Parker launches CANbus interface option for all latest-generation intelligent stepper drives

Parker launches CANbus interface option for all latest-generation intelligent stepper drives

Keywords: Motor engineering, Parker Hannifin

Parker Hannifin's Electromechanical Division has launched a CANbus interface option for all its latest-generation intelligent stepper drive products. The interface enables machine builders to employ a low-cost, high-speed serial communications bus, based on a simple twisted-pair wiring scheme, to link all the various motion control elements in automation equipment. Parker is making the interface available as a built-in networking option for the intelligent versions of its DIN rail mounting stepper drive system, the PDFX range of ministepper packages, and the new XL Series of low-cost OEM stepper drives (see Plate 12).

Parker's implementation of CANbus supports the popular CANopen protocol,which has emerged as the dominant Fieldbus protocol for motion control applications in Europe. The interface can handle data rates of up to 1m baud,offering about 35 times more bandwidth than a conventional RS485 serial communications interface running at 19k baud.

 Plate 12 Parker EMD has launched a CANbus interface option for all its latest generation stepper drive products. It is available on the intelligent versions of Parker's DIN rail mounting stepper drive system, the PDFX range of ministeppers, and the new XL series of OEM stepper drives

The bus can support up to 110 nodes, at distances of up to 500m. CANopen is particularly advantageous for system designers wishing to operate a mix of stepper and servo drives on the same communications bus, enabling a common set of control messages to be used – even if the drives are from different vendors. This simplifies programming and provides a very flexible means of adding additional devices such as sensors, proximity switches, man-machine interfaces and I/O modules.

Parker's CANbus interface enables commands to be sent to the drive's built-in indexer, using some of the objects specified in the DS301 and DS402 CANopen standards. Additional objects allow users to take advantage of the more advanced features of the indexer, such as registration, while basic motion can be achieved using objects from the DS402 dictionary. All objects are accessible via a single service data object (SDO).

Furthermore, a subset of the object dictionary can be accessed using process data objects (PDOs), and there are two available for receive and two for transmit. PDOs provide a very efficient communication tool; for example, an event such as an input changing state can be automatically reported using a transmit PDO. Mapping of the object data within the PDO also allows multiple data exchange within a single message, to improve transfer rates.

For further information please contact Sharon Beale, Sales Co-ordinator,Parker Hannifin plc, Electromechanical Division, Balena Close, Poole, Dorset BH17 7DX, UK. Tel: +44(0)1202 699000; Fax: +44 (0)1202 695750; E-mail: sales@parker-emd.com