMAC-Lite is not only a sophisticated motion controller but it is also a PLC device (Programmable Logic Controller). PLC programs in PMAC run independently of each other and of motion programs and can be tightly synchronized to the motion sequence. The Universal PMAC-Lite can be installed inside a computer on an ISA bus type and can be programmed through bus communications. Alternatively, it can be installed in a stand-alone configuration outside the computer and programmed using serial communications. Either RS-232 or RS-422 serial communications are supported. Introduction 1