Elevating System Accuracy
Such accuracy is possible through the constant measurement of motor currents and voltages, as well as the motor position. The processing unit compares the measured values with calculated values. Based on the results, the processing unit adjusts the pulse-width-modulation (PWM) signal to the motor. And the whole process needs to occur in just a few microseconds to meet the system's accuracy and timing needs.
Innovations in embedded processors and the third-party hardware that supports them will continue to push the boundaries of what's possible in robots. In applications where fractions of a second can make or break system stability, TI enables the sensing, processing, control, and communication necessary to implement and optimize real-time control.
TI's portfolio of those technologies offers power efficiency, performance, and low-latency response times to enable smaller, more reliable real-time control systems.
Multiprotocol Communications
Another tough hurdle encountered by designers is incorporating multiprotocol industrial communication with high electromagnetic compatibility and immunity for reliable operation in factory environments. Multiprotocol industrial Ethernet systems reduce manufacturing costs in the hardware development cycle, since only a single printed circuit board (PCB) needs to be fabricated, thereby also accelerating time-to-market.
These sensors, actuators, single and multiaxis drives, and programmable logic controllers (PLCs) must support industrial Ethernet protocols like EtherCAT, PROFINET, and EtherNet Industrial Protocol (EtherNet/IP), each one exchangeable by loading different software onto the hardware platform. In addition, these devices need to have high EMC immunity.
Driving Motor-Control Designs
To reduce cost and complexity, designers can work with Texas Instruments and its extensive ecosystem of third-party partners that specialize in “ready-to-deploy” hardware components. TI also provides software and design resources that help further streamline development of robotic applications. Such resources include software development kits (SDKs) and cloud-based tools for developing, benchmarking, and deploying artificial-intelligence (AI) models.
TI’s motor-control SDK is a cohesive set of software infrastructure tools and documentation designed to minimize motor-control development time (Fig. 2). The software includes firmware that runs on C2000 motor-control evaluation modules (EVMs) and TI designs (TIDs) that are targeted for industrial drives, robotics, appliances, and automotive applications.
