Abstract: An independent cart system includes multiple track segments, multiple movers, multiple position sensors, and a controller. Each track segment includes multiple coils along a length of the track segment and a segment controller operative to selectively energize the coils to generate an electromagnetic field. Each mover includes a magnet array having multiple magnets, where the magnet array generates a magnetic field that interacts with the electromagnetic field generated by the coils to propel the mover along the track segments. The position sensors are spaced apart along the length of each track segment and generate a position feedback signal with a waveform as a function of the magnetic field generated by the magnet array on each mover. The controller is operative to receive the position feedback signal from each position sensor and to determine a unique identifier for each mover as a function of the waveform of the position feedback signal.

Abstract: A system for identifying movers in an independent cart system includes movers having at least one magnet and sensors generating a feedback signal responsive to detecting a magnetic field from the magnet as each mover travels past the sensor. A memory stores an identifier and a corresponding digital fingerprint for each mover. The stored digital fingerprint is generated as a function of the magnetic field generated by the magnet on each mover. A controller receives the feedback signal from each sensor and determines a run-time digital fingerprint for each mover corresponding to the magnetic field generated by the magnet on each mover as a function of the feedback signal. The run-time digital fingerprint is matched to one of the stored digital fingerprints, and the identifier, corresponding to the stored digital fingerprint matching the run-time fingerprint, is read from memory.

Abstract: Industrial devices and edge compute platforms are configured to synchronize their internal clocks to provide a common sense of time across application and data acquisition tasks, thereby allowing for an inherent common understanding of time across the devices and data sets. The industrial devices can synchronize their internal clocks using Precision Time Protocol (PTP) or IEEE 802.1AS synchronization. The accurate time stamping achieved by this synchronization can yield more accurate analysis of data sets acquired from multiple devices, and greater fidelity and synchronization between a digital twin of an automation system and the physical system represented by the digital twin.

Abstract: A mover system includes a track, a plurality of movers configured to move along the track, and one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to receive a user input indicative of operational parameters for the mover system, determine operating settings for the mover system based on the operational parameters, and cause the plurality of movers to operate in accordance with the operating settings.

Abstract: Motion is coordinated between a robot and a mover in an independent cart system. Positions for a mover along a track for the independent cart system and for each axis of motion of the robot mounted on the mover are received at the motion controller. The axis position corresponds to either an angular position of the motor or a mechanical position of a corresponding axis on which the motor is mounted. The motion controller receives a robot motion command corresponding to a desired operation of the robot and generates a mover motion command for the mover and an axis motion command for each axis of the robot. The mover motion command and the axis motion commands are generated as a function of the robot motion command, the position of the mover along the track, and the position of the motor or of the axis for each axis of the robot.

Abstract: A system includes one or more movers configured to move along a track of an industrial automation system and a computing device. The computing device receives data associated with the movers as the movers move around the track. The data includes a first amount of time for at least one of the movers to move between two stations disposed along the track, a second amount of time for the at least one mover to settle at a station, a third amount of time for a respective robot at the station to prepare to perform a process, and a fourth amount of time for the respective robot to perform the process. The computing device identifies throughput degradation based on the first amount of time, the second amount of time, the third amount of time, or the fourth amount of time, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: A mover for an independent cart system includes a drive member for a linear drive system, a power source configured to supply electrical power to at least one device mounted on the mover, and a mounting plate secured to the mover. The mounting plate is configured to selectively receive one of multiple fixtures. The mounting plate includes at least one electrical connector configured to engage a complementary electrical connector on each of the fixtures, at least one connector configured to engage a complementary connector on each of the fixtures to positively retain each of the fixtures to the mounting plate, and a control circuit operative to either transfer at least one control signal to or receive at least one feedback signal from each of the fixtures.

Abstract: A reversible adhesive apparatus includes a base and an adhesive layer. The base is configured with a series of concave and convex shapes at a top surface of the base according to some embodiments. The base is configured with a raised portion and a surrounding portion at a top surface of the base according to some other embodiments. The adhesive layer is disposed on top of the base. The adhesive layer configured to provide reversible adhesion on a top surface of the adhesive layer.

Abstract: An independent cart system provides a track assembly having a first, second, and third portion with the first and second portions providing drive coils mounted along the length of the track and flanking the second portion devoid of drive coils, the second portion providing an energy transfer coil. A plurality of movers operative to travel along the track, and have a drive member and a pick-up coil mounted for electrical interaction with the energy transfer coil when a given mover is aligned with a given second track portion. The first and second track portions include current drive circuits providing current to respective drive coils to generate electromagnetic fields which engages mover drive members to propel each movers along the track and the second track portion includes an energy transfer circuit providing current to the energy transfer coil to transfer electrical energy through mutual inductance to pick-up coils of the movers.

Abstract: A contactless monitoring system detects operating performance of movers in an independent cart system. A contactless sensor is provided on an actuator to automatically track a mover as it travels along the track. The sensor includes a transmitter configured to transmit a signal and a receiver configured to receive the signal after it is reflected off the mover. The actuator may be configured to mover the sensor in a single axis or in multiple axes of motion. As a mover travels along the track, the sensor transmits a signal towards the mover and detects the signal after it has been reflected off the mover. A controller may synchronize motion of the actuator with motion of the mover, such that the sensor may continually transmit the signal off the mover for at least a portion of the travel by the mover along the track.

Abstract: An industrial transportation system includes one or more movers and a robot system. The robot system is configured to load one or more items on the surface of respective movers and unload the one or more items from the surface of respective movers. Each of the one or more movers includes a first surface configured to provide reversible adhesion between the mover and an item loaded on the mover. The reversible adhesion of the surface is activated at loading and deactivated at unloading.

Abstract: A system for wirelessly transmitting power between a track and independent movers in a motion control system includes a pick-up coil provided proximate to the magnets on the movers. The fundamental component of the voltage applied to the drive coils interacts primarily with the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnets on the movers and not with the pick-up coil. Consequently, the pick-up coil does not interfere with desired operation of the movers but rather, interacts primarily with the harmonic components and has current and voltages induced within the pick-up coil as a result of the harmonic components. The energy captured by the pick-up coil reduces the amplitude of eddy currents on the mover. After harvesting the harmonic content, the pick-up coil may be connected to another circuit on the mover and serve as a supply voltage for the other circuit.

Abstract: A contactless monitoring system detects operating performance of movers in an independent cart system. A contactless sensor is provided on an actuator to automatically track a mover as it travels along the track. The sensor includes a transmitter configured to transmit a signal and a receiver configured to receive the signal after it is reflected off the mover. The actuator may be configured to mover the sensor in a single axis or in multiple axes of motion. As a mover travels along the track, the sensor transmits a signal towards the mover and detects the signal after it has been reflected off the mover. A controller may synchronize motion of the actuator with motion of the mover, such that the sensor may continually transmit the signal off the mover for at least a portion of the travel by the mover along the track.

Abstract: An encoder for detecting angular position of a rotor in a motor includes a modular hub, configured to be connected to the rotor, and sensing electronics mounted within an end bell of the motor. The modular hub provides a universal mounting configuration for connecting different configurations of the encoder to the motor. The modular hub includes a mounting portion and sensor face on which different elements for sensing may be mounted. The elements may include polarizing tape to reflect polarized light, magnets generating a magnetic field, or ferrous teeth configured to interact with a magnetic field. The sensing electronics include sensing devices corresponding to the elements mounted on the sensor face. The sensing devices may be a paired light emitter/receiver, magnetic sensors, or a paired magnetic field generator/sensor. The sensing electronics convert the sensed signals to uniform feedback data for the motor controller regardless of the encoder configuration.

Abstract: A reversible adhesive apparatus includes a base and an adhesive layer. The base is configured with a series of concave and convex shapes at a top surface of the base according to some embodiments. The base is configured with a raised portion and a surrounding portion at a top surface of the base according to some other embodiments. The adhesive layer is disposed on top of the base. The adhesive layer configured to provide reversible adhesion on a top surface of the adhesive layer.

Abstract: An industrial transportation system includes one or more movers and a robot system. The robot system is configured to load one or more items on the surface of respective movers and unload the one or more items from the surface of respective movers. Each of the one or more movers includes a first surface configured to provide reversible adhesion between the mover and an item loaded on the mover. The reversible adhesion of the surface is activated at loading and deactivated at unloading.

Abstract: A motor drive utilizes redundant current feedback to monitor force being produced by a motor and to provide safe limited force producing operation of the motor. A first set of current sensors provides a first current measurement, and a second set of current sensors provides a second current measurement. The two current measurements are provided to two diverse force producing calculations, where each force producing calculation provides a value of the force produced by the motor. The motor drive compares the output of the two algorithms to each other. If the output of the two force producing calculations is the same, within an acceptable band, the controller continues operating as commanded. If the output of the two force producing calculations differs beyond the acceptable band, then the controller may generate a fault message provided back to a central controller, stop operation of the motor, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A system for wirelessly transmitting power between a track and independent movers in a motion control system includes a pick-up coil provided proximate to the magnets on the movers. The fundamental component of the voltage applied to the drive coils interacts primarily with the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnets on the movers and not with the pick-up coil. Consequently, the pick-up coil does not interfere with desired operation of the movers but rather, interacts primarily with the harmonic components and has current and voltages induced within the pick-up coil as a result of the harmonic components. The energy captured by the pick-up coil reduces the amplitude of eddy currents on the mover. After harvesting the harmonic content, the pick-up coil may be connected to another circuit on the mover and serve as a supply voltage for the other circuit.

Abstract: A contactless Ethernet communication technique adapted for communication between a rotor and a stator in a rotating machine is disclosed. Power is supplied to the rotor via a contactless power transfer system. The power energizes a transmitter on the rotating machine to generate data packets in an industrial protocol, such as EtherNet/IP, for transmission on an Ethernet physical link layer. A rotary coupler, such as a digital rotary transformer, is provided between the rotor and stator, where a rotating member on the rotor is communicatively coupled to a stationary member on the stator. The data packet is transmitted in the industrial protocol via the rotary coupler. A receiver on the stationary side may receive the data packet where some initial processing may be performed and the data retransmitted. Alternately, a network device may receive the data packet and pass it along the industrial network to a remote device for further processing.

Abstract: A system for wirelessly transmitting power between a track and independent movers in a motion control system includes a pick-up coil provided proximate to the magnets on the movers. The fundamental component of the voltage applied to the drive coils interacts primarily with the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnets on the movers and not with the pick-up coil. Consequently, the pick-up coil does not interfere with desired operation of the movers but rather, interacts primarily with the harmonic components and has current and voltages induced within the pick-up coil as a result of the harmonic components. The energy captured by the pick-up coil reduces the amplitude of eddy currents on the mover. After harvesting the harmonic content, the pick-up coil may be connected to another circuit on the mover and serve as a supply voltage for the other circuit.