E500 MTS Systems Intelligent Stepper Motor Controller

The MTS Systems / DSP Technology E500 Intelligent Stepper Motor Controller is a high-density, extremely flexible module that controls incremental motors and other pulse-driven devices. Magnitude (number of steps), slew rate (steady-state pulse rate), and acceleration/deceleration time are programmable from the Dataway with a high degree of accuracy over wide limits. For each channel, the E500 supplies a direction bit and a pulse-train output in negative true logic at either a 24 V of a TTL level by using a jumper selection.

When the complementary pulse-train and direction bit inputs are connected to a compatible shaft encoder directly fixed to the motor being controlled, the E500 can be programmed to automatically correct for missed pulses caused by inertial overload or other factors.

Inputs for two normally-closed limit switches have been manufactured. The presence of a limit immediately causes an interruption of pulses to the selected motor. The status of the limit switch state is readable by the computer.

Each channel of the E500 can be manually controlled by adding an MTS Systems / DSP Technology E505 remote control unit. This unit is useful for the initial manual setup of stepper motor systems.

Maskable LAM capability is provided for all channels and is manufactured in each channel's CSR. A LAM is generated when an operation has been completed, when a limit has been reached, or when other special situations occur.

Smooth control of the motor is accomplished by using a stair step approximation to a linear acceleration/deceleration curve. A control algorithm determines the number and the character of the stair step pattern consistent with the programmed parameters. When a programmed operation is completed, the internal CPU compares the number of pulses returned with that requested and makes a single attempt to correct any deficiency up to a programmed maximum number of steps.

A move operation may be prematurely terminated by either a "hard" or "soft" abort. The hard abort immediately terminates pulses, while the soft abort immediately starts the deceleration portion of the cycle.

Once initialized, the absolute position of each channel is maintained throughout all operations. An absolute accumulator that is nominally 24 bits in length can be extended using the overflow and the underflow bits manufactured in each CSR.

Pulse and direction inputs, outputs, and limit switch inputs are directly compatible with the E450 and E455 termination panels.