Motion control development system

National Instruments has announced the LabVIEW NI SoftMotion Module, which simplifies the development of advanced single- and multi-axis motion applications, and new NI C Series modules, which expand the connectivity of the NI CompactRIO programmable automation controller (PAC) platform to hundreds of servo and stepper drives.

These two additions to the NI family of motion products combine the ease of use and I/O capabilities of NI LabVIEW graphical programming with the customisation and synchronisation benefits of field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based CompactRIO hardware to deliver a platform for developing advanced motion applications.

LabVIEW NI SoftMotion offers the convenience of programming motion profiles with a high-level, function block API based on the Motion Control Library defined by PLCopen. It includes function blocks for straight line, arc and contoured move types as well as function blocks for advanced operations such as electronic gearing and camming. The module also features advanced functions for designing custom motion applications including trajectory generation, spline interpolation, position and velocity control and encoder implementation.

The C Series drive interface modules make it easy to incorporate new or existing motors and drives into motion systems. The NI 9512 module connects to stepper drives and motors, while the NI 9514 and NI 9516 modules feature single- and dual-encoder feedback, respectively, and interface with servo drives and motors. Additionally, the drive interface modules work with the NI 9144 deterministic ethernet expansion chassis, which features two ethernet ports that make it possible to daisy-chain multiple chassis from a CompactRIO, the NI 3100 industrial controller or a real-time PXI controller.