Glossary
All relevant explanations of terms used in stepper motor power transmission technology can be found summarized in our glossary. Please use our new Search function to find the result more quickly.
A
(21 Entries )
Part of a control or monitoring device with a closed action path. Here feedback signals are compared with a reference variable until a specified value is reached.
Graphic programming language in accordance with IEC 1131-3 or DIN EN 61131-3 for the structuring of PLC user programs for sequential controls.
In sequential controls the control process is subdivided into individual steps that are processed one after the other according to a plan/program stored in the control device.
Adaptive control constraint - closed-loop limit value control in AC. In the case of numerically controlled machine tools, for example, a change can be automatically carried out by the ACC feed rate and spindle speed independent of the specified machining program in such a way that the machining process is actuated with the maximum possible cutting force or cutting power.
Adaptronics is an interdisciplinary technology where the materials are used both as actuator and also as a sensor. The materials convert electrical, thermal and magnetic energy into mechanical energy and can also perform the reverse process so the active materials react to deformations, vibrations and noise.
Character string for marking a memory space or of a memory range where data can be stored and repeated or, as in numerical controls, for example, a symbol for identifying a functional unit for the geometrical or technological data following the symbol.
In electrical engineering these are conductors and conductive parts of machinery that have voltage applied to them and are grounded under normal operating conditions.
In control engineering actors (often also called actuators) denote the converter-related counterparts to sensors and form the control element in a control loop.
Functional unit that converts an analog signal into a digital signal.
Signal whose information parameter can take any number of values within technically-related limits. They have a theoretically infinitely high resolution. Practically, however, it is limited to a range of 1 to 104. In addition, the long-term storage and the allocation cause a high number of great problems. Digital signals are mainly used, therefore, in modern automation technology.
Application Programming Interface; interface via which applications can communicate with other applications or with the operating system.
Viewed from a technical aspect: Appliance, device, machine, tool, mechanism. Especially in the sense of the Electromagnetic Compatibility Act, an apparatus is an end product with an autonomous function, an own housing and, if necessary, interfaces and connections for the functional and supply-related integration in its application environment.
Application layer (layer 7 of the OSI reference model)
Real time capable field bus for industrial high-speed applications, especially for the networking of intelligent units.
American Standard Code for Information Interchange; i.e. American standard code for data transmission in use worldwide where numerals, letters, special characters and device control characters are shown as 7-bit binary combinations.
Actuator-sensor interface: Bus system for the lowest automation layer. Enables the simple connection of sensors, actuators and integrated systems on the first control layer.
Application Specific Integrated Circuit
Mnemonic language (assembler language) where the machine commands of a process are expressed as mnemonics, i.e. by easily remembered abbreviations made up of alphanumeric characters.
Measure of the failure mode of viewing units of particular interest in components in conjunction with reliability considerations. The percentage of failures per time unit, in terms of the total number of a viewed quantity, is designated as the failure rate.
Operating mode in which an object (device, machine, plant) works automatically without human intervention after a start signal is issued according to a specified program.
Application of technical media with whose help working appliances carry out certain operations in part or wholly according to specified programs without the influence of human beings.
B
(11 Entries )
Multilayer printed circuit board with data, signal and utility lines as well as slots for holding plug-in units on the rear panel of electronic devices.
Path controls in machine tools can drive two or more axes in functional dependence so that the relative movement proceeds with constant speed along a programmed, flat or spatial curve of any shape between tool and workpiece.
Generally the difference between the largest and smallest frequency in a continuous range. Bandwidth of a device: Width of the frequency band within which the specified characteristics of a device or transmission channel, e.g. the amplitude frequency characteristics, deviate from the specified reference values by no more than the admissible tolerances
Measure of the number of symbols transmitted per second. Also designated as symbol rate, symbol speed or step speed.
To allow the stepper motor to turn at a frequency higher than the start/stop frequency, it must accelerated via a frequency ramp. The frequency cyclically increases by the value of the acceleration. If the acceleration is too high, the stepper motor can no longer overcome the moment of inertia and loses steps. The stopping process is carried out with the same frequency ramp.
From the perspective of electrical engineering this includes all parts that are used for the generation, handling and application of electrical energy (e.g. conductors, cables, switches, motors, generators, lighting facilities).
Intelligent complex motion guidance of multi-axle systems such as robots and machine tools. Modern motion controls integrate control and drive functionality in a single system.
Signal whose information parameter can only take two values (low/high or 0/1).
Number of bits that are transmitted in one time unit. Measure of the transmission speed of binary data. Unit: Bit/s or bps or multiples thereof.
Wireless technology that enables wireless communication within limited ranges.
C
(15 Entries )
A version of the programming language C extended by object-oriented programming options.
Background memory, also called cache or non addressable memory or high-speed buffer memory, that relieves the high-speed main memory of a computer.
Computer aided design.
Computer Aided Engineering; computer-aided planning, construction, development and project planning.
Computer Aided Manufacturing.
Controller Area Network; serial bus system, motor industry, industrial control devices, construction in accordance with ISO 11898; bus medium: twisted wire pair. Good transmission characteristics in short range less than 40 m at a data transmission rate of 1 Mbit/s. Maximum number of participants: theoretically unlimited, in practice up to 64.
A standardized profile family for communication between devices that are interoperable in distributed industrial automation systems on the basis of CAN.
Communaute Europeenne; European community, see also CE marking.
The marking of a product. It consists of the letters CE and indicates compliance with all EU directives by which the marked product is covered.
Computer-Integrated Manufacturing; the objective consists of networking all areas and processes of a company's processes.
Control and Information Protocol
A workstation connected to the network, e.g. a PC, which uses the services of a server. The client sends inquiries of the user to the server in a special protocol, accepts its replies and presents them in a readable form for the user on the screen.
Component Object Model; a Windows based technology
Program that translates a text from a language source (usually a high level language) into the text of a target language (e.g. machine language, machine code).
Contactless Power System; contactless energy transmission system
D
(18 Entries )
Direct Drive Rotary Motors; direct drive rotary motors or torque motors
Simple Can-based communication system for the networking of industrial automation means (limit value monitor, photosensors, motor starters, frequency-controlled drives, operating terminals etc. with superordinate control devices.
Decentralized drive technology
Unlike central drive technology, only the supply and, if necessary, parts of a central controller are accommodated here in a switch cabinet in multi-motor drive systems whereas all other functional units such as inverters and closed-loop controllers are arranged in the individual motors or directly on the motors directly on site. They are supplied by an energy and a control bus. This concept is particularly favorable in larger or spacious distributed machines and systems. It also offers particular advantages in connection with the modular construction of machines.
Numbering system with the numerical base B = 10 and for the decimal number Z = three thousand seven hundred and nine, for example, the familiar notation of Z = 3*103 + 7*102 + 0*101 + 9*100 or Z = 3709.
Functional unit that converts a digital signal into an analog signal.
A digital signal has several information parameters, e.g. 8, 16, 32 or 64, that are provided in chronological succession in the case of serial signals and parallel in time in the case of parallel signals.
In direct drive solutions the rotatory or linear motor components (torque motors, DDR motors, linear motors) are an integrative component of the mechanisms and machines to be driven.
The address part of the machine command represents the storage address for data to be fetched or stored.
Dynamic Link Library
Dynamic RAM; memory chips where capacitors are used as memory elements. They must be continuously refreshed (several thousand times per second) in order to retain the charge.
These are three-phase AC asynchronous motors with cage rotors that are designed for continuous standstill operation. That is to say, they are thermally rated in such a way that they can remain permanently active with static shaft below nominal voltage and develop their greatest torque at the same time.
These are small electromechanical precision devices which convert the angular position of a mechanical shaft to which they are coupled into electrically evaluable coded data. They are also known by the names angle sensors, angle transmitters and angle encoders.
These are direct current (DC) or AC operated electromagnetic control elements with and without return spring with limited angular movement (max. 95º).
See Torque motors.
Encoders for the display and monitoring of the speed, speed differences and also the standstill of motors, drive shafts as well as rotating parts. When certain speeds are reached they close or open contacts that are integrated in alarm systems or sequential controls, for example, via a centrifugal switching system.
Digital Signal Processor; digital signal processor; processor that is optimized to processing special mathematical functions as fast as possible, in particular the complex algorithms of analog signal processing such as fast Fourier transformation, for example.
Direct Torque Control; It allows the closed-loop control of the speed and torque in inverter fed three-phase AC drives.
Numbering system with the numerical base B = 2 and the two digits Zi ? {o, 1}. The value Z of a binary number is generally specified by the following relationship and the value of any sequence of binary digits, e.g. 110101 is interpreted as follows: Z = 1*25 + 1*24 + 0*23 + 1*22 + 0*21 +1*20.
E
(25 Entries )
Electronically Commutated Motors.
A system works in real time or is real time-capable if it records input variables (e.g. signals, data) in a defined period of time, processes and provides the results at the right time for a partner system or the system environment.
Real-time systems have the characteristic of reacting reliably to an external stimulus within a specified time period (in real-time).
Class 1 includes all facilities and systems where relatively slow time uncritical processes run that manage with reaction times roughly between 0, 1 and 10 s in regard to the integrated communication systems...
Systems which reply in a defined way to an external event within a specified time period. Speed is not necessarily a priority here.
Statement from a supplier which declares, under sole responsibility, that a product, procedure or a service complies with a specific European standard.
The single step time is de?ned as the time period between the application of the first pulse and the point in time at which the motor shaft continues to turn by the first step angle ?. The single step time depends on the ratio of the torque to the moment of inertia and the type of drive.
Protection class of explosion-proof electrical machinery. It is reached in the course of selecting this machinery by limiting the energy in intrinsically safe circuits, i.e. due to limitations of the current and voltage values. This ensures that no incendiary sparks are caused, even in the case of short circuit. As the intrinsic safety can be affected by electromagnetic interference, i.e. through the inadvertent coupling of electrical interference energy, special significance is given to the EMC-conform design of intrinsically safe circuits.
Single-phase asynchronous motors
are electric motors of lower and minimum power for operation on the AC mains power supply. As in the single-phase asynchronous motors, the stator development consists of a main and an auxiliary winding. The latter is excited from the grid in order to generate a rotary field via a capacitor or it is designed as a shaded pole winding.
Settling time is the name given to the time that passes between the arrival of the last pulse up to the point in time at which the motor comes to a standstill after the damped vibrations have faded.
Protection against hazard from electricity. Electrical and electronic assemblies, components, devices, machines, equipment and facilities must ensure hazard-free operation for the user or operator in accordance with the applicable safety instructions and standards.
An image of the existing angular difference. In more recent times the name „Electrical shaft“ can also be found for drive systems where two or several axes are guided and angularly aligned via electronic closed-loop controls.
Electromagnetic compatibility or EMC is the ability of machinery to work satisfactorily in its electromagnetic environment without itself causing electromagnetic interference that would be unacceptable for other machinery working in the same environment.
are electromechanical energy converters that can work as motors and generators, i.e. driving and braking. Both of these options are used in practice. As electrical supply systems, different voltage, frequency and number of phases exist (DC or direct current, AC or alternating current and three-phase AC systems), on the one hand, and that the mechanical energy in regard to its parameters (speed, torque, force, speed) must be provided in many forms, on the other hand, there is a large number different versions.
Small handwheel built into the control panel of CNC-controlled machine tools with which each axis in the „Setup“ operation mode can be manually adjusted via the control electronics as was usual formerly with mechanical handwheels. Such „electronic adjustment wheels“ are special incremental encoders that are designed for installation in operating panels or in transportable units.
Electro Magnetic Compatibility.
Reproduction of the behavior of a device.
Coders, encryptors; In information technology an encoder is a hardware or software based system (program) for the conversion of data in order to bring a certain quantity of information, for example, more quickly over a slow transport route.
Erasable PROM, (with ultraviolet light) fully erasable PROM.
Conductor that connects the bodies to machinery to be grounded with grounding equipment or several pieces of grounding equipment among one another provided this conductor is laid insulated in the ground or externally to it.
Electrostatic Discharge; correct: discharge of static electricity. process of the charge balancing between solid, fluid or gaseous media that have different electrostatic charges.
Baseband bus system from RANK XEROX originally developed for the connection of minicomputers at the beginning of the 1970s.
Special arrangements must be taken to ensure explosion protection in technological systems and areas (rooms or open-air areas) where gases, vapors, mists or dusts can form explosive mixtures with air, especially the chemical and petrochemical industry.
F
(18 Entries )
Factory Automation; Automation market segment which is assigned to the application areas of the automobile industry, electrical industry, machine and plant construction, mounting/robotics, transport, material handling.
Application-oriented language that is customized to a restricted specialist area and in which the application is made easier for the user through the use of specialist area-specific definitions and symbols.
Failsafe technology; technology for the avoidance of hazards. An object under consideration (device, system, plant) shows fail-safe behavior if it remains in a safe condition or goes into a safe condition when an internal error occurs.
Ethernet with a speed of 100 Mbps.
Error or fault; Errors or faults are abnormal conditions that can cause a reduction in or loss of the ability of a functional unit to carry out a requested function.
Name given to the ability of a system to fulfill its specific function, even with a limited number of faulty subsystems. Fault-tolerant system behavior, i.e. maintaining the planned functions despite the failure of system components, to the occurrence of software errors as well as effect-related interference is achieved on the basis of redundant structures.
Bus system in the process-oriented area for the direct connection of sensors and actuators with their own intelligence. a field bus is used for are transmitting smaller quantities of data in digital form between sensors, actuators and control device.
Filters in the sense of interference suppression technology are chips for the damping of cable conducted interferences. Their advisable application presupposes that the spectral parts of the useful variables and interference variables are sufficiently differentiated from one another.
Programs that are permanently burned into read only memory. This is software for the operation of computer controlled devices that generally remains constant for the entire service life of the device or for a longer period such as operating systems for CPUs, for example, and application programs for industrial PCs and programmable logic controllers such as the software in a washing machine control, for example. It is stored in a read only memory (ROM, PROM, EPROM) and cannot be readily replaced.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter that switches off the power supply if an inadmissibly high fault current occurs in the protective ground (PG) conductor.
Non-volatile random access memory.
Binary storage element.
These are devices that work on the basis of cable electronics semiconductor components in switching operation, i.e. only in the on-state or in the off-state.
Early failures occur when beginning to use components in the so-called early failure phase where the failure rate shows a decreasing tendency. This affects weakly constituted elements whose viability is impaired by material defects and production deficiencies . They are eliminated to a certain extent by burn-in.
Frequency Shift Keying; modulation technology that ensures high susceptibility to interference. The „0“ and „1“ values of binary signals are formed at two different carrier frequencies.
Safety against the hazard that results from the faulty function of a facility (device, unit, machine, machinery, system).
Graphical help system for the structuring of sequential controls. Suitable for showing process-oriented single and multichain processes as well as for showing the functional description and programming of the control devices required for this.
According to E. Mamdami, a fuzzy controller is a control unit that consists of the following components: a rules basis that includes a set of IF… THEN… rules.
G
(9 Entries )
Device for the connection of two networks that have different protocols. In the INTERBUS, for example, a gateway designates a module that couples other transmission systems to the INTERBUS.
Countercurrent brake operation
Operating mode on an electrical machine (motor) which picks up both electrical energy from the grid as well as mechanical energy via the shaft.
In everyday language the term „device“ is as a synonym for apparatus, instrument, piece of equipment or implement, appliance, tool or utensil.
Closed-loop synchronization controls
Replacement in complex machines (papermaking machines, printing machines) with multi-motor drives where individual axes must run with defined speed or positional ratios to one another, mechanical shafts and gears. They work according to the master/slave principle.
Used for the wear-free shutdown of three-phase AC and AC asynchronous motors.
Global Positioning System; wireless locating method that enables the determination of positions with an accuracy of up to approximately 10 m by means of special GPS receivers. The locating method is based on the principle of the distance measurement through run time measurement of signals that are sent by 24 satellites distributed around the globe whose position is known at any point in time.
The highest level of risk that is still acceptable, i.e. only just tolerable risk. It is determined by a compromise between different interest groups. See also Safety.
Gate Turn Off (thyristor); a thyristor that can be switched off; It is switched on by positive gate current at positive voltage, It is switched off by negative gate current. Applications: Chopper, frequency transformer.
Graphical User Interface.
H
(17 Entries )
A data transmission method in which the data are transmitted in chronological sequence in both directions.
Measure of the transmission safety of digital signals. It specifies the number of digits by which two information carrying codewords differ. HD = 1 means that the codewords only differs in one digit. In this case a transmission error cannot be either detected or corrected as corruption of the codeword always leads to a new valid codeword.
Procedure for the synchronization of data transmission with irregularly accumulating data. The transmitter signals when it wants to send new data and the receiver when it is ready to accept for new data. Depending on whether the synchronization is realized over separate cables or by means of control characters over the data lines, this is referred to as a hardware or software handshake.
Derived from the Greek word, heuriskein = to find, heuristics describes the art of finding as it were. Basically, it is concerned with strategies that should help in finding solutions to problems.
Numbering system with base B = 16. Accordingly, this includes the sixteen characters: {0, 1, 2, 3 ,4 , 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F} For the value Z, for example, the hexadecimal number 5A2FD where Z is made up of the digits 5*164 + 10*163 + 2*162 + 15*161 + 13*160
Actual host, landlord; in computer systems that have several CPUs and bus masters, this refers to the unit that contains the Arbitration Unit and the Host CPU or that has control over the complete system.
Swapping of computer components during running operation. Three different stages are differentiated: Basic Hot Swap, Full Hot Swap and the High Availability Model.
High Speed Cutting; machining with high cutting and feeding speeds in NC-controlled machine tools.
Hyper Text Markup Language; programming language with hypertext marks. Language in which most websites are written.
Hyper Text Transfer Protocol; data transmission protocol for the transmission of HTML pages and the files of all types coupled with them. It is the protocol on which the entire WWW is based which means it controls the interaction between the web browser and the web server. It becomes active at each click of the mouse on a hyperlink and ensures that the next information required is always made available to the browser.
Stands for wheel hub, midpoint or center in English. Here, it is the central connection device in a network with a star-form topology that distributes an incoming data packet to all connected terminal devices (similar to voltage in a multiple socket outlet).
Supporting rail, construction element according to DIN EN 50022 for easy mounting (attachment, snapping on) of modules (transmitters, measurement amplifier, message chips, relays, small controls, power supplies etc.).
Linear servomotor with limited lifting motion. Compact linear unit which converts the rotative movement of a stepper motor into a linear movement via an integrated precision running screw. It is controlled via a standard stepper motor control. Suitable for all applications where small and precise positioning movements are necessary that require high forces with minimum installation space.
Constructed similarly to hysteresis couplings. The brake torque can be adjusted by changing the terminal cover of both ring magnets. In current controlled hysteresis brakes the brake torque is adjustable via the exciting current. Hysteresis brakes are used for the tension control for sensitive wound materials, for the torque limiters and on test stands for the load torque simulation.
Between the two halves of the coupling designed as segmental, permanently excited ring magnets, there is a disk of hard magnetic material (hysteresis disk). If the same poles face each other, a maximum magnetic field acts on the disk that causes a magnetic flow in a circumferential direction within the disk. The torque transmitting capacity is greatest in this case. If opposite poles face each other, the torque is lowest.
Are single-phase synchronous motors with the lowest power for precision mechanical drives and for very high speeds. They have a rotor made of hard magnetic material. The torque is formed by the hysteresis forces. Hysteresis motors start without any problem and are active within a specific load area.
I
(13 Entries )
Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor; bipolar transistor motor with insulated gate; voltage-controlled power transistors.
The addressed register or the addressed memory cell contains the storage address of the operands.
Bus system with technical features designed most especially for use in industrial sensory analysis/actuator engineering and consistent networking of the control level to the last limit switch.
Port
International Network; network of computers and computer networks of different size and architecture that work worldwide with the most varied operating systems. Here information is stored decentrally on computers (servers) that can be called up by anyone at any time with its computer (client). It came into being step-by-step over the last few decades and now forms the basis for the international exchange of information, data and documents, e.g. per Email.
The ability of heterogeneous structures (technical components and systems, but also organizations) to cooperate with one another without problem on the basis of jointly agreed standards.
A program that reads and, unlike a compiler, immediately carries out a source program to be executed without having to create a machine program after lexical, syntactical and semantic analysis and processing.
Internet Protocol; protocol (method, procedure) according to which the data in a network, e.g. in the Internet or Intranet, gets from one computer to another.
Internet Protocol address; numerical address that is assigned to a computer in the Internet and makes it uniquely identifiable.
They characterize the protection of electrical machinery by a housing, covering or enclosure and, in fact, the protection of persons against access to dangerous parts inside the covering as well as protection against the penetration of foreign substances and water. The protection class is identified by a four-digit code (IP code).
Integrally acting controller; an alteration speed of the manipulated variable is assigned to each value of variation. In the linear range the manipulated variable is the time integral of the control deviation.
Integrated Services Digital Network and remote data transmission network (digital network for the transfer of data, text, voice and images over a telephone line).
International Organization for Standardization (worldwide federation of national standardization institutions).
J
(3 Entries )
Platform-independent, object oriented programming language developed by Sun Microsystems and introduced in 1995 especially for use in the Internet programming environment.
Programming language developed by Netscape, but not to be confused with the programming language JAVA, that makes the optimization of websites easier for HTML authors.
Jitter is a term for the identification of chronological fluctuations of cyclical events. Especially in automation technology, jitter is a measure of the quality synchronization and timing.
K
(15 Entries )
A medium for the transmission of electrical energy and signals. It consists of one or several electrical conductors that are accommodated in a joint protective cover or cable sheath, insulated against one another.
Conductive sleeve of a cable or a conductor for the protection of individual wires or of the twisted loom cabled assembly against external electromagnetic influences. Cable shields consist either of a braid of bare copper wires (braided shield, braid density > 80%) or are made of copper wires with transverse conductor coils, copper bands or conductive plastic layers.
Activity for determining the relation between the values output by measuring equipment or a measuring system or the values shown by a material measure or of a reference material and the associated values of a measurement parameter normally defined under specified conditions.
Kilobyte; the SI resolution k (kilo) is defined as a multiple to base 10. According to this, 1kB = 103 bytes.
Knowledge management system
Concentric wire pair, consisting of an inner conductor and an outer conductor that completely encloses the inner conductor. The inner conductor and outer conductor are insulated from one another by a homogeneous material or a combination of solid supporting bodies and a gas (air, nitrogen). Coaxial cables are used in telecommunication equipment and high-frequency systems (CATV, Ethernet applications) for the transmission of high-frequency signals.
In the course of information processing frequently the task arises of transferring information from one form of expression to another. The transformation is described as coding and the regulation according to which the assignment from one character set into another character set is carried out is called 'code'.
According to Meyers Lexicon, the process of communication and the reciprocal exchange of thoughts, opinions, knowledge, experiences and feelings as well as the transmission of messages and information as well as language by characters of all types. Rationally-based communication is possible when there is a sender that wants to convey a message to one or several potential receivers, a transmission channel exists to these receivers, the receiver side is ready to receive and compatible coding and decoding mechanisms are available on both sides to exclude misunderstandings.
See single-phase asynchronous motors.
Compliance, fulfillment of defined requirements.
Graphic-oriented programming language acc. to IEC 1131-3 or DIN EN 61131-3 for the creation of PLC user programs.
This refers to physical processes, chemical reactions or technological procedures whose properties depict continuous chronologically changing variables. That is to say, energy and/or material flows are supplied continuously or uninterruptedly over longer periods of time, processed, transported, stored, distributed and/or used and, especially in production processes, the end product is provided continuously.
Contact plan; graphic-oriented programming language acc. to IEC 1131-3 or DIN EN 61131-3 for the creation of PLC user programs.
Used in machine construction and power transmission technology for the connection of two shafts or a shaft with a machine part mounted on its rotary motion that should be switched on and off.
<Cybernetics refers science not merely to restricted to theory and technology of closed-loop control, but to a field of work that has the object of the transmission and processing of information using analytical, modeling, measuring and calculating methods for the purposes of prognoses and objectifications. Processing and spatio-temporal transmission of information can play a role here.
L
(12 Entries )
Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation; amplifiers for electromagnetic shafts in the range of visible light.
A specifications sheet (also: Basic concept) describes the actual requirements, expectations and wishes of a planned product formulated in natural language. This can, for example, be a software program but also a car, a coffee machine or a locomotive.
If an external force acts on the stationary motor, the rotor is shifted by the load angle (< 2 full steps) until the next equilibrium position is reached again. If the maximum admissible load angle of < 2 full steps is exceeded due to an externally acting torque when the motor is running, the motor gets out of sync.
Latency (from the Latin: latens = hidden) means something hidden under the surface, not yet making an appearance. In various contexts the latency time is also spoken of as the period between an action and the occurrence of a reaction.
In information technology the term 'Latency period' is used synonymously for the delay period and is also called Ping. Generally, this is the time interval from the end of an event up to the beginning of the reaction to this event.
In computer engineering: Totality of all routines that are required for executing a program written in a special programming language on a special platform.
Power electronics is the name given to a branch of electrical engineering where particularly high electrical currents and voltages are transformed, controlled or switched with electronic components. Whereas in pure electronics the electrical power is only a medium for the purpose of signal and data processing, in power electronics the transformation and control of electrical energy is at the forefront.
Moulded Case Circuit Breaker (MCCB)
Circuit breaker or mechanical switching device that switches on currents in accordance with designated operating conditions and can conduct and switch them off without time limitation; and that also under defined exceptional conditions.
Conductor on fiberglass or plastic fiber basis; insensitive to electromagnetic interference; major importance as transmission medium in local networks. All stations are completely insulated from one another. Glass fiber cables are suitable for distances up to 3600 m.
Last in First out; organizational principle for conditions of waiting queues in which the machining of orders is carried out in the reverse order to their acceptance. One example is the emptying a memory or store: the data last stored – also material objects in the field of storage – are output first again.
Braking and holding device for linear actuators. Well-known systems are electromagnetically, pneumatically or hydraulically triggered against an acting spring force. They occur self-acting, therefore, in emergency off or interruption of the energy input.
A linear motor is an electrical drive motor. In contrast to the widespread rotating machines, a linear motor displaces the objects connected with it not in a rotating but in a straight line movement.
Scientific theory of the planning, control and monitoring of material, personnel and information flows in systems.
M
(18 Entries )
The term Management (handling, accomplishment, mastery, overseeing, administration) has a variety of meanings. It also serves as a synonym for all conceivable decision-making executive boards.
According to the Machinery Directive, a machine refers to a sum total of parts connected with one another where at least one of them is movable. As well as the mechanical components, the machine also includes actuation, control and energy components.
The Machinery Directive has the task of ensuring the free movement of goods for machines (this also means machinery and removable equipment), protection devices brought individually onto the market as well as load-accommodating devices in the European Union. It introduces harmonized condition decrees and conformance proceedings for this purpose that must be fulfilled by the „responsible persons“. In particular, this also affects requirements of safety and health protection in connection with the construction of machines.
Central bus node that controls bus access. All other nodes work as slaves.
The frequency with which a stepper motor can be operated without losses of step is described as the maximum step frequency. Due to the open control circuit and the operational reliability of stepper motors, an output reserve of approx. 25 % should be taken into account. If the maximum step frequency of the motor lies at 2000 Hz, for example, the motor should not be operated at a frequency higher than 1500 Hz in practice. In general, the following applies: the smaller the motor, normally the higher the achievable step frequency. Please note the torque characteristics stored for each motor in this regard.
A word made up formed from the terms mechanics, electronics, information technology with an underlying multidisciplinary field of engineering that integrates the three areas mentioned.
Micro Electro Mechanical Systems.
Mean Failure Detection Time; average fault detection time; Has influence on the availability, i.e. on the reliability, of technical systems.
This refers to a computer system which is accommodated in a chip or on a printed circuit board and realizes the control functions in a wide variety of applications as an „embedded system“.
A microprocessor (from the Greek mikros for small: a processor with very small dimensions) is an electronic CPU on a chip which can be controlled with commands in machine code.
To reduce the mechanically specified step angle of 1.8, or 0.9°, the microstep is formed via the number of states of excitement where the power drive finely sets the phase currents accordingly.(Animation) Basically the lower resonance excitation and the possibility of finer positioning speaks in favor of the increase in the step resolution. The Nanotec stepper motor final output stages reach a step resolution of more than 1000 steps/revolution. In practice, however, these high resolutions are barely met under realistic conditions as the step angle error does not change compared to the full step operation (5% in the full step = 0.09° ==> 50% in 1/10 operation).
Modulator/Demodulator; modulation/demodulation facility; additional card or external device that enables the exchange of information between computers over the telephone network through the digital/analog or analog/digital conversion of signals.
Main board; printed circuit board on which the main components of a computer such as CPU circuit, co-processors, working memory, read only memory for firmware, interface circuits and expansion slots for hardware expansions are accommodated.
Sum total of all measures and facilities for safeguarding electric motors against electrical or thermal damage.
Instrumentation, Control and Automation
Mean Time Between Maintenance; average time between maintenance procedures.
Combination of two or more information channels on a joint transmission medium.
N
(11 Entries )
Information whose correctness can be proven and that is based on data that are obtained through observation, measurement, inspection or other ascertainment methods.
Standardization association for measurement and control in chemical industries.
Collective term for technology that is concerned with structures and processes in the range of one to one hundred nanometers (a nanometer = a millionth of a millimeter).
Numerical Control.
The nominal operating modes of electrical machines are defined in the VDE regulation 0530, naturally they also apply for the operation of power tools.
The nominal voltage says which voltage is to be applied to the motor in the stationary case in order to reach the nominal phase current value. It must not be confused with the operating voltage in constant current control.
As the torque is proportional to the current, the specification of the nominal current is an important parameter. In addition, the size of the nominal current limits the maximum admissible electrical power dissipation (P = I2 * R) of the motor.
To reduce the effect of the slow increase in current and the high power dissipation, stepper motors are operated today with controlled current or constant current control at far higher voltages. The Nanotec SMCxx and IMT90x positioning controls also reach these dynamic requirements with the lowest losses through the bipolar chopper controllers.
Neuronal networks are systems that are oriented to the operation of the human brain. They consist of a quantity of so-called neurons that exchange messages over weighted connections.
The 73/23/EEC directive is an EU directive “relating to electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits“ and is also known as the European Low Voltage Directive. As well as the EMC directive, it is the most important regulating instrument for the safety of electrically operated devices. It applies for “electrical operating equipment for use at a nominal voltage between 50 and 1000 V for alternating current and between 75 and 1500 V for direct current“.
Negative Temperature Coefficient Resistor; resistor with negative temperature coefficients; resistance value decreases with increasing temperature.
“NC“ (Numerical Control) designates an electronic device for the control of machine tools. With the appearance of the CNC microprocessor, the era of the NC is nearing its end. Microprocessor technology enables the manufacturer to introduce improvements and expansions of the functionality in the current series without having to change the hardware. This makes it is possible to react more quickly to the requirements of the market. In addition, it offers new possibilities in the areas of visualization and user guidance.
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In conjunction with software, this is a self-contained unit that contains specific data and functions.
Object-oriented programming (abbreviated as OOP) is a procedure for the structuring of computer programs where related data and the program logic that works on them are collected into units or so-called objects.
Optical Character Recognition; text recognition program, scanned bit patterns are separated.
Original Equipment Manufacturer; company that integrates third-party and in-house manufactured components in its own product range and markets these products under its own name.
In physics a difference is made between open, closed and self-contained (or 'insulated') systems. A system that can exchange both energy and material (or particles) with its environment is defined as open.
Contact that opens under influence of the operating force.
Numbering system with base B = 8 and the eight numerals.
Object Linking and Embedding; protocol for distributed objects from Microsoft. It enables the embedding of objects, i.e. data of any formats such as text files, calculation tables, graphics or parts of them in other documents.
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An electrical connection that is used to bring bodies of electrical machinery such as a metallic housing, for example, and external conductive parts to the same, or approximately the same, potential is described as potential equalization.
represent setting values and device data, e.g. the configuration values of components. They are saved in the central control and, if necessary, automatically downloaded after the exchange of individual components, for example.
The parity check is used for identifying incorrectly transmitted information words. Here a sequence of bits is described as an information word.
A parser [?p???s?] (English: to parse = analyse or from the Latin pars = part; that's why parsers in German are also occasionally described as dissectors) is a program that decides whether an input belongs to a specific grammar for the language.
Peer-to-Peer (in English, peer means „equal“ or „contemporary“) describes communication between the same type of objects. In a Peer-to-Peer-network all computers are equal and can both make use of services as well as making services available. The computers can be used as workstations, but also take over tasks in the network.
Stands for Protective Extra Low Voltage. The protective extra low voltage belongs to the safety extra low voltages in electrical engineering.
Protective Earth Neutral conductor; grounded conductor that fulfills the functions of the earth lead and of the neutral conductor.
Single-phase synchronous motors with minimum power whose rotor body consists of a heteropolar magnetized permanent magnet.
are a powerful medium for the description of the functionality of discrete technological and control processes, especially those that run in parallel.
Power Factor Correction; facility for decreasing the total harmonic distortion in the input current of a station.
The current per winding or phase is defined by the maximum admissible heating at a speed of 0 (motor standstill), constant voltage and cold motor.
Depending on the type of control, there is a difference between the current per phase and current per winding. As our 6-lead and 8-lead stepper motors are wired as unipolar, bipolar serial and bipolar parallel and, hence, 2 windings can be connected to a phase where a difference is made between phase current and current per winding. If there are several possible modes as in the motors mentioned above, we specify the current per winding as standard. See also Motor connections
Bit transmission layer; layer 1 in the OSI reference model. They define the type of network cabling and transmission equipment and regulate the transmission of the bit flow via a physical medium from one device to the other.
Proportional integral automatic controller with differential component; the additional effect on the manipulated variable caused by the differential component is proportional to the change speed of the control deviation.
The Piko value indicates the internal accuracy of calculation and the output to the digital drives. It is not to be confused with the machining tolerance of a machine. The high calculation resolution leads to more precise speed and acceleration interpolations in the drives and, hence, to more smooth operation of the machine tool.
Actually means a pin, drawing pin, nail, bolt. In connection with electronic components, it is a plug pin in circuits and connectors.
Proportional Integral Controller; the value of the manipulated variable is proportional here to the system deviation and to its time integral.
These are direct drives in two dimensions, i.e. planar drives whose air-mounted rotors can move freely on the surface of the stator in two coordinates. The rotors are so strongly attracted by magnets on the stator that they cannot be raised despite an air gap (10 to 15 µm). A planar drive can, therefore, be deployed also vertically and overhead. The use of several rotors on a stator makes the planar drive particularly cost effective. Planar systems are frequently deployed for point-to-point positionings or for Pick&Place tasks.
Programmable Logic Controller.
Text-based control monitor for the request of specific information from a PLC via appropriate commands. This functionality is used for diagnostic and debugging purposes within PLC programming systems.
Supplier and product-dependent worldwide association that supports the integration of international standards in the programming environments of industrial positioning controls and certifies program systems based on them.
Method for synchronization in data transmission. When polling, one partner (Master) can cyclically poll the others (Slaves) to determine whether they want to send or receive something. Only the Master can actuate a communication, not the polled partners (Slaves). They can block the communication at most.
Three-phase AC synchronous motors with cage rotors in which the number of poles and, for this reason, the synchronous speed of the rotary field can be changed by changeover of the stator winding. This enables coarse adjustment of the low-loss speed setting.
Electrical connection that brings the conductive bodies of electrical machinery and external conductive parts to approximately the same potential.
Proportionally acting controllers; a specific value of the manipulated variable is assigned to each value of the control deviation.
Process Field Bus; today serial field buses are primarily deployed as communication systems for exchanging information from automation systems among one another as well as with connected decentralized field devices. Transmission speed: up to 12 Mbit/s; usually: 0.5 to 4 Mbit/s.
Profibus for the area of “Decentralized Periphery“. Simple digital and analog inputs/output modules as well as intelligent signal and process data processing units can be translocated on site with the Profibus DP which means also the costs for cabling are considerably reduced. Primarily for time-critical applications in automation engineering.
Special symbols are used for displaying command and branching operations, for identifying the process, i.e. the sequence of individual operations, as well as for identifying the beginning and end of the program flow with other symbols.
Programmable Read Only Memory; the information programmed in electrically by users using a special programming device cannot be deleted.
Assigned proprietary rights; e.g. copyrighted by developers or manufacturers, i.e. manufacturer-specific technology, specification or software that is only intended for use in connection with own devices or also for the granting of a license.
Sequence of a process or procedure where the chronological continuous or discontinuous quantitative or qualitative changes of the parameters or of the state of a real or virtual object under inspection or medium are carried out. Each process has a defined end.
Values of process-relevant physical sizes. Depending on the process, they are subject to more or less rapid chronological changes. In automated systems they must always be transmitted quickly and cyclically at the same time intervals between the sensors or actuators and the controller.
Visualization of the events in industrial production sectors.
Positive Temperature Coefficient Resistor; resistor with positive temperature coefficients; The resistance value increases with the temperature.
Term from numerical control technology (NC, CNC technology). Point-to-point control enables the positioning of tools to preprogrammed points. The individual axes of the machine tools travel here simultaneously or consecutively in the fast traverse. Only when the target point is reached is the tool deployed. Point-to-point controls are found, e.g. in drilling, riveting and punching machines.
Pulse Width Modulation.
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To allow the stepper motor to turn at a frequency higher than the start/stop frequency, it must accelerated via a frequency ramp. The frequency cyclically increases by the value of the acceleration. If the acceleration is too high, the stepper motor can no longer overcome the moment of inertia and loses steps. The stopping process is carried out with the same frequency ramp.
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The start/stop frequency is the maximum frequency at which a stepper motor can start with the specified load without losses of step (or goes into synchronous running), and stop again. The maximum possible start/stop frequency depends significantly on the external moment of inertia and the way in which the load is coupled to the motor.
The step angle is the angle that the shaft of a stepper motor accomplishes when a pulse is executed. In the usual 2-phase stepper motors with 50 or 100 pole pairs, the step angle in the full step is 1.8° or 0.9°. The step angle can be further reduced by a microstep control.
The step angle accuracy is the difference between the theoretical and the actual rotor position as a percentage of the step angle
Losses of step occur if the stepper motor is operated at its maximum operating torque (load peaks) or with its maximum step frequency or, however, through resonances. Losses of step can also occur in rare cases if the input levels are not 100% matched to one another. If the optocoupler of the clock input does not switch quickly enough, for example, or the on/off time of the clock signal is not sufficiently long.
The speed with which the stepper motor counters an external application of a force is described as rigidity. In a motor with p= 50 pole pairs the maximum torque is set already after a quarter period, i.e. 360°/50 pole pairs/4 phases= 1.8°.
Rigidity=p*MH*cos(p*LW) specifies the function for the rigidity.
