Fifth-generation control

Galil Motion Control recently released its DMC-18×6 PCI bus motion controller, the first in its newest generation of motion controllers, The Accelera Series. Featuring a 32-bit Risc-based, clock multiplying processor with DSP functionality, the company says these controllers deliver much higher speed performance and processing power than prior generation controllers. This includes the ability to accept encoder inputs up to 22 MHz, servo update rates as low as 24 microseconds per axis, and command execution speeds as low as 40 microseconds.

The DMC-18×6 is also designed to accept inputs from quadrature encoders at frequencies up to 22 MHz, which is a requirement for applications that use very high-resolution feedback sensors. Galil says it improved the speed of the DMC-18×6 for step motor applications by increasing the frequency of the stepper pulse output by a factor of two with the maximum pulse rate of 6 MHz. The product is available in one- through eight-axis formats. The DMC-18×6 is like all Galil controllers in that the user need only purchase the number of axes required. Each axis is user-configurable for stepper or servo motor operation, enabling the user to easily mix-and-match motor types in an application.

Galil Motion Control