Chapter 5
Configure Camming
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Rockwell Automation Publication MOTION-UM002F-EN-P - February 2018
A time cam profile functions similarly to a cam drum driven by a constant speed
motor. A time cam profile is also defined by using a table of points. However, with
the time cam profile, the table contains the following information:
•
An array of master axis time values
•
An array of slave axis position values
The master axis time values correspond to slave axis position value. When the
master axis reaches a specific point in time, the slave axis moves to a specific
position as configured in the cam profile.
Time cam profiles are used with Motion Axis Time Cam (MATC) instructions.
Upon execution of this instruction, the slave axis is synchronized with the master
axis.
See the
Logix 5000 Controllers Motion Instructions Reference Manual
for more information on how to configure the
position cam profile in an MATC instruction.
Linear and Cubic Interpolation
Time cams are fully interpolated. This means that if the current master time value
does not correspond exactly with a point in the cam table associated with the cam
profile, the slave axis position is determined by linear or cubic interpolation
between the adjacent points. In this way, the smoothest possible slave motion is
provided. Each point in the cam array that was used to generate the time cam
profile can be configured for linear or cubic interpolation. Electronic camming
remains active through any subsequent execution of jog, or move processes for the
slave axis. This allows electronic camming motions to be superimposed with jog, or
move profiles to create complex motion and synchronization.
See also
You can use a Motion Calculate Cam Profile (MCCP) instruction to calculate a
cam profile based on an array of cam points. You can establish an array of cam
points programmatically or by using the Logix Designer software Cam Profile
Editor. Each cam point in the cam array consists of a slave position value, a master
position (position cam) or time (time cam) value, and an interpolation type (linear
or cubic). An MAPC or MATC instruction can use the resulting cam profile to
govern the motion of a slave axis according to master position or time.
See also
Time Cam Profile
Calculate a Cam Profile