Introduction
Transport System Components Overview
Node Controller Hardware User Manual
21
Rockwell Automation Publication MMI-UM013B-EN-P - April 2020
Transport System Components Overview
This section identifies the components of a MagneMotion transport system as shown in
and described after the figure.
Figure 1-1: Simplified View of the MagneMotion Transport System Components
•
DC Power Cables and Communication Cables
– Distributes DC power to the
motors and carries communications between the components of the transport system.
•
High-Level Controller
(HLC) – Software application that is enabled on one node
controller. This application handles all communication with the user-supplied host
controller and directs communication as appropriate to individual node controllers.
•
Host Controller
– Provides user control and monitoring of the MagneMotion trans-
port system. User-supplied, it can be either PC-based or a PLC.
•
Motor
– Refers to a MagneMotion linear synchronous motor (LSM).
•
Network
– Ethernet network providing communications (TCP/IP or EtherNet/IP
™
)
between the host controller and the HLC (TCP/IP is used between node controllers).
•
Node Controller
(NC) – Coordinates motor operations and communicates with the
HLC. Three types of node controllers are available:
•
NC-12
(not shown) – Provides one network port, two RS-232 ports, 12 RS-422
ports, 16 digital inputs, and 16 digital outputs.
•
NC LITE
– Provides one network port and four RS-422 ports.
•
NC-E
(not shown) – Provides one active network port, four digital inputs, and
four digital outputs. For Ethernet motor communications only.
•
NC-S
(not shown) – Provides one active network port and eight RS-422 ports.
•
Power Supply
– Provides DC power to the motors.
•
Vehicle with Magnet Array
– Carries a payload through the MagneMotion transport
system as directed. The magnet array is mounted to the vehicle and interacts with the
motors, which moves each vehicle independently.
Host Controller
(PLC or PC)
DC Power Cables
Power Supply
Motors
Vehicles
Motor Communication Cables
Node Controller
(and High-Level Controller)
Network
(Ethernet)
