Today, more and more OEMs are using a Host PC as a platform to manage all operations and processes in their machines including image processing, motion control, I/O management etc. Installing the motion controller inside the PC, affords the following advantages:
- Fast communication between the Host PC and the motion controller via the PCI bus
- Use of common programming languages like C++, LabView, and Visual Basic to manage all processes, including motion control tasks.
- Economic solution compared with to equivalent panel mounted controllers
- Advanced option for direct communication with the controller’s Dual Port RAM
- No need for a dedicated controller power supply since controller power comes directly from the PC
- Sub-nanometer position resolution with SPiiPlus sin-cos encoder multiplier option
See our PC based motion controllers: SPiiPlus PCI
However, in machines where the motion controller can handle all motion and I/O tasks, a panel mounted, stand alone motion controller offers a more economical solution by saving on PC and programming costs.
Another situation were the user might prefer a panel-mounted controller is when there is a significant distance between the Host and the controller, or when a PCI/ISA bus is not available as in Sun or Unix-based computers. A panel-mounted controller gives the user the following advantages:
- Various communication options with the host including RS232, RS422
- Controller proximity to the drives saves on cable costs
- Best over all cost-effective solution when a host PC or PLC are not required.
