October 25, 2017 - Aerotech’s HEX RC is a 6-axis motion controller ideal for controlling robotic systems like hexapods. The HEX RC is 4U rack-mountable and compatible with the Automation 3200 (A3200) motion platform. A processor provides the computing power needed to run up to 32 axes, perform complex, synchronized motion trajectories, manipulate I/O, and collect data at high speeds.
The HEX RC features 6-axes of drives capable of controlling any combination of brush, brushless, or stepper motors. It digitally performs both current loop and servo loop closures to ensure positioning accuracy and performance. The HEX RC connects and controls up to 26 additional axes of servo, stepper, or piezo-driven stages using the A3200 distributed control architecture.
The HEX RC is designed with an ASCII command interface over TCP/IP for control in applications such as beamlines. Alternatively, it can act as a master controller to control other A3200 external drives via the FireWire interface.
The HEX RC accepts amplified-sine or digital encoders. Optional integrated encoder multipliers, up to X4096, ensure positioning.
An optional 6-axis jog pendant permits easy, manual control of the positioning system. In safety critical applications, an emergency stop option with redundant safety relays can be added.
Aerotech’s A3200 focuses on ease of use for the programmer, and providing the flexibility to use the tools or controller most familiar to programmers. A complete Integrated Development Environment and a comprehensive .NET motion library provide classes for motion, I/O, status, and diagnostic information. You can program in Visual Studio and use the .NET library, or use the Motion Composer (IDE) to develop code with AeroBasic commands or G code.
A LabVIEW VI library is available for NI users, while a complete C library is available for those using Visual Basic, C++, or C.
