Operation
Theory of Operation
MagneMover LITE User Manual
9
Rockwell Automation Publication MMI-UM002E-EN-P - March 2016
If both propulsion power and logic power to the transport system are removed there is no
tracking of vehicles being provided. Once power is restored the transport system must be
restarted, which will detect all vehicles at their current locations.
If propulsion power to the transport system is removed while logic power is maintained and a
vehicle is moved manually, its position will be tracked by the transport system unless the cen-
ter of the magnet array on the vehicle crosses a motor boundary (moves off the end of a
motor), which will generate an Unlocated Vehicle Fault. Vehicles that have crossed a motor
boundary will be shown as having lost signal (Vehicle Signal = 0) when monitoring vehicle
status through the Host Communication Protocols (refer to either the
Host Controller TCP/IP
Communication Protocol User’s Manual
, the
Host Controller EtherNet/IP Communication
Protocol User’s Manual
, or the
Mitsubishi PLC TCP/IP Library User’s Manual
).
A vehicle that has been manually moved, bumped, or dislodged, and lost its signal, is able to
re-acquire its signal once manually relocated to within approximately 25 mm of its original
position as measured from the center of the vehicle. On return of the propulsion power, the
vehicle will not be able to move unless it had been returned to the same section of the motor
where it was located when the power was shut off. In this case, the vehicle will be shown as
having signal (Vehicle Signal = 1) but it will also show as Suspect. Vehicles that are identified
as Suspect require a restart of the Path where they are located to clear the Suspect bit. In some
cases the vehicle can be commanded, but it will continue to show as Suspect.
If both propulsion power and logic power are maintained and a vehicle is moved manually, the
motor will resist the vehicle’s movement. Once the vehicle is released it will snap back to its
original position if it has not been moved vary far (less than 25 mm) unless the center of the
magnet array on the vehicle crosses a motor boundary.
Vehicles that have been moved too far can be recovered by deleting the moved vehicles and
restarting the section of the transport system where they are located to detect them.
WARNING
Crush Hazard
Moving mechanisms have no obstruction sensors.
Do not attempt to manually move any vehicles while propul-
sion power is supplied to the transport system or personal
injury could result in the squeezing or compression of fin-
gers, hands, or other body parts between moving mecha-
nisms.