Tech papers
Member Since 2015
KINGSTAR Soft Motion provides all the benefits of a software solution to motion control in an automatically configured EtherCAT environment with “plug-and-play” compatibility. With the highest quality and performance of pre-integrated and pre-tested motion libraries, KINGSTAR delivers motion control at half the cost of traditional hardware platforms. Deliver Software-Only Motion Control and Positioning Systems Quickly and Affordably KINGSTAR Soft Motion is an open and standards-based, software-only solution that streamlines motor control and automation. Soft Motion runs directly on the PC, uses the NIC card for I/O, and uses the powerful EtherCAT protocol to free you from the shackles of proprietary and costly hardware. With Soft Motion, motion control engineers can design, develop and integrate PC-based machine controllers in a “plug-and-play” environment for consolidated, inexpensive and scalable motion and vision control.
Content Filed Under:
Industry:
Motion Control Component Manufacturing
Motion Control Component Manufacturing
Application:
N/A
KINGSTAR Soft Motion Platform Release Notes
POSTED 04/24/2015
Product Overview
KINGSTAR products are designed for industrial machines requiring motion control and positioning systems. KINGSTAR’s all-software approach sets it apart from other machine control solutions.
Using the EtherCAT standard; the power of Industrial PCs; and the Windows operating system, enhanced by hard real-time software that transforms Windows into a real-time operating system (RTOS), you can create software-only, PC-based machine controllers that lower the costs of industrial machines while delivering better precision and performance.
There are two product lines: KINGSTAR Soft Motion and KINGSTAR EtherCAT.
KINGSTAR Soft Motion replaces costly motion control boards such as those from ACS Motion, Aerotech, Galil and others. KINGSTAR Soft Motion also supports CANOpen over EtherCAT further lowering the total costs.
KINGSTAR EtherCAT exposes the real-time interface that allows customers to integrate their own motion control algorithms or software. This solution is for customers that want to use CANopen over EtherCAT, but develop their own motion controller.
New Features and Resolved Issues
KINGSTAR Soft Motion
- An installer is now available to install all necessary KINGSTAR Soft Motion components [KS-129]
- Provides a Windows C/C++ interface for KINGSTAR Soft Motion functionality [KS-161]
- Provides Control mode support for applications that do their own interpolation [KS-171]
- Provides functionality to enable users to switch between CSV and CST at runtime [KS-164]
- Provides an API to set a torque output [KS-164]
- Provides the ability for users to re-order the axes using an alias number for each axis, these aliases replace the axis index in all APIs [KS-172]
- All Windows interfaces can start and stop the RTX64 subsystem when starting and stopping the application [KS-176]
-
Samples [KS-165]
- RtxInterface sample shows how to integrate KINGSTAR Soft Motion in an existing RTX64 application
- Win32Interface sample shows simple point to point and I/O control using the new Windows C/C++ interface in an MFC application
- NetApiInterface sample shows simple point to point I/O control using the API interface for .NET NetClassInterface sample shows simple point to point and I/O control using the Class interface for .NET
- DirectPosition sample shows how to make an application with its own interpolation in RTX64 and link it to a Windows MFC user interface.
- Added a Backup Motion status check in CSP mode for drives that do not support the InTarget signal [KS-180]
- Typo correction for the WriteSdoObject API. Using the previous incorrect name will still work [KS-179]
- Removed “IO Control Mode” to be replaced in the future with PLC functionality [KS-177]
- Removed “Step Response” function that has been replaced by a full logging API [KS-178]
KINGSTAR EtherCAT
- An installer is now available to install all necessary KINGSTAR EtherCAT components [KS-129]
- Added support for Beckhoff EL7047 Stepper motor [KS-166]
- Added support for NCCU (National Taiwan Central University) IO module [KS-174]
- Added support for Omron remote IO modules [KS-175]
- The RtEcatSetMOP function now adds the Mode of Operation Display (0x6061) variable to the PDO [KS-164]
- The torque variable types have been changed to short to match the type in the drives [KS-164]
- The link to the RT-TCP/IP stack is now fully in the filter driver. It is now possible to kill your KINGSTAR application without causing a system hang [KS-173]
- Added revision number checking to the KINGSTAR auto-configuration to support new versions of ICPDAS and Syn-Tek devices [KS-160]
Availability
KINGSTAR 2.5 Soft Motion and EtherCAT are available beginning March 14, 2016 through Partners and by contacting Sales. Evaluation Downloads can also be requested here.
We look forward to comments and feedback. If you have any recommendations or wish to suggest any product enhancements, please contact Product Management.