Aerotech's new MotionPAC combines an IEC61131-3 PLC and advanced motion - in one single control solution

Aerotech's new A3200 MotionPAC PLC brings sophisticated machine control to advanced multi-axis motion control in a single development environment that can include IEC61131-3, PLCopen, .NET, AeroBasic™, G-code and many other programming languages. With easy to use diagnostics, debugging and I/O mapping tools plus automatic memory management and offline program simulation, MotionPAC also features common tags and variables across all languages with its unique Global Tag Database – for advanced motion and automation systems these features combine for greatly simplified commissioning and reduce machine development timescales by as much as 30% to 50%. The new MotionPAC PLC is a part of Aerotech's Motion Composer development environment for the PC-based A3200 multi-axis motion controller. This 32-axis Windows® software based motion and machine controller has optional modules for HMI, Vision, and I/O as well as many other advanced functions that may be combined with MotionPAC through the easy to use Motion Composer GUI. These functions encompass configuration, status and diagnostics tools, library files and controller level algorithms that reduce move and settling times, eliminate machine resonance, increase contour speeds and accuracy, improve in-position stability and offer many more dedicated functions for increased throughput and improved dynamic performance. For the first time, these advanced functions have been combined with an IEC61131-3 compliant PLC that can also be entirely programmed with .NET - for levels of flexibility not previously available in one single motion and machine control solution. MotionPAC and its close integration with the A3200 allows machine I/O events to be completely synchronised with advanced motion using industry standard IEC61131-3 and PLCopen formats that include LD, FBD and ST. Users may also choose or combine .NET or AeroBasic to command motion or I/O and create shared tags and variables that are available and referenced by name in all of the A3200 'Motion Composer' tools and other programming languages.