Configuring the linear conveyor

A linear conveyor is represented in the channel by a spindle axis. A distinction must be made here as to whether the linear conveyor is controlled by the CNC or by an external source.

• When the linear conveyor is controlled by the CNC, the axis must be configured to match the drive used.
• If the linear feeder is controlled externally, the spindle axis must be configured as a pure encoder axis using P-AXIS-00015

In both variants, the path resolution must be correctly parameterised using P-AXIS-00511 and P-AXIS-00512 so that the CNC can determine the subsequent workpiece position on the linear conveyor. The axis must then be parameterised as a linear conveyor axis using P-AXIS-00708.

The spindle axis must still be identified in the channel as a conveyor axis together by its logical axis number using P-CHAN-00362. The parameter P-CHAN-00363 is used to specify the conveying direction.

Checking the linear conveyor configuration

Finally, a check is made to ensure that the linear conveyor is correctly represented by the spindle axis. This is done by either starting the linear conveyor externally or using the PLCopen commands MC_MoveVelocity or MC_MoveAbsolute and acquiring the velocity and position display variables of the axis.

This data is available via the Velocities of an axis and lr_state.current_position_acs_r control units.

After the spindle axis is verified, one option is to then configure the filter parameters for the spindle axis. To determine the correct filter values, they can be varied in an NC program using the #MACHINE DATA command and the display signals of the unfiltered and filtered conveyor positions, velocities and accelerations can be acquired.