Abstract: A system for monitoring and optimizing an automation system with virtual objects presented on a display device having an at least partially transparent display. Statistics are calculated related to the motion of an automation system. Limitations to the motion of an automation system are calculated. The statistics or limitations are represented by virtual objects. The virtual objects are presented on the display in the user's field of view anchored in an extended reality environment near the real-world automation system.

Abstract: A system for the replay of automation system operations in an extended reality environment with virtual objects using a display device having an at least partially transparent display. The system stores historical operational data. Upon entering a playback mode, the system generates virtual objects at historical locations representing the devices of the automation system. During playback sampled historical locations are delivered to the display device and the virtual object location is updated so that the automation system appears in motion. Interpolation may be performed between sampled device locations so improve playback speed or decrease the data that is stored. Automation system operations can be replayed in a smaller volume to allow the operator a holistic three-dimensional view of operations.

Abstract: A system for monitoring an automation system in an extended-reality environment with virtual objects using a display device having an at least partially transparent display. The system acquires a non-visual attribute related to one or more equipment and generates a skin or the equipment based on the non-visual attribute. The skin maps the non-visual attribute to a visually perceivable characteristic of the skin. A virtual object is generated for the skin and presented on the at least partially transparent display so that it appears superimposed on the one or more equipment.

Abstract: A motor controller executes an axis module for each of multiple motors coupled to a shared load. A first control module passes at least one state variable to a second control module without experiencing communication delays between the axis modules. In order to decouple interaction between axes, the first control module determines the desired state variable at a periodic update rate and stores the desired state variable in memory. The first control module provides an indication to the second control module that the desired state variable is available. Within the same period at which the desired state variable is determined, the second control module receives the indication that the desired state variable is available and reads the state variable from the memory of the controller. The second control module executes using the desired state variable to reduce coupling between the two control modules.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing energy loss in a multiple inverter system provides a DC voltage to multiple inverters via a shared DC bus. Each inverter is configured to control operation of a motor operatively connected to a corresponding inverter. An amplitude of the DC voltage present on the DC bus is monitored, and each inverter selectively draws current from or delivers current to the DC bus. An amplitude of the current drawn from or delivered to the DC bus is monitored by each inverter. A level of energy delivered by at least one of the inverters to the DC bus is determined when the amplitude of the DC voltage exceeds a predefined threshold during a first operation of the multiple inverter system. At least one subsequent operation of the multiple inverter system is adapted responsive to the level of energy delivered to the DC bus.

Abstract: A system for correlating an input signal with an operating state of a motor includes a substrate which is either integral to an encoder or mounted on the motor. The substrate has a first input connected to a sensor proximate to the motor to receive a first signal from the sensor. The substrate also includes a second input to receive a position feedback signal from the encoder. A control circuit is operative to detect a change in state of the first signal and to correlate at least one additional signal to the change in state of the first signal. A data packet including the first signal and the at least one additional signal correlated at the change in state is generated. A communication interface is operative to transmit the data packet from the control circuit to at least one additional controller external from the motor.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing mechanical oscillations in a multi-axis control system provides a first command for a dynamic notch filter at a first update rate to multiple motor drives. Each motor drive is operatively connected to a motor for an axis in the multi-axis control system. Each motor drive receives a second command for desired operation of the motor at a second update rate. Operation of the dynamic notch filter in each motor drive is changed as a function of the first command at the first update rate, and each motor drive generates a desired output voltage for desired operation of the motor at a third update rate. The third update rate is faster than the second update rate, the second command is passed through the dynamic notch filter to generate a filtered command, and the desired output voltage is generated as a function of the filtered command.

Abstract: A method includes using at least one processor to detect that a tool coupled to an end effector of a robot having multiple joints is contacting a surface. The robot includes multiple joint motors configured to control multiple motions of the multiple joints. One or more control systems are configured to control each of the joint motors in a joint position mode. The method also includes identifying, via the at least one processor, a first joint of the multiple joints in response to detecting that the tool is contacting the surface. The method also includes sending, via the at least one processor, a command to at least one of the one or more control systems associated with a first joint motor of the multiple joint motors that corresponds to the first joint. The command is configured to cause the at least one of the one or more control systems to operate in a torque mode. The method also includes sending, via the at least one processor, a joint torque value to the at least one of the one or more control systems.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing energy loss in a multiple inverter system provides a DC voltage to multiple inverters via a shared DC bus. Each inverter is configured to control operation of a motor operatively connected to a corresponding inverter. An amplitude of the DC voltage present on the DC bus is monitored, and each inverter selectively draws current from or delivers current to the DC bus. An amplitude of the current drawn from or delivered to the DC bus is monitored by each inverter. A level of energy delivered by at least one of the inverters to the DC bus is determined when the amplitude of the DC voltage exceeds a predefined threshold during a first operation of the multiple inverter system. At least one subsequent operation of the multiple inverter system is adapted responsive to the level of energy delivered to the DC bus.

Abstract: A motor controller executes an axis module for each of multiple motors coupled to a shared load. A first control module passes at least one state variable to a second control module without experiencing communication delays between the axis modules. In order to decouple interaction between axes, the first control module determines the desired state variable at a periodic update rate and stores the desired state variable in memory. The first control module provides an indication to the second control module that the desired state variable is available. Within the same period at which the desired state variable is determined, the second control module receives the indication that the desired state variable is available and reads the state variable from the memory of the controller. The second control module executes using the desired state variable to reduce coupling between the two control modules.

Abstract: A motor drive receives a position feedback signal from a position sensor operatively connected to a motor. The motor drive receives a command signal defining a desired operation of the motor. A processor in the motor drive generates an acceleration feedforward signal from the command signal and an acceleration reference signal from the command signal and the position feedback signal. The processor also generates an estimated disturbance acceleration from the acceleration reference signal. The acceleration feedforward signal is multiplied by a first gain to obtain a first product, and the estimated disturbance acceleration by a second gain to obtain a second product. The first and second gains are functions of first and second portions of the system inertia. A current reference signal is generated based on the first product and second products, and an output voltage to the motor is generated from the current reference signal.

Abstract: A method includes using at least one processor to detect that a tool coupled to an end effector of a robot having multiple joints is contacting a surface. The robot includes multiple joint motors configured to control multiple motions of the multiple joints. One or more control systems are configured to control each of the joint motors in a joint position mode. The method also includes identifying, via the at least one processor, a first joint of the multiple joints in response to detecting that the tool is contacting the surface. The method also includes sending, via the at least one processor, a command to at least one of the one or more control systems associated with a first joint motor of the multiple joint motors that corresponds to the first joint. The command is configured to cause the at least one of the one or more control systems to operate in a torque mode. The method also includes sending, via the at least one processor, a joint torque value to the at least one of the one or more control systems.

Abstract: A motor drive receives a position feedback signal from a position sensor operatively connected to a motor. The motor drive receives a command signal defining a desired operation of the motor. A processor in the motor drive generates an acceleration feedforward signal from the command signal and an acceleration reference signal from the command signal and the position feedback signal. The processor also generates an estimated disturbance acceleration from the acceleration reference signal. The acceleration feedforward signal is multiplied by a first gain to obtain a first product, and the estimated disturbance acceleration by a second gain to obtain a second product. The first and second gains are functions of first and second portions of the system inertia. A current reference signal is generated based on the first product and second products, and an output voltage to the motor is generated from the current reference signal.

Abstract: A system for distributed multi-axis motion control includes a controller having a memory configured to store a control program and a processor configured to execute the control program. A desired motion trajectory is determined for a multi-axis system having multiple axes, and an axis command is generated for each of the axes as a function of the desired motion trajectory. The system also includes multiple motors and multiple motor drives. Each of the motors corresponds to one axis for the multi-axis system, and each of the motor drives controls at least one of the motors responsive to receiving the axis command for the corresponding motor. Each of the motor drives also determines a motion state for a link driven by the motor as a function of the axis command and transmits at least a portion of the motion state to another motor drive controlling another axis.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing mechanical oscillations in a multi-axis control system provides a first command for a dynamic notch filter at a first update rate to multiple motor drives. Each motor drive is operatively connected to a motor for an axis in the multi-axis control system. Each motor drive receives a second command for desired operation of the motor at a second update rate. Operation of the dynamic notch filter in each motor drive is changed as a function of the first command at the first update rate, and each motor drive generates a desired output voltage for desired operation of the motor at a third update rate. The third update rate is faster than the second update rate, the second command is passed through the dynamic notch filter to generate a filtered command, and the desired output voltage is generated as a function of the filtered command.

Abstract: A system for distributed multi-axis motion control includes a controller having a memory configured to store a control program and a processor configured to execute the control program. A desired motion trajectory is determined for a multi-axis system having multiple axes, and an axis command is generated for each of the axes as a function of the desired motion trajectory. The system also includes multiple motors and multiple motor drives. Each of the motors corresponds to one axis for the multi-axis system, and each of the motor drives controls at least one of the motors responsive to receiving the axis command for the corresponding motor. Each of the motor drives also determines a motion state for a link driven by the motor as a function of the axis command and transmits at least a portion of the motion state to another motor drive controlling another axis.

Abstract: A motor drive monitors operation of a motor and adaptively track disturbances experienced by the motor. The motor drive receives a command signal and a cycle position signal. An estimated disturbance observed throughout a cycle of operation is stored in a look up table, and the motor drive uses the stored values as a feedforward value into a control module. The motor drive adaptively monitors operation of the motor and generates a new estimated disturbance value throughout each subsequent cycle of operation. The values of the estimated disturbance are updated within the look up table as a function of the new estimated disturbance values and of the previously stored values. The stored disturbance values adaptively track cyclic disturbances in the controlled machine or process and to reduce the effects of these cyclic disturbances on tracking error in the controlled machine or process.

Abstract: A system and method for shaping the trajectory of a motion command to reduce the effects of a load on performance of a motor dynamically modifies the motion profile in real time to limit the reference signals in the motion profile to feasible commands. A load observer determines an estimated disturbance acceleration. The estimated disturbance acceleration includes the dynamics of the controlled load and is used to modify a maximum and a minimum limit for the acceleration reference. The acceleration limits are, in turn, used to determine velocity limits. The motion profile and modified acceleration and velocity limits are provided to a state filter which determines a new motion profile for use by the motor drive to control operation of a motor and to control the load connected to the motor.

Abstract: A motor drive monitors operation of a motor and adaptively track disturbances experienced by the motor. The motor drive receives a command signal and a cycle position signal. An estimated disturbance observed throughout a cycle of operation is stored in a look up table, and the motor drive uses the stored values as a feedforward value into a control module. The motor drive adaptively monitors operation of the motor and generates a new estimated disturbance value throughout each subsequent cycle of operation. The values of the estimated disturbance are updated within the look up table as a function of the new estimated disturbance values and of the previously stored values. The stored disturbance values adaptively track cyclic disturbances in the controlled machine or process and to reduce the effects of these cyclic disturbances on tracking error in the controlled machine or process.

Abstract: A power converter is configured to measure an output current and to determine a multi-phase voltage reference as a function of the output current. Within the same switching period the voltage reference is determined, a modulation routine determines a modulation index for each phase of the output voltage. In some instances, one or more phases must start modulation during the switching period before the new modulation index is determined. The modulation routine stores the value of the modulation index generated from the prior switching period and uses the stored value when a new value is not yet ready. An offset value for the phase voltage which used a modulation index from the prior switching period is determined in order to compensate the phase voltages of the other phases and to maintain a desired line-to-line voltage output from the power converter.