Intelligent control applications often call for multiaxis products to meet demanding performance requirements. Configuring a control solution in a mother board/daughter board array is a convenient and proven method of addressing these types of applications. Maxon’s EPOS2 36/2 motherboards are designed to make product development faster and easier, giving the designer either a standalone multiaxis motor controller or one that can be integrated into the final product as a subboard.

Starting with 11 nodes connected together via CAN-Open, the snap-apart construction allows for quick multiaxis customization on a single board. Each node mates with an individual EPOS2 36/2 drive/controller and provides connection points. Standard cables are available in stock.  Two digital inputs and one digital output are mapped on the board with an additional I/O expansion module as an option. USB and RS-232 communication modules are available for users that don’t want to use CAN.

Functionalities of the EPOS 2 motor speed, torque, and position controller with multiaxis motherboard include speed and position feed forward control, EPOS supported motion controlled acceleration and speed, and PVT interpolated position Mode. The controller is capable of synchronously running a coordinated multiaxis path dictated by interpolating points. Other features include the following:

• Step and direction.  Implemented for replacing stepper motors with highly dynamic brushless DC motors.
• Point-to-point motor position control. The CANopen Profile Position Mode moves the position of the motor from point A to point B. The motor position is relative to the absolute home position or the axis relative position.
• Torque control. Sinusoidal motor control resulting in a minimum torque ripple.
• Electronic gearing. Using an external encoder as a master, multiple motors can be synchronized with a user input software gearing factor.
• Motor holding brake control.
• Position compare and position mark. Save and sending of digital signal (Trigger and Capture)
• Dual loop speed and position control. Precision motor control with load mounted high resolution SSI absolute and incremental encoders.