Festo has introduced the SPC200 32-bit smart servo-pneumatic positioning
controller, which applies true closed-loop positional feedback with
velocity profiling for differential speed and acceleration. Velocity
profiling enables the driven cylinder to move at different speeds in the
same direction for soft start/stop applications. The unit, which achieves
positional accuracy of 0.2mm, features adaptive gain to compensate for
environmental conditions, monitoring cylinder performance and positional
resolution and adjusting for friction, wear and air pressure
fluctuations. Thanks to its parallel processing capability, the SPC200
can be used to control two independent axes or one axis of movement and
an extra function. This gives almost PLC-type performance but in a much
more compact package; for a two-axis system with I/O control, it is also
the better cost option, according to Festo.
2000