NC-540
ControlPoint™ Network Controller
More than any other single device, the NC-540 sets the ControlPoint distributed motion and I/O control system apart from other control solutions. Its design is the culmination of experience gained through several generations of Teknic’s centralized and distributed control systems.
The NC-540 is the network management device that interfaces the host PC to the Motion and I/O Components that make up the distributed ControlPoint network. The NC-540 does this by mediating access (acting as a “traffic cop” of sorts) to the motion and I/O nodes from the host application. This architecture presents the entire motion and I/O system to the host software application as a single local device.
By managing the network in this way, the NC-540 allows the host application to interface to the motion and I/O system at a high-level. This eliminates the implementation challenge of managing a network, yet allows for network scalability (if you need more I/O or another axis, simply add a node). On top of making the distributed system easy to manage, the NC-540 provides interrupt capability, which improves performance and further reduces the load on software resources—resulting in faster time-to-market and a more competitive machine.
In addition to network management functions, the NC-540 provides a reliable solution for emergency stop requirements. By wiring e-stop hardware (switches, relays, etc.) into the dedicated opto-isolated input, you can control the assertion of a Node Stop command. This high-priority packet rapidly moves through the ControlPoint ring initiating a controlled stop at each motion node. The way each node is stopped is programmable and includes an emergency, maximum deceleration style as well as a controlled, ramped deceleration style for delicate loads.