PCI card for distributed motion control applications

Paul Boughton

Performance Motion Devices is launching a new member of the Prodigy family of motion cards, the Prodigy/CME PCI card. Just like PMD's PC/104 and standalone card options, the new programmable PCI card provides machine designers with the ability to download and run motion programs directly on the cards. This new capability reduces the load on the PC host and increases the flexibility to distribute motion programs throughout the machine.

The Prodigy/CME PCI card is suitable for demanding scientific, automation, industrial and robotic applications. These motion control cards support multiple motor types, including brushed and brushless DC types, microstepping and stepping motors. Prodigy/CME PCI cards are available in one-, two-, three- and four-axis versions. PMD's development software ships with each card, and includes Pro-Motion GUI, C-Motion API and VB-Motion.

Programming is said to be easy with C-Motion, a source code library of motion commands for development of C/C++ programs that run on the Prodigy Motion Cards. PMD's C-Motion Engine stores and runs independently the downloaded motion control code on the Prodigy Motion Cards.

Based on PMD's Magellan Motion Processor, the Prodigy cards provide user-selectable profile modes including S-curve, trapezoidal, velocity contouring and electronic gearing. Servo loop compensation utilises a full 32-bit position error PID with velocity and acceleration feedforward, integration limit and dual biquad filters for sophisticated control of complex loads. Prodigy Motion Cards come with serial, CAN and Ethernet communications options. The new motion cards are available in OEM quantities starting at $575.

For more information, visit www.pmdcorp.com

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