LC8 AC Servo Motor Controller Setting Software Manual - SMC ...

L8C-1-M2E V1.14LC8 AC Servo Motor Controller Setting Software Manual© 2003 SMC Corporation of America1 LC8 Controller Setting Software (HMI) Overview ...................................................................11.1 The Hardware Configuration Dialog Box ................................................................................21.2 Program and Monitor Mode ....................................................................................................32 Edit Mode ...............................................................................................................................43 Features common to all modes ..............................................................................................63.1 The Unit Select Buttons ..........................................................................................................63.2 The Emergency Stop Button...................................................................................................63.3 The Mode Select Button .........................................................................................................63.4 The EXIT Buttons ...................................................................................................................73.5 Axis Buttons............................................................................................................................73.6 The HMI Menu........................................................................................................................83.7 The About Dialog Box.............................................................................................................83.8 The Change Password Dialog Box.........................................................................................93.9 The Index Motor Dialog Box ...................................................................................................93.10 Context Sensitive Help and On-Line help .............................................................................104 Monitor Mode .......................................................................................................................114.1 Step Number, Position, Velocity and Torque Displays..........................................................114.2 The Controller Input Display .................................................................................................114.2.1 The Step 0 – Step 6 Input Signals....................................................................................124.2.2 The Start Input Signal .......................................................................................................124.2.3 The Pause Input Signal.....................................................................................................124.2.4 The Emergency Stop Input Signal.....................................................................................124.2.5 The Reset Input Signal......................................................................................................124.2.6 The Home Input Signal .....................................................................................................124.3 The Controller Output Display ..............................................................................................134.3.1 The Step 0 – Step 6 Output Signals .................................................................................13i

L8C-1-M2E V1.144.3.2 The Set-On Output Signal.................................................................................................134.3.3 The Busy Output Signal ....................................................................................................134.3.4 The Alarm Output Signal...................................................................................................134.3.5 The Error Output Signal ....................................................................................................134.4 The Limit Switch Display.......................................................................................................134.5 Signal Colors ........................................................................................................................144.6 The Alarm and Error Displays...............................................................................................144.7 Alarms ..................................................................................................................................154.7.1 Over/Under Volt Alarm ......................................................................................................154.7.2 FWD Limit Switch Alarm ...................................................................................................154.7.3 RVS Limit Switch Alarm ....................................................................................................154.7.4 Overload Alarm .................................................................................................................154.7.5 Motor Driver Circuit Alarm.................................................................................................164.7.6 Encoder Connection Alarm ...............................................................................................164.7.7 Positive Soft Limit Alarm ...................................................................................................164.7.8 Absolute Home Limit Alarm...............................................................................................164.7.9 Regenerative Unit Alarm ...................................................................................................164.7.10 Communication Alarm.......................................................................................................174.7.11 Not Homed Alarm..............................................................................................................174.7.12 Over Current Alarm ...........................................................................................................184.7.13 Current Limit Alarm ...........................................................................................................184.7.14 EEPROM Checksum Alarm ..............................................................................................184.7.15 EEPROM Read Alarm.......................................................................................................184.7.16 EEPROM Write Alarm.......................................................................................................184.7.17 EEPROM Initialize Alarm ..................................................................................................184.7.18 Pallet Register Not Initialized Alarm..................................................................................194.7.19 RS232 Disconnect Alarm ..................................................................................................194.7.20 Slave Fault Alarm..............................................................................................................194.7.21 Slave Axis Disconnect Alarm ............................................................................................194.7.22 Command I/O Over Current Alarm....................................................................................194.8 Errors....................................................................................................................................194.8.1 Emergency Stop Error.......................................................................................................194.8.2 Step Number Error............................................................................................................194.9 The Data Log File .................................................................................................................205 Actuator Data .......................................................................................................................215.1 Maximum Stroke...................................................................................................................225.2 Home Offset .........................................................................................................................225.3 Positive Soft Limit .................................................................................................................225.4 Encoder Resolution ..............................................................................................................225.5 Feed Screw Lead..................................................................................................................22ii

L8C-1-M2E V1.145.6 Current Limit .........................................................................................................................235.7 Homing Velocity....................................................................................................................235.8 Position Tolerance................................................................................................................235.9 Overload Level .....................................................................................................................235.10 Maximum Velocity.................................................................................................................235.11 Maximum Accel./Decel. ........................................................................................................245.12 Actuator Data Value Ranges ................................................................................................245.13 File to Page button................................................................................................................255.14 Page to File Button ...............................................................................................................265.15 Control to Page Button .........................................................................................................265.16 Page to Control Button .........................................................................................................266 Operation Data.....................................................................................................................276.1 Step Modes ..........................................................................................................................276.2 Absolute/Relative Steps........................................................................................................286.3 Position.................................................................................................................................286.4 Velocity .................................................................................................................................286.5 Acceleration..........................................................................................................................286.6 Deceleration .........................................................................................................................286.7 Torque ..................................................................................................................................286.8 Number of Steps...................................................................................................................306.9 Teaching Position .................................................................................................................316.9.1 Jogging .............................................................................................................................316.9.2 Reading the Position .........................................................................................................316.10 File to Page Button ...............................................................................................................326.11 Page to File Button ...............................................................................................................336.12 Control to Page Button .........................................................................................................336.13 Page to Control Button .........................................................................................................337 Pallet Data............................................................................................................................347.1 Axis Numbers .......................................................................................................................357.2 X and Y Offset ......................................................................................................................357.2.1 Teaching Offset.................................................................................................................357.3 X and Y Intervals ..................................................................................................................367.4 Velocity, Acceleration and Deceleration ...............................................................................377.5 Number of Rows and Columns.............................................................................................377.6 Palletizing Reset Step...........................................................................................................37iii

L8C-1-M2E V1.147.7 File to Page Button ...............................................................................................................377.8 Page to File Button ...............................................................................................................397.9 Control to Page Button .........................................................................................................397.10 Page to Control Button .........................................................................................................398 PIP Data...............................................................................................................................408.1 Control Algorithm..................................................................................................................418.2 Step Response .....................................................................................................................428.3 Velocity P Gain .....................................................................................................................428.4 Velocity I Gain ......................................................................................................................428.5 Position P Gain.....................................................................................................................429 Step Test..............................................................................................................................439.1 Predicted/Actual Velocity Display .........................................................................................439.2 Position, Velocity and Torque Displays.................................................................................439.3 Step Number, Absolute/Relative, Position, Velocity, Acceleration, Deceleration and TorqueEdit Boxes ............................................................................................................................449.3.1 Absolute / Relative ............................................................................................................449.3.2 Position .............................................................................................................................449.3.3 Velocity .............................................................................................................................449.3.4 Acceleration ......................................................................................................................449.3.5 Deceleration......................................................................................................................449.3.6 Torque...............................................................................................................................449.4 The Change Data Button ......................................................................................................459.5 The Start, Home, Pause, Emergency Stop and Reset Buttons ............................................459.5.1 The Start Button................................................................................................................459.5.2 The Home Button..............................................................................................................459.5.3 The Pause Button .............................................................................................................459.5.4 The Reset Button ..............................................................................................................4510 Cycle Test ............................................................................................................................46iv

L8C-1-M2E V1.141 LC8 Controller Setting Software (HMI) OverviewThe LC8 Controller Setting Software is a human/machine interface (HMI) used for configuringthe LC8 AC Motor Controller, programming and testing the 117 Absolute / Relative / Torque Stepsand the 5 Palletizing Steps and monitoring the normal operation. It was written for use on thefollowing Microsoft® operating systems: Windows® 95 (Rev. B or higher), Windows® 98, Windows®98 SE, Windows® NT (Service Pack 6), Windows® 2000, Windows® ME and Windows® XP.(Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation in the United Statesand other countries.) The software requires an RS-232 serial communication port.The following conditions are necessary for the HMI to run (except in the Edit Mode):• All of the LC8 controllers must be powered.• If there are slave controllers that they be connected to the master through the multi-axiscommunication cable.• If it is a multiple axis system the Master LC8 Controller and each Slave LC8 Controller musthave their DIP switches set to a unique number to identify the axis (see LC8 hardwaremanual).• A serial cable must connect the LC8 Master Controller to the RS232 serial communication porton the computer.• The computer’s serial communication port must be available for communication.The software cannot share the serial communication port with any other software so allprograms that use this port must be closed before the HMI is run. When the HMI is started it attemptsto communicate with an LC8 Master Controller through any available communication port starting withCOM1. If no ports are available or no LC8 Controllers are found the software will put up a dialog boxindicating this condition and then enters the Edit Mode.After the HMI establishes communication it interrogates the LC8 Controller to determine whichaxes are present. If more than one axis is present the software will allow the user to change all of theparameters for each axis independently so that actuators of different types, length, encoderresolutions and ball screw pitches will be able to move at different speeds to different locations duringoperation of the LC8.1

L8C-1-M2E V1.141.1 The Hardware Configuration Dialog BoxThe LC8 Master Controller keeps a record in non-volatile memory of which slaves areconnected to it. It uses this information to generate Alarms when slaves stop communicating. TheHMI compares this memory information with the axes that it knows are present and if there is anydisagreement this dialog box is shown:Figure 1. Hardware Configuration Dialog BoxIf the configuration information at the top of the Hardware Configuration dialog box is correctthen the user should click on the Accept Configuration button and the new configuration informationwill be written to the master’s non-volatile memory. This dialog box will never be seen again unlessthe hardware configuration is changed or the system is damaged.If the information at the top of the Hardware Configuration dialog box is not correct, forexample if there are more slave controllers than shown in the dialog box, then the system should beexamined carefully. As recommended in the Hardware Configuration dialog box:− Look at the power LED on each LC8 controller to verify that it is powered. If this LED is not lit,verify that the power wires connected to the power plug are connected to the correct pin andare hot (see LC8 manual for wiring diagrams).− Verify that only one of the LC8 Controllers is a Master controller. If more than one of thecontrollers have a part number on the side panel that ends in ’-M’ or have an RS-232connector accessible from the front then there is more than one master controller and theadditional master controllers should be replaced with slave controllers.− Look at the axis number dip switches (the top three dip switches) on each controller and verifythat each controller is set to a different number and that none of the controllers is set to zero.Please refer to the LC8 manual for a more detailed description of the dip switch settings.− Verify that all controllers are connected together with the multiple axis communication cableand that the locking latches on the connector header at the top of the LC8 are closed.2

L8C-1-M2E V1.14CautionDo not press the Accept Configuration if the actual configuration and the configuration shown inthe Hardware Configuration dialog box are different. Accepting an incorrect configuration willcause unpredictable malfunctions.1.2 Program and Monitor ModeThe HMI has two basic modes of operation: Monitor mode and Program mode. Monitor modeis the default mode of the LC8 Controller Setting Software. It is for observing the current position,velocity and torque of any axis in the system and observing the status of all of the signals on theCommand I/O port.Program mode is for changing all of the user configurable parameters stored in the non-volatilememory of the LC8 Controller including the values that characterize each axis and the 117 Absolute /Relative / Torque Steps and the 5 Palletizing Steps that can be initiated from the Command I/O port.When Program mode is selected with the Mode Select button the Monitor mode display changes to atab control that allows the user to select from the following pages:• Actuator Data• Operation Data• Pallet Data• PIP Data• Step Test• Cycle TestEach page is a collection of related controls and the values on each page except thePalletizing Data and Cycle Test pages can be independently modified for each individual axis.CautionWhile the HMI is running in Program mode all Command I/O inputs except Emergency Stop willbe disregarded by the LC8 Controller. Normal operation resumes when the software entersMonitor mode or is turned off.3

L8C-1-M2E V1.142 Edit ModeThe LC8 Controller Setting Software has 3 pages where the user can read and write importantconfiguring and operating data to and from a file. These are all text format files that can be createdwith any software that can create .TXT files. For the convenience of the user the HMI can be used asan editor for these files without any controllers attached to the PC. This mode of operation is referredto as Edit mode and can be entered by turning on the HMI without any powered LC8 controllersconnected to any of the PCs serial ports.Figure 2. Communication Error Dialog BoxThe Communication Error dialog box shown in Figure 2 is displayed whenever the PC isunable to communicate with any LC8 Controllers. If this dialog appears when controllers areconnected to the PC verify that the controllers have power by looking at the Power LED, make surethat there is only 1 master controller in the system and make sure that a serial communication cablethat meets the requirements of the LC8 Users manual is securely connected to the LC8 Master andthe PC.4

When no LC8 controllers are connected to the PC the HMI opens in Edit mode:L8C-1-M2E V1.14Figure 3. Edit ModeThe 3 pages in edit mode all have 3 common features, a place or places to enter datamanually on the page, a button for reading this data from a file and a button for writing this data to afile. The pages are very similar to their equivalent pages in Program mode. The data that can beread to and written from filed in Edit mode will all be described in the Program mode section of thismanual.5

L8C-1-M2E V1.143 Features common to all modesThere are nine groups of features common to both program mode and monitor mode in theHMI, the EXIT button, the Mode Select button, the Axis buttons, the Unit Select buttons, theEmergency Stop button, the About dialog box, the Change Password dialog box, the Index Motordialog box and the context sensitive help/on line help. Figure 4 shows the bottom of the HMI displaywhere most of these controls are:3.1 The Unit Select ButtonsFigure 4. Common ControlsMost of the parameters in the HMI can have either English or Metric units associated withthem. The Millimeter button and the Inches button select the indicated unit throughout the programand automatically convert all data and labels when they are selected.3.2 The Emergency Stop ButtonThe Emergency Stop button is both a push on/ push off button and indicator. If an EmergencyStop is asserted from the Command I/O port then the button will be depressed and when theCommand I/O Emergency Stop is released the button returns to normal. The button can also assertand release an Emergency Stop from the HMI. When the button is used to release an EmergencyStop asserted from the HMI a dialog box will appear asking the user if they are sure. This buttoncannot turn off an Emergency Stop asserted from the Command I/O port.WarningIf an Emergency Stop is asserted from the HMI, the LC8 controller will turn this Emergency StopOFF if it loses communication with the PC for more than 500 ms.3.3 The Mode Select ButtonThe Mode Select at the bottom of the HMI display allows the user to select between Programmode and Monitor mode. This button indicates which mode will be entered when it is selected. Whilethe HMI is in Monitor mode the button reads ’Program Mode’ and while the HMI is in Program modethe button reads ‘Monitor Mode’. Whenever this button is selected the HMI will terminate any motionthat is in progress except homing and change to the appropriate display for the selected mode.Dialog boxes prompting the user to save data may also appear.6

L8C-1-M2E V1.143.4 The EXIT ButtonsThe EXIT button at the bottom of the HMI display causes the program to be terminated unlessnew data has been written into the edit boxes in any of the Actuator Date pages without being sent tothe controller. In this condition a dialog box comes up that allows the user to choose between leavingthe program, sending the new data to the controller then exiting the program, and returning to theprogram. All of the functions of this button are duplicated by the X button on the right side of the titlebar.CautionDo not shut off the computer or unplug the serial communication cable while the HMI is running,particularly in Program mode. Doing so may create a situation where the LC8 cannot acceptcommands except Emergency Stop from the Command I/O port. If this situation occurs restart theHMI and turn it off correctly or cycle power on the LC8 controllers.3.5 Axis ButtonsWhen there is only one LC8 controller connected to the PC no Axis button will appear on theHMI display. If there is more than one controller then an Axis button will appear for each controller.Each button is labeled ‘Axis X’ where X is the number programmed on the DIP switch of the LC8controller. In the HMI all of the data that is being displayed or is available for modification appliesonly to the selected axis. The Master axis is automatically selected when the program starts.CautionPay attention to units. If inches are selected when millimeters are desired the position, velocity,acceleration or deceleration will be 25.4 times greater than desired. Also, incorrectly specifyingthe units on Feed Screw Lead will cause errors in most aspects of controller operation.7

L8C-1-M2E V1.143.6 The HMI MenuThe HMI menu can be seen by clicking on the SMC icon on the left side of the HMI title bar. Ithas selections for moving and closing the HMI and for three additional HMI functions, the Aboutdialog box, the Change Password dialog box and the Index Motor dialog box.3.7 The About Dialog BoxFigure 5. The HMI Menu.The About dialog box can be called up by clicking on the icon at the upper right of the HMIdisplay with either the right or left mouse button and then either selecting About LC8 ControllerSetting Software or pressing the A key. The About dialog box displays the HMI version, the hardwareproperties of each controller and the software version of each controller.Figure 6. The About Box8

L8C-1-M2E V1.143.8 The Change Password Dialog BoxThe Change Password dialog box is used to change the password that protects theparameters that can have a serious effect on the operation of the LC8 controller. Changing thepassword requires the user to enter the new password in two different edit boxes and neither the oldnor new passwords will be visible as they are typed.Figure 7. Change Password Dialog BoxThe password is case sensitive and must have from 1 to 12 characters. The password that isset by the HMI when it is installed is “password” (no quotes) and re-installing the HMI will not restorethis initial password.CautionThe password is required to make changes to the Actuator Data and the PIP data. It isrecommended that it not be an easy password to guess and that if it must be written down itshould be stores in a secure location. If the password is lost contact your SMC representative.3.9 The Index Motor Dialog BoxThe Index Motor dialog box is used to turn the motor to the encoder’s index position andmaintain that position until the user releases it. This function is used for changing motors and ispassword protected.Figure 8. Index Motor Dialog Box9

L8C-1-M2E V1.143.10 Context Sensitive Help and On-Line helpIn the upper right corner of the HMI display there is a button with a question mark. Clicking onthis button causes the mouse cursor to change from an arrow to an arrow with a question mark.Clicking on any control, text or feature in the HMI program with this help cursor will cause a small boxto appear with a brief explanation of the control that was clicked on. The context sensitive help alsoprovides minimum and maximum values for every parameter that a user can change and suggestionsfor the causes of Alarms and Errors.The on-line help can be accessed at any time by pressing the F1 key. This provides access tothe entire HMI Manual and includes index and search features.10

L8C-1-M2E V1.144 Monitor ModeMonitor mode is intended to monitor the operation of the LC8 controller while it is beingoperated through the digital I/O port. Several times a second the HMI updates the monitor modedisplay of the condition of all 23 digital I/O signal lines, the conditions of both limit switches, thecurrent Step Number Output, Position, Velocity and Torque of the selected axis and all of the Alarmsand Errors for every axis.Figure 9. Monitor Mode4.1 Step Number, Position, Velocity and Torque DisplaysAt the top of the monitor mode display are 4 numerical displays, Step Number Output,Position, Velocity and Torque. The Step Number Output is a numerical representation of the 7 StepNumber Outputs on the Command I/O connector. This number applies to every axis. The Position,Velocity and Torque displays show the current position, velocity and torque of the selected axis usingthe selected units.4.2 The Controller Input DisplayThe Controller Input display is just below the Step Number Output, Position, Velocity andTorque displays. The 12 signals in the Controller Input display are generated by the PLC to controlthe LC8. The indicators for these signals are either green or white.A green input indicates that the circuit is conducting current and white indicates it is notconducting current. For every signal except E Stop ‘on’ is asserted when current is moving throughthe input circuit. No current is the ‘on’ state for E Stop as a safety feature so that it will be assertedwhen the Command I/O connector is unplugged or the PLC is turned off or damaged.11

4.2.1 The Step 0 – Step 6 Input SignalsL8C-1-M2E V1.14The Step 0 – Step 6 Input signals are used for selecting the Step Number that will run whenthe Start signal is asserted. These signals are the binary representation of the Step Number withStep Input 0 corresponding to the LSB and Step input 6 corresponding to the MSB. Asserting a Startsignal when the Set-On output signal is ‘on’, the Busy output signal is ‘off’, the Pause input signal is‘off’, the E Stop is ‘on’ and a valid step number is asserted will cause that step to be executed. Whenthe Step is Started the Step Number outputs change to the same value as the Step Number inputs.4.2.2 The Start Input SignalThe Start input signal causes the Step Number identified on the Step 0 – 6 input signals tobegin. The controllers must be Set-On, not Busy and have no Alarms or Errors and the targetposition of the step must be within the range of motion limits for each controller or motion will notbegin.4.2.3 The Pause Input SignalThe Pause input signal is meant to temporarily stop motion or prevent motion from occurring.When the Pause signal is asserted all actuators that are moving decelerate to a stop. When thePause signal is turned off the actuators resume motion by accelerating to their target velocities. ThePause signal will stop motion caused by Starting a step or Homing.4.2.4 The Emergency Stop Input SignalThe Emergency Stop can be asserted at any time under any conditions and will immediatelystop motion and remove power from all motors on all actuators. It will also cause the connectionsbetween the Brake 1 and Brake 2 pins on all Regen/Brake connectors to open and an EmergencyStop Alarm to be asserted on every axis in the system.4.2.5 The Reset Input SignalThe Reset input signal disengages the motors and opens the connections between the Brake1 and Brake 2 pins on all Regen/Brake connectors. It also clears all Alarms except the Not HomedAlarm and all Errors. If the Alarm or Error conditions persist then the Alarms or Errors willimmediately be re-asserted. The Set-On output is also turned off when a Reset is asserted.4.2.6 The Home Input SignalAsserting the Home input signal closes the connection between the Brake 1 and Brake 2 pinson all of the Regen/Brake connectors and causes all actuators to move in the direction specified bythe Home Direction switch until they reach the limit switch. When they reach the limit switch theyrotate until they reach the beginning of the Z phase pulse from the encoder. This position is highlyrepeatable and is referred to throughout this manual as the Absolute Home position. While theactuators are moving the Busy Output signal is asserted when motion on all actuators stops theBusy signal is turned off, the Set-On signal is turned on and the position counters are all set to 0.Please note that the Home signal will not be accepted while the actuator is in operation.12

L8C-1-M2E V1.144.3 The Controller Output DisplayBelow the Controller Input display is the Controller Output display. The 11 signals in theController Output display are generated by the LC8 and sent to the PLC. A green output indicatesthat the output transistor for that signal is on and white indicates off. The ‘on’ state of the Set-On andBusy signals is transistor on and the ‘on’ state of the Alarm and Error signals is transistor off. This isalso a safety feature so that the Alarm and Error conditions will both be present at the PLC if theCommand I/O cable is unplugged.4.3.1 The Step 0 – Step 6 Output SignalsThe Step 0 – Step 6 Output signals indicate the Step Number is in progress or wassuccessfully executed by the LC8 Controller(s). As soon as the Start signal is asserted the Step 0 –Step 6 Output signals change state so that they are the same as the Step 0 – Step 6 input signalsand they remain in this state until another Step is Started or a Reset is asserted.4.3.2 The Set-On Output SignalThe Set-On output signal is asserted whenever the position counters accurately indicate theposition. The Set-On signal is asserted after Home signal is asserted and all of the actuators havemoved to their home positions. The Set-On signal is turned off when an Alarm occurs or the Resetsignal is asserted.4.3.3 The Busy Output SignalThe Busy output signal is asserted whenever any of the actuators are moving. The Busysignal turns on when a Step is Started and turns off when the target position is achieved for anAbsolute or Relative Position move or when motion has stopped and constant torque is being appliedfor a Torque move. The Busy signal being off indicates that a new Step may be Started.4.3.4 The Alarm Output SignalThe Alarm output signal indicates that the LC8 Controller has detected a condition that isimproper or unsafe. When the Alarm signal is asserted the connection between the Brake 1 andBrake 2 pins on the Regen/Brake connector is opened and all motors are stopped and their power isturned off. The Alarm display indicates which alarm is present on which axis.4.3.5 The Error Output SignalThe Error output signal indicates that the LC8 Controller has received input signals on theCommand I/O port that are not allowed under the current operating conditions. An Error on one axiswill cause Emergency Stops on all other axes present in the system, open the connection betweenthe Brake 1 and Brake 2 pins on the Regen/Brake connectors, stop all motors and turn their poweroff. The Error display indicates which error is present on which axis.4.4 The Limit Switch DisplayNext to the Controller Input and Output displays is the Limit Switch display. Green indicatesthat limit switch is on and white indicates that it is off.13

L8C-1-M2E V1.144.5 Signal ColorsTable 1: Signal ColorsSignal ‘Valid’ Color ‘Invalid’ ColorStart Green WhitePause Green WhiteE Stop White GreenReset Green WhiteHome Green WhiteSet-On Green WhiteBusy Green WhiteAlarm White GreenError White GreenStep Inputs Green WhiteStep Outputs Green WhiteLimit Switches Green WhiteCautionA green indicator indicates that a signal is conducting current and a white indicator indicates that asignal is not conducting current. These are not indicators of a particular voltage. An NPN digitaloutput will have a different ‘on’ voltage than a PNP output and some signals are asserted whenthe output transistors are turned off while others are asserted by transistors that are turned on.Refer to the LC8 instruction manual for a complete description of the digital I/O port and thesignals associated with it.4.6 The Alarm and Error DisplaysBelow the Controller Output display are the Alarm and Error displays. Alarms are events thatcause all actuators to stop immediately and not resume motion until the system has been reset andhomed. If no alarms are present the Alarm display reads ‘No Alarms’. If an alarm is asserted it will beshown in the Alarm display along with the axis where the alarm condition exists. It is possible thatmore than one alarm are present at one time and in this event the number of alarms is displayedabove the Alarm display and scroll buttons appear at the edge of the Alarm display that allow eachalarm to be viewed.When Alarms or Errors are displayed the context sensitive help provides an explanation ofwhat causes the alarm or error being displayed and a brief explanation of what might be the cause.The on-line help, HMI Manual and LC8 Users Manual all provide a full explanation of the conditionsthat cause the alarm or error and suggestions for finding and fixing the problem.14

L8C-1-M2E V1.144.7 AlarmsThe alarms and their causes are:4.7.1 Over/Under Volt AlarmThe power supply input voltage is not within the following range:Verify the voltage at the Motor/Power connector.110V input (LC8-B**1*-**-*): 90~127VAC220V input (LC8-B**2*-**-*): 180~253VACThe Deceleration value may be too large for a system without a regenerative unit, particularly ifthe actuator is oriented vertically. Reduce Deceleration or install a regenerative unit.4.7.2 FWD Limit Switch AlarmThe actuator has reached the FWD limit switch. Check that the FWD limit switch is secured atthe proper location and that the target position is not beyond the FWD limit switch position.4.7.3 RVS Limit Switch AlarmThe actuator has moved beyond the limit switch closest to the home position. Verify that thetarget position is between the limit switches and that the limit switches are operating properly.Verify the setting of the Home Direction switch and the values of Positive Soft Limit and HomeOffset.4.7.4 Overload AlarmThe output current has exceeded rated constant current for more than the specified time interval.• There may be a mechanical obstruction of the actuator. This can include objects blocking theslide, brakes that are applied when they should not be, etc. Disconnect the power and verifythat the slide moves freely.• This condition indicates that the motor was drawing slightly more current than it should for arelatively long time. This alarm is usually associated with a motor that does not have enoughpower to move the load at the velocity, acceleration or deceleration specified. Verify that thereare no mechanical problems with the actuator. If the actuator moves freely without power trylowering the velocity, acceleration or deceleration. An actuator with more power may berequired if the velocity, acceleration and deceleration values cannot be lowered.• Incorrect Encoder Resolution of Feed Screw Lead.• It is also possible that incorrect Velocity P, Velocity I or Position P gain values are responsiblefor this alarm. Try using the default values and slightly increasing them.• The motor may be damaged. Test the controller with a known good actuator.• If the alarm occurs while the slide is at the end of the actuator then the limit switches may bereversed or damaged. Refer to wiring diagram in Chapter 6 of the LC8 Manual.• The motor wiring may be incorrect. Please refer to Chapter 6 of the LC8 Manual.• This alarm may also occur as a result of an encoder connection problem. In this case, turn thepower off, check the encoder cable and connection and then turn the power on again to resetthe system.15

L8C-1-M2E V1.14CautionManually modifying the Velocity P, Velocity I or Position P gains is not recommended for userswho do not have a significant knowledge of control systems. Incorrect gain values can disable theLC8 controller.4.7.5 Motor Driver Circuit AlarmAny Power Module abnormal condition such as:• The motor driver circuit has run a short circuit.• Abnormal inputs have activated input interlocking• Abnormal control supply• The base plate temperature is greater than 120°C.• The motor wiring may be incorrect. Please refer to Chapter 6 of the LC8 Manual. If incorrectmotor wiring is not the cause of this alarm please contact your SMC representative.4.7.6 Encoder Connection AlarmThe encoder is either not reliably connected or is damaged. Verify that the encoder is properlyconnected. If it is, verify that its wiring meets the requirements of the LC8 Users Manual. Verifythat the Encoder connector mounting screws securely fasten the connector to the LC8. If there isa problem with the encoder connection, turn off the power, properly connect the Encoder cableand turn the power on again.4.7.7 Positive Soft Limit AlarmA step has been attempted that moves past the Positive Soft Limit. Verify that the positive softlimit is set correctly and that the target position is between the Home Offset and the Positive SoftLimit.4.7.8 Absolute Home Limit AlarmA step has been attempted that moves past the Absolute Home Limit (the Absolute Homeposition). Verify that the target position is between the Home Offset and the Absolute Homeposition.4.7.9 Regenerative Unit AlarmOutput from the regenerative resistor module is active. This indicates that theregenerative resistor module’s temperature has exceeded the safety limit (100°C). Shorting pins 3and 4 of the Regen/Brake connector generates this alarm. If the regenerative resistor does notindicate any problems verify that the Regen/Brake connector is wired according to the LC8 UsersManual paying close attention to pins 3 and 4. Reducing velocity, acceleration and decelerationcan minimize the conditions that cause this alarm.16

L8C-1-M2E V1.14WarningThe regenerative resistor terminals on the Regen/Brake connector have high voltage that persistsfor several seconds after power to the LC8 Controller is disconnected. To avoid injury never workon this connector while it is connected to a powered LC8 Controller and wait 30 seconds afterpower is disconnected before working on the connector.4.7.10 Communication AlarmMaster/Slave or RS-232 communication failure due to:• Controller Hardware fault. Verify that each multiple axis communication cable connector issecurely connected to each LC8 Controller, that the cable is wired according to the LC8 UsersManual and that the cable is not routed next to any large sources of electrical noise.• Axis DIP switches are not set correctly. Make sure that the DIP switches are set as directed inthe LC8 Users manual.• Mismatch between the expected configuration and the actual configuration. The Mastercontroller stores the axis numbers of all the slaves that are connected to it in its non-volatilememory. If it cannot communicate with any of these slaves it generates this error. Verify thatall of the slaves are powered when the LC8 Human machine interface software is started. TheHMI compares the axes present with the data stored in the master and prompts the user tomake changes if there is a difference.• Communication checksum error or communication timeout. Verify that the multiple axiscommunication cable is securely connected to each LC8 Controller, that the cable is wiredaccording to the LC8 Users Manual and that the cable is not routed next to any large sourcesof electrical noise.• Power to the LC8 is removed during operation. Verify that all controllers have their Power LEDon.• Improper connection between the LC8 Master Controller and the PC. Verify that the RS-232connector is securely attached to the LC8 Master Controller and the PC using the mechanicalfasteners on the connectors and that the cable is wired according to the LC8 Users Manual.• More than 1 LC8 Master Controller is in the system. Verify that there is only one LC8 MasterController (LC8B-XXXX-M).CautionDo not disconnect power to any of the LC8 controllers in the system while the LC8 ControllerSetting Software is running. Doing so may cause alarms or errors that will disable the system.4.7.11 Not Homed AlarmThe actuator has not been homed. This Alarm occurs after a Reset has been asserted andcan be cleared by asserting a Home.17

4.7.12 Over Current AlarmThe power supply input current to Power Module exceeds hardware limit.Possible causes:• The motor wiring may be incorrect. Please refer to the LC8 Users Manual.L8C-1-M2E V1.14• Damage to the motor or actuator. If the motor has burned out or if a bearing has seized thenlarge currents will be used to try to achieve the target velocity. Disconnect the power andmake sure that the actuator moves freely and check the motor coils for continuity, short circuitsand proper resistance.• Incorrectly specified Encoder Resolution or Feed Screw Lead. Verify these values and payattention to the units (mm or inches).• Values for Velocity, Acceleration or Deceleration that are significantly too high. Try loweringthe velocity, acceleration or deceleration. An actuator with more power may be required if thevelocity, acceleration and deceleration values cannot be lowered.• Velocity P, Velocity I or Position P gain values that are incorrect. Try using the default values.• If the alarm occurs while the slide is at the end of the actuator then the limit switches may bereversed or damaged.4.7.13 Current Limit AlarmThe motor driver circuit sensed an over-current condition. Please see Section 4.7.12 above forpossible causes and solutions.4.7.14 EEPROM Checksum AlarmController’s EEPROM checksum does not match the calculated value. This alarm may occur ifpower to the LC8 goes off while the controller is writing to its non-volatile memory.CautionDo not disconnect power to any of the LC8 controllers in the system while a teaching box or theHuman Machine Interface is running. Doing so may cause alarms or errors that will disable thesystem.4.7.15 EEPROM Read AlarmAn error occurred while reading to the controller’s EEPROM. If this alarm occurs contact yourSMC representative.4.7.16 EEPROM Write AlarmAn error occurred while writing to the controller’s EEPROM. If this alarm occurs contact yourSMC representative.4.7.17 EEPROM Initialize AlarmUnable to initialize the controller’s EEPROM. If this alarm occurs contact your SMCrepresentative.18

4.7.18 Pallet Register Not Initialized AlarmL8C-1-M2E V1.14Incorrect palletizing values are stored in the non-volatile memory. If this alarm occurs contactyour SMC representative.4.7.19 RS232 Disconnect AlarmIndicates RS-232 interface communication timeout. Confirm that the RS-232 interface isproperly and securely connected.4.7.20 Slave Fault AlarmAn Alarm has occurred in a slave axis. For details it is necessary to check the Alarm status ofeach axis.4.7.21 Slave Axis Disconnect AlarmA failure occurred in the multi-axis communication. Verify that all slave axes have power andthat the multi-axis communication cable is securely connected.4.7.22 Command I/O Over Current AlarmThe current consumption of the Command I/O circuit is greater than 1.5 Amps. Disconnectingthe Command I/O connector should clear this alarm. If disconnecting the connector clears thealarm carefully verify the wiring of the Command I/O connector paying particular attention to thepower connections.4.8 ErrorsErrors are events that that are caused by inputs on the Command I/O port with the exceptionof the Emergency Stop Error, which can be caused both by an input on the Command I/O port andautomatically when an Alarm is asserted by a controller. If no errors are present the Error displayreads ‘No Errors’. If an error is asserted it will be shown in the Error display along with the axis wherethe error condition exists. It is possible that more than one errors are present at one time and in thisevent the number of errors is displayed above the Error display and scroll buttons appear at the edgeof the Error display that allow each error to be viewed. The errors and their causes are:4.8.1 Emergency Stop ErrorThe Emergency Stop input has been asserted. This can be caused by a signal on theCommand I/O port, a command from the HMI and it also can be asserted by the controller itselfwhen there is an Alarm on another controller in the system. If it is asserted by the Command I/Oport or the HMI turning off the Emergency Stop will clear the Error. Otherwise correct the cause ofthe Alarm and Reset and Home.4.8.2 Step Number ErrorThe Start signal was asserted while a Step Number beyond Number of Steps or Step Number0 was present on the Step 0 – Step 6 Inputs.19

L8C-1-M2E V1.144.9 The Data Log FileWhile the HMI is in monitor mode it keeps a record of the conditions for all of the Command I/Oinputs and outputs whenever the Alarm or Error registers in any of the controllers change states.This record is kept in a file named ‘LC8 Controller Setting Software Data Log.txt’. This file is in thesame folder as ‘LC8 Controller Setting Software.exe’ and since it is a text file it can be opened in anyword processor. This is an example of the contents:Alarm/Error change at 07:53:59 Friday, November 02, 2001Step Number Input: 2. Start: Off. Pause: Off.Emergency Stop: Off. Reset: Off. Home: On.Step Number Output: 2. Set-On: Off. Busy: On. Alarm: On. Error: Off.Axis 1 Not Homed alarm turned on.Axis 2 Not Homed alarm turned on.Axis 3 Not Homed alarm turned on.Alarm/Error change at 07:54:04 Friday, November 02, 2001Step Number Input: 2. Start: Off. Pause: Off.Emergency Stop: Off. Reset: Off. Home: Off.Step Number Output: 2. Set-On: Off. Busy: On. Alarm: On. Error: Off.Axis 3 Not Homed alarm turned off.Alarm/Error change at 07:54:05 Friday, November 02, 2001Step Number Input: 2. Start: Off. Pause: Off.Emergency Stop: Off. Reset: Off. Home: Off.Step Number Output: 2. Set-On: Off. Busy: On. Alarm: On. Error: Off.Axis 2 Not Homed alarm turned off.Alarm/Error change at 07:54:06 Friday, November 02, 2001Step Number Input: 2. Start: Off. Pause: Off.Emergency Stop: Off. Reset: Off. Home: Off.Step Number Output: 2. Set-On: On. Busy: Off. Alarm: Off. Error:Off.Axis 1 Not Homed alarm turned off.Figure 10. Data Logger Text FileIf there are Alarms or Errors when the HMI is turned on the data logger records them eventhough their state has not changed. In the example file above the HMI was turned on after powerwas applied to the controllers but before they were homed. The first record shows that at 7:53:59 theHMI detected the three Not Homed Alarms when it was turned on. Between 7:53:59 and 7:54:04 theHome signal was asserted and the actuators began moving to their Home positions. Axis 3 turned offits Not Homed Alarm at 7:54:04 followed by Axis 2 at 7:54:05 and Axis 1 at 7:54:06.20

L8C-1-M2E V1.145 Actuator DataThe Actuator Data page of the HMI is intended to characterize the hardware of the actuatorconnected to the LC8 controller. Values for the Maximum Stroke, Home Offset, Positive Soft Limit,Encoder Resolution, Feed Screw Lead, Current Limit, Homing Velocity, Position Tolerance, OverloadLevel, Maximum Velocity and Maximum Acceleration/Deceleration are all entered here. Each ofthese values applies only to the controller selected by the Axis button at the bottom of the screen.Figure 11. Actuator Data PageThe Encoder Resolution, Feed Screw Lead, Current Limit, Maximum Velocity and MaximumAccel/Decel parameters are characteristics of actuators that are specified by SMC in the catalogs forthose products. For user convenience the HMI has a list box that allows the user to scroll to the partnumber for their actuator and then click on that number and automatically load default valuesappropriate for their actuator. The part numbers do not include the specifiers for Maximum Strokesince there would be too many part numbers to be manageable. Therefore, Maximum Stroke, HomeOffset and Positive Soft Limit have default values of ‘0’ and must be set correctly by the user. Thevalues for Homing Velocity, Position Tolerance and Overload Level have default values that are theminimum value for those parameters and can be changed to meet the requirements of theinstallation.When the value for any of the parameters displayed in the edit box is different from the valuestored in the LC8 Controller the text color in the edit box is red so that the user will know that the datahas not been written yet. If the user attempts to leave this page by going to another axis, anotherpage, Monitor mode or exiting the program with new data that has not yet been written to the LC8Controller a dialog box will appear offering to update the data.A password is required in order to change the data. Also, since a Reset is performedautomatically after data is sent to the controller, Homing will be necessary.21

L8C-1-M2E V1.145.1 Maximum StrokeThe Maximum Stroke is the maximum length of travel of the slider specified by themanufacturer of the actuator. This value is used as a maximum value for checking all of the otherposition values throughout the rest of the software. The minimum value for this parameter is 1 mm(.039 inches) and the maximum is 10000 mm (394 inches).5.2 Home OffsetThe Home Offset is the distance between the Absolute Home Position and the Zero Positionfor all positions specified for the LC8 Controller, including the Positive Soft Limit and the displayedposition. For example, if the Home Offset is set to 100 mm and the position specified for step one is5 mm then starting step one will cause the slider to move 105 mm from the Absolute Home Positionand the position displays in the HMI will show 5 mm. The minimum value for this parameter is 0 mm(0.04”) and the maximum value is 10000 mm (393.70”). Home Offset and Positive Soft Limit are alsocompared to Maximum Stroke. If the sum of Home Offset and Positive Soft Limit exceeds MaximumStroke then a dialog box indicating this condition will appear if the user tries to write the values to thecontroller.5.3 Positive Soft LimitThe Positive Soft Limit is the maximum distance the slide can travel away from the ZeroPosition without generating a Positive Soft Limit error. The minimum value for this parameter is 0 mm(0”) and the maximum value is 10000 mm (393.70”). The position that generates Absolute HomeLimit errors is the Absolute Home Position. Home Offset and Positive Soft Limit are also compared toMaximum Stroke. If the sum of Home Offset and Positive Soft Limit exceeds Maximum Stroke then adialog box indicating this condition will appear if the user tries to write the values to the controller.5.4 Encoder ResolutionThe Encoder Resolution value is the number of counts per revolution for the encoder. Somemanufacturers express this term as pulses per revolution, counts per turn, lines per revolution orsome other variation of those terms. The standard encoder on all SMC AC servo actuators is 2000counts per revolution. The minimum value for this parameter is 100 counts per revolution and themaximum value is 16000 counts per revolution.5.5 Feed Screw LeadThe Feed Screw Lead value indicates displacement of the slide on the actuator for a singleturn of the motor. Some manufacturers also use the term ‘lead screw pitch’ to describe this value.This value can also describe the displacement of the slide for a single turn of the motor on a belt driveactuator. The minimum value for this parameter is 1 mm (.039 inches) and the maximum value is 200mm (7.87 inches).22

L8C-1-M2E V1.14CautionThe values for Encoder Resolution and Feed Screw Lead are used by the LC8 Controller todetermine how many revolutions the motor has turned and how far the slide travels for each ofthose revolutions. If these values are not correctly entered then none of the positions, velocities,accelerations or decelerations specified in this program will be correctly displayed of achieved.5.6 Current LimitThe Current Limit specifies the maximum percentage of the motor’s rated current that the LC8controller will use to run the motor. The minimum value for this parameter is 10% and the maximumvalue is 233-300% (depending on the power supply voltage and motor power).5.7 Homing VelocityThe Homing Velocity specifies the velocity of the actuator when it returns to the home position.The minimum value for this parameter is 1 mm/s (.039 inches/s) and the maximum value is 100 mm/s(3.94 inches/s).5.8 Position ToleranceThe Position Tolerance specifies the accuracy of positions attained by an actuator required toturn off the Busy signal on the Command I/O port. This parameter has no effect on the accuracy ofthe position achieved by the controller, which is always ±5 counts. The minimum value for thisparameter is ±5 counts and the maximum value is ±100 counts.5.9 Overload LevelThe Overload Level is a 1 to 10 scale that determines the combination of motor current andtime that will cause an Overload Alarm. A low number for this value will generate an Overload Alarmwhen slightly exceeding the motor’s rated current for a short amount of time. A large number willgenerate an Overload Alarm when significantly exceeding the motor’s rated current for a long time.The minimum value for this parameter is ‘1’ and the maximum value is ‘10’.5.10 Maximum VelocityThe Maximum Velocity specifies the maximum operating speed of the actuator. This valuedetermines the maximum value of any velocity parameter throughout the rest of the HMI. Theminimum value for this parameter is 250 mm/s (9.84 inches/s) and the maximum value is 5000 mm/s(196.85 inches/s).23

L8C-1-M2E V1.145.11 Maximum Accel./Decel.The Maximum Accel./Decel. specifies the maximum acceleration and deceleration of theactuator during operation. This value determines the maximum value for any acceleration anddeceleration parameter throughout the rest of the HMI. The minimum value for this parameter is 2000mm/s² (78.7 in./s²) and the maximum value is 9800 mm/s² (386 in./s²).CautionUse the values for Encoder Resolution, Feed Screw Lead, Current Limit, Maximum Velocity andMaximum Accel/Decel that are specified for the actuator in order to operate safely and avoidexcessive wear or damage to the actuator.5.12 Actuator Data Value RangesTable 2. Actuator Data Value RangesParameter Minimum MaximumMaximum Stroke 1mm (.039 inches) 10000mm (394 inches)Home Offset 0mm (0 inches) 10000mm (394 inches)Positive Soft Limit 0mm (0 inches) 10000mm (394 inches)Encoder Resolution 100 counts 16000 countsFeed Screw Lead 1mm (.039 inches) 200mm (7.87 inches)Current Limit 10% 233~300%Homing Velocity 1mm/s (.039 inches/s) 100mm/s (3.94 inches/s)Position Tolerance ±5 counts ±100 countsOverload Level 1 10Maximum Velocity 250mm/s (9.84 inches/s) 5000mm/s (196.85inches/s)Maximum Accel./Decel. 2000mm/s 2 (78.7 inches/s 2 ) 9800mm/s 2 (386 inches/s 2 )Note 1: The sum of Home Offset and Positive Soft Limit may not exceed Maximum Stroke24

L8C-1-M2E V1.145.13 File to Page buttonFigure 12. File to Page ButtonThe File to Page button will cause a File Open dialog box to appear and allow the user toselect a text file to load values into the edit boxes on the page. Any text file may be selected, but thefile will be checked to see that it is the correct format before it puts data into the edit boxes. Anexample of the file format is:'Actuator Data.txt' created 12:25:08 Friday, November 02, 2001Max Stroke (mm) = 200.00Home Offset (mm) = 0.00Positive Soft Limit (mm) = 200.00Encoder Resolution (counts) = 2000Feed Screw Lead (mm/rev) = 12.0Current Limit (%) = 200Homing Velocity (mm/s) = 50Position Tolerance (± counts) = 10Overload Level = 4Maximum Velocity (mm/s) = 600Maximum Accel/Decel (mm/s²) = 3000Figure 12. Actuator Data Text FileThe Actuator Data text file can be created manually in any text editor. The format rules are asfollows:• Any header that the user desires is allowed so long as it does not contain the words “MaxStroke”. The data in the file begins with this word.• The order for the data is first Max Stroke, Home Offset, Positive Soft Limit, EncoderResolution, Feed Screw Lead, Current Limit, Homing Velocity, Position Tolerance, OverloadLevel, Maximum Velocity and then Max Accel/Decel. There is one entry per line in the file.• The name of the parameter is followed by the units in parentheses. Max Stroke, Home Offset,Positive Soft Limit will have units of either “mm” or “inches”. Encoder resolution will have unitsof ”counts”. Feed Screw Lead will have units of either “mm/rev” or “inches/rev”. Current Limitwill have units of "%". Homing Velocity will have units of "mm/s" or "inches/s". Positiontolerance will have units of "± counts". Overload Level has no units. Maximum Velocity willhave units of “mm/s” or “inches/s”. Maximum Accel/Decel will have units of "mm/s²" or"inches/s²". “mm” and “inches” cannot be mixed. This file must contain either all metric unitsor all English units.• All of the values have to conform to the minimums and maximums allowed.25

L8C-1-M2E V1.145.14 Page to File ButtonFigure 14. Page to File ButtonThe Page to File button will cause a File Save dialog box to appear and allow the user toselect an existing text file to save the values into or create a new file. The user can specify any filename and if no extension is supplied by the user the file will automatically have a ‘.txt’ extension. Theformat of the saved file, including the header with the time and date, is shown in Figure 13.5.15 Control to Page ButtonFigure 15. Control to Page ButtonThe Control to Page button causes the HMI to read the values for the parameters on the pagefrom the LC8 Controller and overwrite whatever is in the edit boxes with the data from the controller.Because this data will match the controller memory it will always be black text, no matter what was inthe edit boxes before pressing the Control to Page button.5.16 Page to Control ButtonFigure 16. Page to Control ButtonThe Page to Control button causes the HMI to write the values of the parameters on the pageto the LC8 Controller. This function is password protected so as soon as the button is pressed adialog box will appear prompting the user to enter the correct password. Because this data will matchthe controller memory it will change any red text in the edit boxes to black text, no matter what was inthe edit boxes before pressing the Page to Control button. Writing the data also causes the LC8controllers to be reset.26

L8C-1-M2E V1.146 Operation DataThe purpose of the Operation Data page of the HMI is to provide values for absolute or relativepositioning, position, velocity, acceleration, deceleration and torque for each of the 117 preprogrammedsteps that can be controlled through the Command I/O connector. The values arewritten from the Operation Data table at the top of the page to the controller and there are severalways to put data into that table.Figure 17. Operation Data PageThe Operation Data table has seven columns, Step Number, Absolute or Relative Position,Position, Velocity, Acceleration, Deceleration and Torque. The units for these values are specified atthe top of the column and the values in the table automatically change when the units are changed.The number of rows in the Operation Data table is controlled by the Number of Steps edit box, whichwill be discussed later in this section.6.1 Step ModesEach step can be one of 3 different modes of motion, Absolute Position, Relative Position orTorque mode. Position mode moves an actuator to a specific location while torque mode moves anactuator at a low velocity until it encounter significant resistance and then applies a specific amount oftorque. Absolute and Relative Position mode movement require values for Absolute or RelativePosition, Position, Velocity, Acceleration and Deceleration. Torque mode moves require values forVelocity, Acceleration and Torque.27

L8C-1-M2E V1.146.2 Absolute/Relative StepsPosition moves can be relative to the Home Offset position (Absolute) or relative to theactuator’s position at the start of the move (Relative). The Absolute / Relative column specifies whichtype of position move the step will make and will only accept the letters ‘a’, ‘r’, ‘A’ or ’R’ as inputs.6.3 PositionThe ranges for the position values vary depending on whether the step is an Absolute orRelative Position step. The minimum and maximum allowable values for both modes are –10000 mm(-393.7 inches) and 10000 mm (393.7 inches) but the values for position are also checked against thevalues for Positive Soft Limit and Home Offset. Absolute Position values cannot be less than –HomeOffset or greater than Positive Soft Limit. Relative Position values cannot be less than –(Home Offset+ Positive Soft Limit) or greater than (Home Offset + Positive Soft Limit).6.4 VelocityThe Velocity value is used for both position and torque mode motion. The minimum value forVelocity is 1 mm/s (0.039 inches/s) and the maximum is 5000 mm/s (196.8 inches/s). The maximumvalue for this parameter must also comply with the limit set by Maximum Velocity. This applies to allSteps.6.5 AccelerationThe Acceleration value is used for both position and torque mode motion. The minimum valuefor Acceleration is 100 mm/s² (3.94/s² inches) and the maximum is 9800 mm/s² (385.8 inches/s²).This value must also comply with the limits set by Maximum Accel./Decel.6.6 DecelerationThe Deceleration value is used only for position mode motion. The minimum value forDeceleration is 100 mm/s² (3.94/s² inches) and the maximum is 9800 mm/s² (385.8 inches/s²). Thisvalue must also comply with the limits set by Maximum Accel./Decel.6.7 TorqueTorque mode moves an actuator at a low velocity until it encounters significant resistance andthen applies a specific amount of torque. Torque is specified as a percentage of maximum motortorque and can be either positive or negative, with the sign indicating direction of motion just as itdoes for Position. The minimum value for Torque is ±10% and the maximum value is ±100%.The range for torque values is ±10% to ±100% and these values represent the range of 9% to90% of motor rated torque as applied by the Tamagawa Seiki motors supplied with SMC actuators.The specific torque amounts are:Table 3. Motor Torque28

The amount of force applied by an actuator in a horizontal application can be roughlycalculated using the formula:L8C-1-M2E V1.14Where η is a factor for the efficiency of power transfer that can be estimated at 0.80 to 0.95. Forexample, if η is assumed to be 0.90 for a 100W actuator with a 12 mm feed screw, 100% torque willapply approximately this much force:This formula is only an approximation and does not consider friction, which is particularly significantfor low values of torque.Caution1. The Torque value is a percentage of the rated torque for the motor in an SMC actuator of thesame power rating as the LC8 Controller. Not correctly matching the actuator and LC8Controller will cause the amount of torque applied to be different than what is expected. Also,specifying 50% torque for a 200 Watt actuator will apply significantly more torque thanspecifying 50% torque for a 50 Watt actuator.2. If there is no obstacle that presents enough resistance to achieve target torque the actuatorwill move until it reaches either the Positive Soft Limit or Absolute Home Limit and then stop.In this condition the Busy signal remains on and prevents any further steps from being started.However, operation is possible with a Start signal from the Command I/O.When a value is entered for Absolute / Relative, Position or Acceleration the mode of the stepmust be Position mode so the Torque cell is disabled (gray). When a value for Torque is enteredAbsolute/Relative, Position and Deceleration are disabled. To change a step from one mode toanother all of the values except Velocity and Acceleration must be cleared to enable the entry of datafor the new modeData can be entered manually from the keyboard like most spreadsheet programs.Highlighting cells and right clicking the mouse allows the user to cut and paste, fill a value downcolumns, add the difference between the top two selected cells down the rest of the blank cells in acolumn and clear all of the selected cells. The cut and paste functions work with other Windowsprograms so that values can be calculated in a spreadsheet program and then transferred to the HMIthrough the Windows clipboard.29

L8C-1-M2E V1.146.8 Number of StepsJust below the Operation Data Table on the left side of the page is an edit box for changing theNumber of Steps. Changing this value changes the number of rows of table that are displayed andwrites a value to the LC8 Controller that is used for generating Step Number Errors. The minimumvalue for Number of Steps is 1 and the Maximum is 117.AccelerationVelocityAccelerationDecelerationMax. VelocityPositionTimeFigure 18. Position Mode StepFinal PositionStart PositionFigure 18 shows a typical position mode step. The value for Position can be positive ornegative with the sign specifying direction. The positive direction is from the ‘Home’ limit switchtoward the other limit switch. Unsigned and negative numbers are accepted as Position values.Velocity, Acceleration and Deceleration are all numbers that are only accepted as positive values.AccelerationVelocityAccelerationDecelerationMax. VelocityFinal PositionPositionStart PositionTimeFigure 19. Actual Velocity Less Than Specified Velocity30

L8C-1-M2E V1.14The LC8 controller always uses the values for Acceleration and Deceleration to achieve theposition specified by the Position value. The Velocity value is the maximum velocity that the LC8controller will allow the motor to achieve and when the values for Acceleration and Deceleration arehigh relative to the distance that the actuator has to travel the maximum velocity may be less than thevalue specified by Velocity. Figure 19 shows an example of this condition.Torque mode steps have 3 parameters that must be specified, Target Velocity, Accelerationand Target Torque. Velocity and Acceleration apply the same way they did in Absolute and Relativemode steps. Torque is specified as a percentage of the motor’s maximum torque and the forceapplied by the actuator will be proportional to this torque. The sign on the Torque value specifiesdirection with positive indicating the direction away from the home switch and negative indicatingtoward the home switch.6.9 Teaching PositionWhen a machine that uses electric actuators is designed and constructed it is often easier todetermine the positions for the actuators with the physical hardware rather than by calculation.Jogging and reading the position while the motor is disengaged are two additional teaching functionsthat the LC8 uses for teaching position values into the table with the physical hardware. Both ofthese functions are intended to allow a user to move the actuator to any position that they desire andrecord that position in the operation data table. Because the position counter is only accurate in theSet-On condition teaching position requires that the LC8 controllers be powered and Set-On (seePLC functions).6.9.1 JoggingJogging moves an actuator under power while the position of the actuator is continuouslyupdated in one of the Position cells of the Step Table. Jogging is accomplished by selecting aposition cell in the step data table, selecting the Jog radio button, setting a jog velocity by entering anumber in the Jog Velocity edit box that is within the velocity limits of 0.1 mm/s (0.004 inches/s) to100 mm/s (3.94 inches/s) and then pressing either the Jog Forward or Jog Reverse button. The JogForward and Jog Reverse buttons will not be enabled if the LC8 Controller is not Set-On, the Jogradio button is not selected, a Jog Velocity that is within the velocity limits is not in the Jog Velocityedit box and a Position cell is not selected. When one of these buttons is down the actuator will movein the indicated direction at the selected speed and the position will be continuously updated in theselected position cell in blue text. Releasing the button will cause motion to stop.6.9.2 Reading the PositionReading the position while the motor is disengaged can only be done while the LC8 controllershave an Emergency Stop asserted from the Command I/O port. During an emergency stop anactuator without a brake may be moved freely and the user can select a position cell and then selectthe Read Position radio button. When this is done the position will be continuously updated in theselected position cell in blue text.More than one axis can have its position read at one time by not leaving the Operation Datapages and using the Axis buttons to move from axis to axis and select the Disengage Motor radiobutton. The selected cells with the blue text will show the correct position of the appropriate actuator.If a different page is selected, or if Monitor mode is selected or if the HMI is exited then the data in theposition cells will stop being updated.31

L8C-1-M2E V1.146.10 File to Page ButtonFigure 20. File to Page ButtonThe File to Page button is in the lower left corner of the Operation Data page. It will cause aFile Open dialog box to appear and allow the user to select a text file to load values into the step datatable. Any text file may be selected, but the file will be checked to see that it is the correct formatbefore it puts data into the edit boxes. An example of the file format is:'400mm Master.txt' created 11:13:54 Monday, February 05, 2001Step 1: Abs, Pos = 0.00 (mm), Vel = 1500 (mm/s), Acc = 4921 (mm/s²), Dec = 4921 (mm/s²)Step 2: Abs, Pos = 100.00 (mm), Vel = 698 (mm/s), Acc = 4921 (mm/s²), Dec = 4921 (mm/s²)Step 3: Abs, Pos = 200.00 (mm), Vel = 1500 (mm/s), Acc = 4921 (mm/s²), Dec = 4921 (mm/s²)Step 4: Rel, Pos = 10.00 (mm), Vel = 600 (mm/s), Acc = 4921 (mm/s²), Dec = 4921 (mm/s²)Step 5: Rel, Pos = -10.00 (mm), Vel = 600 (mm/s), Acc = 4921 (mm/s²), Dec = 4921 (mm/s²)Step 6: Rel, Pos = 0.00 (mm), Vel = 98 (mm/s), Acc = 4921 (mm/s²), Dec = 4921 (mm/s²)Step 7: Abs, Pos = 12.00 (mm), Vel = 120 (mm/s), Acc = 4921 (mm/s²), Dec = 4921 (mm/s²)Step 8: Abs, Pos = 200.00 (mm), Vel = 48 (mm/s), Acc = 4921 (mm/s²), Dec = 4921 (mm/s²)Step 9: Abs, Pos = 12.00 (mm), Vel = 120 (mm/s), Acc = 4921 (mm/s²), Dec = 4921 (mm/s²)Step 10: Torque = 30 (%), Vel = 30 (mm/s), Acc = 4921 (mm/s²)Step 11: Torque = -30 (%), Vel = 30 (mm/s), Acc = 4921 (mm/s²)Step 12: Abs, Pos = 12.00 (mm), Vel = 120 (mm/s), Acc = 4921 (mm/s²), Dec = 4921 (mm/s²)Figure 21. Operation Data Text FileThe data shown in Figure 18 is from an Operation Data text file. Any text editor can make thisfile but the format must obey the following rules:• Any header that the user desires is allowed so long as it does not contain the word “Step”.The data in the file begins with this word.• The step data starts with the data for step 1 and continues with consecutive steps.• There must be at least 1 step and no more than 117 steps.• All steps begin with the text “Step X: “ where X specifies the Step Number. This is the StepNumber field.• For position steps “Abs, ” or “Rel, ” (the Abs./Rel. field), follows the step number field.• The Abs./Rel. field is followed by “Pos = X (Y), “ (the Position field) there X is the positionand Y is either ”inches” or “mm”.• The Position field and the torque field are followed by “Vel = X (Y/s), “ (the Velocity field)where X is the velocity and Y is either “inches” or “mm”.• The velocity field is followed by “Acc = X (Y/s²), “ (the Acceleration field) where X is theacceleration and Y is either “inches” or “mm”.• For position steps the acceleration field is followed by ”Dec = X (Y/s²), “ (the Decelerationfield) where X is the acceleration and Y is either “inches” or “mm”.• For torque steps the step number field is followed by “Torque = X (%), “ where X is thetorque.32

L8C-1-M2E V1.14• A comma separates all fields except Step Number and Abs./Rel. A colon separates StepNumber and Abs./Rel. No field ends in a comma.• All of the fields have to use the same units.• All of the values for each field have to comply with the limits for that field.The file in Fig. 18 only contains 12 steps. When this file is read to the HMI it will fill in the tableand change the value of Number of Steps to 12. Changing the value of Number of Steps changesthe number of rows in the table and sends the value to the LC8 controller. During normal operation ifa step number higher than the Number of Steps is selected then a Step Number error will occur.6.11 Page to File ButtonFigure 22. Page to File ButtonThe Page to File button will cause a File Save dialog box to appear and allow the user toselect an existing text file to save the values into or create a new file. The user can specify any filename and if no extension is supplied by the user the file will automatically have a ‘.txt’ extension. Theformat of the saved file, including the header with the time and date, is shown in Figure 18.6.12 Control to Page ButtonFigure 23. Control to Page ButtonThe Control to Page button causes the HMI to read the values for the parameters in the StepData Table from the LC8 Controller and overwrite whatever is in the Step Data Table with the datafrom the controller.6.13 Page to Control ButtonFigure 24. Page to Control ButtonThe Page to Control button causes the HMI to write the values of the parameters in the StepData Table to the LC8 Controller.33

L8C-1-M2E V1.147 Pallet DataPalletizing steps use a single step number to allow 2 axes to sequentially access all of thelocations in a part pallet. The motion is the same as an Absolute position step except that the targetposition is recalculated every time the move is started. The Palletizing Reset step causes thecorresponding palletizing step to move to the first position in the pallet the next time that it is called.The LC8 controller has 5 Palletizing steps that each have corresponding Palletizing Reset steps:Palletizing StepPalletizing Reset Step118 119120 121122 123124 125126 127The same two axes will be used for all 5 palletizing steps. In order for the palletizing steps tobe configured or operate there must be at least 2 axes present in the system. If only one axis ispresent in the system then all of the controls on the Pallet Data page will be disabled.Just as with the Actuator Data page, whenever the value for any of the parameters displayedin the edit boxes are different from the values stored in the LC8 Controller the text color in the editbox is red so that the user will know that the data has not been written yet. If the user attempts toleave this page by going to another page, Monitor mode or exiting the program with new data that hasnot yet been written to the LC8 Controller a dialog box will appear offering to update the data.Figure 25. Pallet Data Page34

L8C-1-M2E V1.147.1 Axis NumbersThe axis numbers that correspond to the X axis and the Y axis for all palletizing steps has tobe specified. Any axis in the system can be a palletizing axis but no axis can be both the X and Yaxis.Y AxisZ AxisY IntervalY OffsetX AxisHome PositionX OffsetX IntervalFigure 26 Palletizing ParametersFigure 26 illustrates the parameters that have to be specified for a palletizing step. Theseparameters are the X and Y offset, the X and Y interval and the number of rows and columns.Additionally, palletizing requires a velocity, acceleration and deceleration for each axis of each step.7.2 X and Y OffsetThe X and Y Offset specifies the position of the first location in the pallet. These offsetpositions, like all other positions, are both relative to the zero position specified by the Home Offsetsof both axes and are similar to the Position parameters in Absolute mode steps. The minimum andmaximum allowable values for X and Y Offset are –10000 mm (-393.7 inches) and 10000 mm (393.7inches) but the values for the offset are also checked against the values for Positive Soft Limit andHome Offset. Offset values cannot be less than –Home Offset or greater than Positive Soft Limit.7.2.1 Teaching OffsetJust as with Operation Data is possible to teach the Offsets using jogging and reading theposition of the actuators while they have been disengaged by an Emergency Stop asserted on theCommand I/O port.Jogging moves an actuator under power while the position of the actuator is continuouslyupdated in one of the Offset edit boxes. Jogging is accomplished by selecting a Offset edit box,selecting the Jog radio button, setting a jog velocity by entering a number in the Jog Velocity edit boxthat is within the velocity limits of 0.1 mm/s (0.004 inches/s) to 100 mm/s (3.94 inches/s) and thenpressing either the Jog Forward or Jog Reverse button. The Jog Forward and Jog Reverse buttonswill not be enabled if the LC8 Controller is not Set-On, the Jog radio button is not selected, a JogVelocity that is within the velocity limits is not in the Jog Velocity edit box and a Offset edit box is notselected. When one of these buttons is down the actuator will move in the indicated direction at theselected speed and the position will be continuously updated in the selected Offset edit box.35

L8C-1-M2E V1.14Releasing the button will cause motion to stop.Reading the position while the motor is disengaged can only be done while the LC8 controllershave an Emergency Stop asserted from the Command I/O port. During an emergency stop anactuator without a brake may be moved freely and the user can select a position cell and then selectthe Read Position radio button. When this is done the user can slide the actuators freely and theposition will be continuously updated in both Offset edit boxes.7.3 X and Y IntervalsOffset PositionHome Offset PositionPositive X Interval, Positive Y IntervalHome Offset PositionOffset PositionNegative X Interval, Positive Y IntervalOffset PositionOffset PositionHome Offset PositionPositive X Interval, Negative Y IntervalHome Offset PositionNegative X Interval, Negative Y IntervalFigure 27. Offset and Interval36

L8C-1-M2E V1.14The X and Y Intervals are the distance between rows or columns in the pallet. These aresigned values where the sign determines the direction that the next position in the pallet will be in.Figure 27 shows the relationship between interval sign and the order that the LC8 moves through thepallet locations. By correctly selecting the X and Y Axes and signs for the X and Y Interval it ispossible to start in any corner of the pallet and move through it in any direction. The minimum valuefor X and Y Intervals are –10000 mm (-391 inches) and the maximums are 10000 mm (391 inches).7.4 Velocity, Acceleration and DecelerationVelocity, Acceleration and Deceleration also need to be specified for each axis. These valuesare the same as the corresponding values in Absolute and Relative mode steps.7.5 Number of Rows and ColumnsThe Number of Rows corresponds to the number of positions in the Y axis and the Number ofColumns corresponds to the number of positions in the X axis. The minimum value for theseparameters is 1 and the maximum is 10000.A palletizing step does not have to be two-dimensional. Setting the number of columns orrows to 1 will cause the X or Y offset to be the only position achieved for the X or Y axis. Setting bothto 1 will make the execution of a Palletizing step identical to the execution of an Absolute Positionstep. The number of positions in a pallet can range from 1 to 100 million.7.6 Palletizing Reset StepNo values are associated with a Palletizing Reset step. Starting one of these steps simplycauses the corresponding palletizing step to move to its offset position the next time it is started.7.7 File to Page ButtonFigure 28. File to Page ButtonThe File to Page button is in the lower left corner of the Operation Data page. It will cause aFile Open dialog box to appear and allow the user to select a text file to load values into the step datatable. Any text file may be selected, but the file will be checked to see that it is the correct formatbefore it puts data into the edit boxes. An example of the file format is:'Pallet Data.txt' created 10:51:18 Tuesday, February 13, 2001Palletizing X Axis = Axis 1Palletizing Y Axis = Axis 2Step 118:X Axis Offset = 25.00 (mm), Y Axis Offset = 25.00 (mm)X Axis Interval = 40.00 (mm), Y Axis Interval = 40.00 (mm)X Axis Velocity = 700.0 (mm/s), Y Axis Velocity = 700.0 (mm/s)X Axis Acceleration = 5000 (mm/s²), Y Axis Acceleration = 4969 (mm/s²)X Axis Deceleration = 5000 (mm/s²), Y Axis Deceleration = 4969 (mm/s²)Number of Columns = 5, Number of Rows = 537

L8C-1-M2E V1.14Step 120:X Axis Offset = 185.00 (mm), Y Axis Offset = 25.00 (mm)X Axis Interval = -40.00 (mm), Y Axis Interval = 40.00 (mm)X Axis Velocity = 700.0 (mm/s), Y Axis Velocity = 700.0 (mm/s)X Axis Acceleration = 5000 (mm/s²), Y Axis Acceleration = 4969 (mm/s²)X Axis Deceleration = 5000 (mm/s²), Y Axis Deceleration = 4969 (mm/s²)Number of Columns = 5, Number of Rows = 5Step 122:X Axis Offset = 25.00 (mm), Y Axis Offset = 185.00 (mm)X Axis Interval = 40.00 (mm), Y Axis Interval = -40.00 (mm)X Axis Velocity = 700.0 (mm/s), Y Axis Velocity = 700.0 (mm/s)X Axis Acceleration = 5000 (mm/s²), Y Axis Acceleration = 4969 (mm/s²)X Axis Deceleration = 5000 (mm/s²), Y Axis Deceleration = 4969 (mm/s²)Number of Columns = 5, Number of Rows = 5Step 124:X Axis Offset = 185.00 (mm), Y Axis Offset = 185.00 (mm)X Axis Interval = -40.00 (mm), Y Axis Interval = -40.00 (mm)X Axis Velocity = 700.0 (mm/s), Y Axis Velocity = 700.0 (mm/s)X Axis Acceleration = 5000 (mm/s²), Y Axis Acceleration = 4969 (mm/s²)X Axis Deceleration = 5000 (mm/s²), Y Axis Deceleration = 4969 (mm/s²)Number of Columns = 5, Number of Rows = 5Step 126:X Axis Offset = 25.00 (mm), Y Axis Offset = 25.00 (mm)X Axis Interval = 10.00 (mm), Y Axis Interval = 10.00 (mm)X Axis Velocity = 700.0 (mm/s), Y Axis Velocity = 700.0 (mm/s)X Axis Acceleration = 5000 (mm/s²), Y Axis Acceleration = 4969 (mm/s²)X Axis Deceleration = 5000 (mm/s²), Y Axis Deceleration = 4969 (mm/s²)Number of Columns = 17, Number of Rows = 17Figure 29. Pallet Data Text FileThe data shown in Figure 29 is from a Pallet Data text file. Any text editor can make this filebut the format must obey the following rules:• Any header that the user desires is allowed so long as it does not contain the word “Palletizing”.The data in the file begins with this word.• The first line is “Palletizing X Axis = Axis N” where N specifies the axis number of the Xaxis.• The second line is “Palletizing Y Axis = Axis N” where N specifies the axis number ofthe Y axis.• A blank line appears before each Pallet Step description.• Each Pallet Step description begins with “Step N:” where N is the palletizing step number. Thesteps must appear in order, starting with Step 118, then Step 120, then Step 122, then Step 124and finally Step 126.• The second line of each step description is “X Axis Offset = XO (U), Y Axis Offset =YO (U)” where XO is the X Offset, YO is the Y Offset and U, the units, is either “inches” or “mm”.38

L8C-1-M2E V1.14• The third line of each step description is “X Axis Interval = XI (U), Y Axis Interval= YI (U)” where XI is the X Interval, YI is the Y Interval and U, the units, is either “inches” or“mm”. The amount of blank space between the texts is not important.• The forth line of each step description is “X Axis Velocity = XV (U), Y Axis Velocity= YV (U)” where XV is the X Velocity, YV is the Y Velocity and U, the units, is either“inches/s” or “mm/s”.• The fifth line of each step description is “X Axis Acceleration = XA (U), Y AxisAcceleration = YA (U)” where XA is the X Acceleration, YA is the Y Acceleration and U, theunits, is either “inches/s²” or “mm/s²”.• The sixth line of each step description is “X Axis Deceleration = XD (U), Y AxisDeceleration = YD (U)” where XD is the X Deceleration, YD is the Y Deceleration and U, theunits, is either “inches/s²” or “mm/s²”.• The last line of each step description is “Number of Columns = C, Number of Rows = R”where C is the Number of Columns and R is the Number of Rows.• All of the fields have to use the same units.• All of the values for each field have to comply with the limits for that field.7.8 Page to File ButtonFigure 30. Page to File ButtonThe Page to File button will cause a File Save dialog box to appear and allow the user toselect an existing text file to save the values into or create a new file. The user can specify any filename and if no extension is supplied by the user the file will automatically have a ‘.txt’ extension. Theformat of the saved file, including the header with the time and date, is shown in Figure 25.7.9 Control to Page ButtonFigure 31. Control to Page ButtonThe Control to Page button causes the HMI to read the values for the parameters in the editboxes from the LC8 Controller and overwrite whatever is in the edit boxes with the data from thecontroller.7.10 Page to Control ButtonFigure 32. Page to Control ButtonThe Page to Control button causes the HMI to write the values of the parameters in the StepData Table to the LC8 Controller. Because this data will match the controller memory it will changeany red text in the edit boxes to black text, no matter what was in the edit boxes before pressing thePage to Control button.39

L8C-1-M2E V1.148 PIP DataThe PIP Data display does allow the user to view and change the Velocity P, Velocity I andPosition P gain values that control the response of the actuator. This display also allows the user totest the step response and restore the default values.The data in this display is critical to the operation of the LC8 controller and only needs to bechanged when the controller is first installed or when the actuator connected to the controller ischanged. For these reasons the data in this display cannot be written to the controller without thepassword.Whenever the contents of the Velocity P gain, Velocity I gain or Position P gain edit boxes isdifferent from the contents of the LC8 controller memory it will be displayed in red text. If the usermakes a change without saving it to the controller the HMI will prompt them to save the new datawhen they try to move to a different screen or leave the program. The PIP values shown in thisdisplay are read from the controller every time this page is selected.Figure 33. PIP Data Page40

L8C-1-M2E V1.148.1 Control AlgorithmIn many cases satisfactory operation can be achieved using the controller default values,which can be entered into the edit boxes by pressing the Restore Default Values button. However,some applications may have large mismatches between motor and load inertia, mechanicalresonance, and actuator friction. In theses cases users need to tune the control loop parameters toobtain satisfactory control performance. When tuning the system care must be taken since this willhave an effect on stability. Please refer to the manual tuning chapter in the LC8 Users Manual forfurther explanation of how to manipulate these parameters.PositionReference-PositionErrorKpp-VelocityErrorKpvCurrentAmplifierMotorPositionPositionVelocityKivsVelocityConverterFigure 34. The Control LoopThe diagram above shows the PIP (Proportional and Integral velocity loop, Proportionalposition loop) control structure used in the LC8 Controller. The actual position is fed back to asumming junction where it is subtracted from the reference position, the position that the system istrying to achieve. The output of this summing junction is defined as position error. This Error signalgoes to an amplifier with a gain that is controlled by the Position P Gain value (Kpp). The amplifiedsignal can be viewed as a reference of velocity. It subtracts the velocity signal that is generated fromthe velocity converter. The resulting Error signal is called the velocity error. This Error signal goes toan amplifier with a gain that is controlled by Velocity P Gain (Kpv) and an integrator with a gain that iscontrolled by the Velocity I Gain value (Kiv). The output of these two signals goes to the thirdsumming junction. The output of the third summing junction goes through the current amplifier andcontrols the motor.41

L8C-1-M2E V1.148.2 Step ResponseThe Step Response button causes the actuator to use the PIP gains in the edit boxes to movea very short distance and then displays the step response. The ideal step response is shown in blueand the actual step response is shown in red. The gains in the edit boxes are used even if they havenot been written to the controller so that the user can test gains before writing them. The stepresponse display has 60 position samples taken at the interval specified in the Interval edit box. Theminimum (default) value for Interval is 5 ms and the maximum is 100 ms, which gives the graph theability to display 300 ms to 6 seconds of step response data. The Interval value is not stored in thenon-volatile memory and will revert to its default value of 5 ms after power has been turned off.The process of tuning the PIP gains usually involves modifying the gains and testing the StepResponse several times. The display does not automatically erase the old graph so that it can beused for comparison with the new graph. The Step Response Display may eventually become socluttered that it is difficult to see the new response. For this reason there is an Erase button thatimmediately clears the Step Response Display.8.3 Velocity P GainIncreasing the Velocity P gain parameter increases the bandwidth of the velocity loop andtherefore increases the stiffness of the actuator. This makes the system better able to attenuateexternal disturbances. However, if this value is too large the system can become very sensitive tonoise and velocity changes and may become unstable. The minimum value for Velocity P gain is 0and the maximum is 10.8.4 Velocity I GainIncreasing the Velocity I gain parameter reduces the steady state error. However, if this valueis too large there will be a large overshoot. The minimum value for Velocity I gain is 0 and themaximum is 1000.8.5 Position P GainIncreasing the Position P gain parameter can increase the bandwidth of the position loop andtherefore speed up the actuator response. However, if this value is too large the actuator mayoscillate. The minimum value for Position P gain is 0 and the maximum is 10.WarningManually modifying the PIP gains is not recommended for users who do not have a significantknowledge of control systems. Incorrect gain values can disable the LC8 controller.When the user is satisfied with the P, I and P gain values the Write to Controller button can beused to send the values to the non-volatile memory of the LC8 controller. Unless this button ispushed any new values for P, I or P will be lost and the original values will continue to be used. Thefunction of this button is password protected so the user will be prompted for a password as soon asthis button is pressed.42

L8C-1-M2E V1.149 Step TestThe purpose of the Step Test page of the HMI is to provide a utility for testing and modifyingthe 117 Absolute, Relative and Torque mode steps stored in the non-volatile memory. The Step Testpage has a graph of actual and predicted velocity, a display of the Step Number output of theCommand I/O port, a real time display of position, velocity and torque for the axis being tested, editboxes for all of the parameters of any step, a Change Data button for sending modifications to theLC8 controller and buttons for all of the digital I/O functions (Start, Home, Pause, Emergency Stopand Reset).9.1 Predicted/Actual Velocity DisplayFigure 35. Step Test PageAt the top of the Step Test page is the Predicted/Actual Velocity display. This display showsthe velocity over time for a position mode step scaled to fit in the window (moves with a very shorttime duration are not shown). In torque mode the window scrolls the velocity display in real time forthe entire duration of the move. In both cases the calculated velocity graph is blue and the actualvelocity graph is red.9.2 Position, Velocity and Torque DisplaysJust below the Predicted/Actual Velocity display are the Position, Velocity and Torque displays.The functions of these displays are identical to the Position, Velocity and Torque displays on theMonitor mode display. Position, Velocity and Torque display the position, velocity and torque for thecurrently selected axis.43

L8C-1-M2E V1.149.3 Step Number, Absolute/Relative, Position, Velocity, Acceleration, Decelerationand Torque Edit BoxesBelow the Position, Velocity and Torque displays are edit boxes for Step Number,Absolute/Relative, Position, Velocity, Acceleration, Deceleration and Torque. Until a Step Number isentered all of the edit boxes except Step Number are disabled. Once a step number is entered thevalues for that step are displayed in the appropriate edit boxes and the boxes are enabled forchanging the values. Whenever the Step number is changed the values are automatically updated.9.3.1 Absolute / RelativePosition moves can be relative to the Home Offset position (Absolute) or relative to theactuator’s position at the start of the move (Relative). The Absolute / Relative value specifies whichtype of position move the step will make and will only accept the letters ‘a’, ‘r’, ‘A’ or ’R’ as inputs.9.3.2 PositionThe ranges for the position values vary depending on whether the step is an Absolute orRelative Position step. The minimum and maximum allowable values for both modes are –10000 mm(-393.7 inches) and 10000 mm (393.7 inches) but the values for position are also checked against thevalues for Positive Soft Limit and Home Offset. Absolute Position values cannot be less than –HomeOffset or greater than Positive Soft Limit. Relative Position values cannot be less than –(Home Offset+ Positive Soft Limit) or greater than (Home Offset + Positive Soft Limit).9.3.3 VelocityThe Velocity value is used for both position and torque mode motion. The minimum value forVelocity is 1 mm/s (0.039 inches/s) and the maximum is 5000 mm/s (196.8 inches/s). Thisparameters maximum value is also limited by the value for Maximum Velocity.9.3.4 AccelerationThe Acceleration value is used for both position and torque mode motion. The minimum valuefor Acceleration is 100 mm/s² (3.94/s² inches) and the maximum is 9800 mm/s² (385.8 inches/s²).This value must also comply with the limits set by Maximum Accel./Decel.9.3.5 DecelerationThe Deceleration value is used only for position mode motion. The minimum value forDeceleration is 100 mm/s² (3.94/s² inches) and the maximum is 9800 mm/s² (385.8 inches/s²). Thisvalue must also comply with the limits set by Maximum Accel./Decel.9.3.6 TorqueTorque mode moves an actuator at a low velocity until it encounters significant resistance andthen applies a specific amount of torque. Torque is specified as a percentage of maximum motortorque and can be either positive or negative, with the sign indicating direction of motion just as itdoes for Position. The minimum value for Torque is ±10% and the maximum value is ±100%.CautionThe Torque value is a percentage of the rated torque for the motor in an SMC actuator of thesame power rating as the LC8 Controller. Not correctly matching the actuator and LC8 Controllerwill cause the amount of torque applied to be different than what is expected. Also, specifying44

L8C-1-M2E V1.1450% torque for a 200 Watt actuator will apply significantly more torque than specifying 50% torquefor a 50 Watt actuator.When a value is entered for Absolute / Relative, Position or Acceleration the mode of the stepmust be position mode so the Torque edit box is disabled (gray). When a value for Torque is enteredAbsolute/Relative, Position and Deceleration are disabled. To change a step from one mode toanother all of the values except Velocity and Acceleration must be cleared to enable the entry of datafor the new mode9.4 The Change Data ButtonTwo things happen when the data in one of the edit boxes is manually changed; the text in theedit box turns red and the Change Data button is enabled. The Change Data button writes the newvalues to the LC8 controller and when the new data has been written the text changes from red toblack and the change data button is disabled. Red text always indicates data that has not beenwritten to the controller.9.5 The Start, Home, Pause, Emergency Stop and Reset ButtonsNext to the Change Data button are the Start, Home, Pause, Emergency Stop and Resetbuttons. These buttons all perform the same functions as the signals on the Command I/O port withsome minor modifications.9.5.1 The Start ButtonThe Start button is not enabled unless a valid step number is in the Step Number edit box andall of the LC8 controllers are in a Set-On state. When it is enabled pressing the Start button willcause only the actuator on the selected axis to perform the step indicated in the Step Number editbox. Pressing Start also releases the Stop button.9.5.2 The Home ButtonThe Home button will cause all actuators to move the Home Position unless an EmergencyStop has been asserted.9.5.3 The Pause ButtonThe Pause button is a push-on/push-off button that causes all moving actuators to execute astop with a deceleration value of 5000 mm/s² when it is activated. When the pause is released theactuators accelerate to target velocity at 5000 mm/s² and finish the step. Torque mode moves stopand restart in this manner if they are moving when the pause is asserted.9.5.4 The Reset ButtonThe Reset button activates all brakes and then disengages all motors. Motion can resumeonly after homing.CautionIf there is no obstacle to that presents enough resistance to achieve target torque the actuator willmove until it reaches either the Positive Soft Limit or Absolute Home Limit and then stop. In thiscondition the Busy signal remains on and prevents any further steps from being Started.However, operation is possible with a Start signal from the Command I/O.45

L8C-1-M2E V1.1410 Cycle TestThe Cycle Test page of the HMI allows the user to test the LC8 controllers by moving back andforth between two Steps. The Step Numbers, interval between moves and number of cycles can becontrolled. The position, velocity and torque for the selected axis are displayed in edit boxes at thebottom of the page.Figure 36. Cycle Test PageIn order to start a test the user must enter values in the First Step, Second Step and CycleInterval edit boxes. Additionally, if the user wants to cycle a fixed number of times the Cycle Timesradio button must be selected and the Number of Cycles edit box must have a value or the CycleIndefinitely radio button must be selected. If these conditions are met and the actuators are in a Set-On state then the Start Test button will be enabled to start motion.The value for First Step and Second Step must be between 1 and Number of Steps or any ofthe 5 palletizing steps (118, 120, 122, 124and 126). The Cycle Interval must be a positive numbergreater than 0 and less than 1000 seconds. The Number of Cycles must be between 1 and 10000.When the Start Test button is pushed the edit boxes become read only and the radio and StartTest buttons are disabled. The actuator(s) move to the as specified in the step data for First Step.After the Busy signal for this step has turned off there is a delay of the amount of time specified inCycle Interval. The Second Step is executed after that followed by another delay. If CycleIndefinitely is selected this cycle repeats until the Stop Test button is pushed. If Cycle Times radiobutton is selected the number in the Number of Cycles edit box decrements and the cycle repeatsuntil this number is zero.The Stop Test button stops the test whether it is cycling indefinitely or a fixed number of times.This button does not have the same function as the Pause or E Stop signal on the digital I/O port. Ifa move has started it will continue to its conclusion.46

L8C-1-M2E V1.14The Reset button activates all brakes and then disengages all motors. Motion can resumeonly after homing.The Home button will cause all actuators to move the Home Position unless an EmergencyStop has been asserted, an alarm or error exists, or the actuator is currently operating.The Position, Velocity and Torque displays are at the bottom of the page. The functions ofthese displays are identical to the Position, Velocity and Torque displays on the Monitor modedisplay. Position, Velocity and Torque display the position, velocity and torque for the currentlyselected axis.47