industrial//industrial automation//motion control

Controlling several axes so that they behave as **one coordinated mechanical system**, not as independent motors A, B and C. For a tool to follow a curve, X(t), Y(t) and Z(t) must be synchronized with great precision; CNC machines and multi-axis robots live here.

Controlling several axes so that they behave as one coordinated mechanical system, not as independent motors A, B and C. For a tool to follow a curve, X(t), Y(t) and Z(t) must be synchronized with great precision; CNC machines and multi-axis robots live here.

It is the most demanding timing regime in the plant: not just fast, but synchronized to the microsecond across nodes. That is why networks built for motion, above all EtherCAT, are described as hyper-deterministic, and why PLC scan cycles of milliseconds are not enough on their own.

Each axis is closed by a servo drive (drive); the motion controller distributes setpoints to all of them on a common clock. A robot controller is a motion controller specialized for an arm.