Power Transmission Engineering Magazine
www.powertransmission.com/articles/3611

Motion Logic Controller Lowers Costs and Simplifies Integration

October 6, 2010

The Bosch Rexroth MLC motion logic controller with Version 10 firmware is based on a one-gigahertz PAC controls platform that provides high-performance motion logic and robotics capabilities. Rexroth's most advanced platform supports real-time Ethernet communication on Ethernet platforms, including SERCOS III, Ethernet IP and ProfiNet for interfacing with connecting controls, drives, I/Os, safety, HMI, web and machine-to-machine synchronization, which helps to lower the controls cost and simplify integration for OEMs, systems integrators and end users. The MLC motion control has a free web-based service and engineering tool for easy access using a web browser to access the system data, and also has configuration tools for maintenance and commissioning. The system status and diagnosis of control hardware, drives and communication interfaces can all be viewed. The parameter editor, PLC variables and electronic name plate data is also available.

The MLC uses the IndraLogic 2G PLC editor that offers several enhancements: new visualization concept for testing and monitoring functions, object-oriented programming in project structure, new data types, new operators and variables. IndraLogic 2G also supports standard IEC 61131-3 program languages such as: Function Block Diagrams (FBD), Ladder Diagrams (LD), Instruction Lists (IL), Sequential Function Chart (SFC), and Structured Text (ST). Suitable for the most sophisticated packaging and high-speed robotics applications, the Rexroth MLC powerful processor allows for control of up to 16 robotic kinematics concurrently, and up to 64 axes of motion and logic on a single controller. The latest Version 10 firmware also provides advanced Flex Profile camming capabilities to help reduce engineering time and provide automatic cycle time optimization of machines and entire packaging lines. With Flex Profile, cams can be multi-segmented and cycle times can be automatically optimized for velocity, acceleration, position or time to avoid having to rebuild cams each time a parameter changes. Flex Profile provides masters as an axis, as a specific time, or a combination of both. By changing values in the segments, the profile can be automatically modified to accommodate any changes in products. The MLC 10 can generate PLC function blocks for online creation of FlexProfiles, CAM preview with several axes simultaneously and provide definition of FlexProfile events.