Robot Controllers and Anybus technology

An industrial robot is normally an integrated cell of a large automation system. Communications capabilities are essential for its function in manufacturing applications. Two types of networks are normally required:

1. A network that connects the robot to a supervisory control system, normally a PLC system. The robot controller is one of many devices controlled by the PLC and the robot is normally as “slave” on this network. These networks are normally Profibus, ControlNet, EtherNet/IP or Profinet.

2. The robot cell itself is a small automation system with I/O, feeders, conveyors etc. These devices need to be controlled by the robot and the robot controller is normally a “master” in this network. The popular networks for these applications are DeviceNet, Profibus and AS-Interface, which provide quick update times of data as well as low installation costs.

The robot controller needs two communication systems, one “uplink” to a PLC and one “downlink” to its own I/O and local devices.

Three categories of Embedded Anybus products are suitable for Robot Controller applications:

Anybus-CompactCom
HMS' latest product development is a high functionally but low-cost embedded unit that integrate the complete communication technology, hardware and software, into a compact unit. The Anybus-CompactCom interchangeability gives manufactures of Robot controllers maximum flexibility and after one “design in” their product can support all major networks. Read more

Anybus-S (Slave) / Anybus-M (Master)
The Anybus-S and Anybus-M family of interchangeable communications cards are designed to allow one design to use either Slave or Master communications, something that is very useful in robot applications. Several leading Robot manufactures actually have designed in two slots for Anybus-Slave/Master, giving their customers the freedom to select almost any Fieldbus or Industrial Ethernet to provide uplink and downlink communications. Read more

Anybus-PCI
The Anybus-PCI cards are built on the Anybus-S and Anybus-M family of interchangeable communications cards, but formatted to fit a standard PCI slot, a common platform for robot controllers.

Even if many PC based Robot Controllers has a built in Ethernet port HMS successfully sells our PCI-card with a co-processor handling the entire Ethernet protocol (like Profinet, EtherNet/IP or Modbus-TCP). This off-loads the PC not to be burden with running a large protocol stack, thus enabling maximum performance for the robot application. Read more