We will demonstrate an integrated EtherCAT and motor control system, and introduce the high-performance microcontroller i.MX RT1180 that makes this possible.
This demonstration showcases the synchronization capabilities of EtherCAT and the high-precision motor control that accompanies it.
Motor synchronous control demonstration using EtherCAT
Explanation of how the demo works
The board configuration consists of three boards: one EtherCAT master board and two EtherCAT slave boards, which together achieve EtherCAT synchronization.
The slave boards are equipped with motor drivers, and each slave board controls two motors, for a total of four motors.
- The two motors at each end are controlled by slave board 1 and slave board 2 respectively, which adjust the left-right position of the two motors in the center.
- The two motors in the center are also controlled by slave board 1 and slave board 2 respectively, and are responsible for meshing the gears together .
- Initially, the two central motors rotate synchronously with their gears meshed together, and then gradually separate to disengage.
- After the deactivation, the two central motors rotate at different speeds and approach each other again.
- The moment the gears mesh again, the two motors rapidly synchronize, achieving precise gear engagement. At the same time, the motors on both sides adjust the position of the two central motors to prevent them from colliding.
- After that, the separation, approach, and interlocking process is repeated.
Now, let me explain why such advanced control is possible with the RT1180 microcontroller.
i.MX RT1180 behavior
First, within the i.MX RT1180 microcontroller, each core has a specific role. The M33 core (300MHz) is responsible for EtherCAT communication, and the M7 core (800MHz) is responsible for motor control.
The M33 core runs on an EtherCAT stack, achieving faster read/write speeds, lower costs, energy efficiency, and higher communication and response speeds compared to external devices.
The M7 core performs motor calculations (PWM) within 1.4 μs. This completes the update + ADC sample + closed loop vector control.
The dual-core cooperative operation of the M33 and M7 ensures superior point control performance and guarantees the operation of high-performance motors. Furthermore, the generous 1.5MB of RAM memory improves work efficiency and leaves room for further customization by the user.
summary
Based on these points, we believe the i.MX RT1180 is an optimal choice for those considering servo applications.
The source code for this demo is available on NXP's Application Code Hub. Please see the link below for details.
How to set up the motion control reference design on iMX.RT1180
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We will demonstrate an integrated EtherCAT and motor control system, and introduce the high-performance microcontroller i.MX RT1180 that makes this possible.
This demonstration showcases the synchronization capabilities of EtherCAT and the high-precision motor control that accompanies it.
(Reading time: 10 minutes)