An Approach to Motion Control Applications Based on Advanced Programmable Devices

In this article a methodology for constructing a simple servo loop for motion control applications which is suitable for educational applications is presented. The entire hardware implementation is demonstrated, focusing on a microcontroller-based (μC) servo amplifier and a field programmable gate array-digital signal processor (FPGA-DSP) motion controller. A novel hybrid architecture-based digital stage is featured providing a low-cost servo drive and a high performance controller, which can be used as a basis for an industrial application. Communication between the computer and the controller is exploited in this project in order to perform a simultaneous adaptive servo tuning. The USB protocol has been put into operation in the user front-end because a high speed sampling frequency is required for the PC to acquire position feedback signals. A software interface is developed using educational software, enabling features not only limited to a motion profile but also the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) topology of the system. A classical proportional-integral-derivative controller (PID) is programmed on a DSP in order to ensure a proper tracking of the reference at both low and high speeds in a d.c. motor. Furthermore, certain blocks are embedded on an FPGA. As a result, three of the most important technologies in signal processing are featured, permitting engineering students to understand several concepts covered in theoretical courses.