All-digital ViX servo drive platform
Parker EMD says its new all-digital ViX servo drive platform sets a
radically new price/performance standard in the low-to-medium power
market. Certainly, a glance at the spec for this diminutive box of tricks
lends much credence to the company's claim. Housed in an enclosure
measuring just 125x42x85mm, ViX can be panel or DIN rail mounted, and
fully tuned in just 15 minutes, according to Parker, thanks to the
well-structured auto-configuration software supplied with the drive.
The software makes use of wizards, context-sensitive help and pull-down
menus, to present a clear and unambiguous user interface. When the drive
is used with a Parker servomotor, the entire configuration is defined by
simply selecting the motor model from one of the menus; all set-up
information is automatically retrieved from a database. The user only has
to enter the minimum and maximum load inertia to ensure stable operation.
And if you prefer to use servomotors from other suppliers, there's an
auto-correction algorithm in the software that will actually compensate
for any misconnection.
Exploiting DSP chip technology developed by the automotive industry, the
new platform offers a choice of continuously rated outputs: 2.5A and 5A.
Both versions accommodate motor bus voltages of up to 80V and have a peak
current capability that is three times the continuous rating, thanks to a
50 microsecond current loop control algorithm. This has a big impact on
dynamic performance. When used with a Parker BE163 high-performance
brushless servomotor, for example, the ViX500 drive will accelerate the
motor to 5000rpm and back to rest in just 6ms.
ViX drives are the first in a series of new offerings from Parker EMD,
who plans to release a number of associated products, including other
servo drives, stepper drives, power supplies, operator panels and I/O
expansion units.