A USB-CAN-Based Distributed Dual-Axis Motion Controller

Mad Dash for Flash Cash 2002 - First Prize Craig Beiferman and Dale Herman, U.S. During the development of automation equipment, the rapid prototyping of multiaxis designs is often required. You can use centralized controls with PC motion control cards, external amplifiers, and a tangle of wires, or utilize an existing high-cost distributed motion control system with RS-485, Ethernet, or one of the field buses (DeviceNet, CANopen, Profibus, etc.). With a highly integrated microcontroller—the PIC18F258—and power devices like the Allegro A3977/A3959, a small and inexpensive distributed motion control system was developed. Supporting Files