Glossary

A mechanical device for moving or controlling a mechanism or system.

An actuator is typically a mechanical device which transforms an input signal (usually an electrical signal) into motion.

In computer networking, bandwidth refers to a data rate measured in bits per second (e.g., network throughput).

The limit to the data rate of a physical communication link is related to its bandwidth in hertz.

A black channel A Black Channel allows transmission of safety data via the standard network line. Safety over EtherCAT frames, known as safety containers, contain safety-critical process data and additional information used to secure this data. The safety containers are transported as part of the communication’s process data. allows transmission of safety data via the standard network line.

• Safety over EtherCAT ***EtherCAT is an open, high-performance Ethernet-based fieldbus system. The development goal of EtherCAT was to apply Ethernet to automation applications which require short data update times (also called cycle times) with low communication jitter (for synchronization purposes) and low hardware costs frames, known as safety containers, contain safety-critical process data and additional information used to secure this data.
• The safety containers are transported as part of the communication’s process data.

The position of a slave axis is mathematically linked to the position of a master axis.

• Example: In a system where two rotating drums turn at a given ratio to each other.
• A more advanced case of electronic gearing is electronic camming.
  • With electronic camming, a slave axis follows a profile which is a function of the master position.
  • This profile need not be linear, but it must be a mathematical function.

CANopen is a communication protocol and device profile specification for embedded systems used in automation for fieldbuses A Fieldbus is an industrial network system for real-time distributed control (e.g. CAN or Profibus). It is a way of connecting instruments in a plant design working in real-time

See CANopen.

See Typecasting.

The use of feedback devices (i.e., encoders, resolvers, interferometers, etc.) to allow a motor to position a user payload accurately.

COM is the original name of the serial port interface.

It refers to physical ports and virtual ports (e.g., ports created by bluetooth or USB "Universal Serial Bus" USB is a serial bus standard to interface devices-to-Serial adapters).

An electrically controlled switch (relay) used for switching a power circuit.

• A contactor is activated by a control input which is a lower voltage/current than that which the contactor is switching.
• A contactor is not intended to interrupt a short-circuit current

The difference between the configured cycle time and the actual measured cycle time.

Units are in microseconds.

A basic transfer unit in which the delivery arrival time and order are not guaranteed.

• A datagram consists of header and data areas.
• The source and destination addresses and a type field are found in the header of a datagram.

A communication protocol (based on Controller Area Network) used in the automation industry to interconnect control devices for data exchange.

Typical applications are information exchange, safety devices, and large I/O control networks.

In electrical engineering, a drive is an electronic device providing power to a servo or stepper motor, and controlling it through the current and timing in its coils

In computing and electronics, a driver is a software component allowing higher-level computer programs to interact with a computer hardware device.

A driver typically communicates with the device through the computer bus or communications subsystem to which the hardware is connected.

Big-endian and little-endian describe the order a sequence of bytes are stored in computer memory.

• Big-endian is an order the big end (most significant value in the sequence) is stored first (at the lowest storage address).
• Little-endian is an order the little end (least significant value in the sequence) is stored first.

Example: The decimal integer 56789652 (0x03628a94 in hexadecimal) is stored as:

• 0x03 0x62 0x8a 0x94 on big-endian
• 0x94 0x8a 0x62 0x03 on little-endian

KAS applications can be downloaded to big-endian or little-endian processor targets.

Global objects that exist before the execution of the script.

Typically, they are global objects of the KAS-IDE "Integrated development environment" An integrated development environment is a type of computer software that assists computer programmers in developing software. IDEs normally consist of a source code editor, a compiler and/or interpreter, build-automation tools, and a debugger that can be accessed from the script.

Ethernet Ethernet is a large, diverse family of frame-based computer networking technologies that operate at many speeds for local area networks (LANs) for Control Automation Technology

• An open, high-performance Ethernet-based fieldbus system.
• The development goal of EtherCAT is to apply Ethernet to automation applications which require short data update times (also called cycle times) with low communication jitter (for synchronization purposes) and low hardware costs

See EtherCAT.

A large, diverse family of frame-based computer networking technologies that operate at many speeds for local area networks (LANs).

An open industrial application layer protocol for industrial automation applications.
The EtherNet/IP application layer protocol is based on the CIP "Common Industrial Protocol " The Common Industrial Protocol allows complete integration of control with information, multiple CIP Networks, and Internet technologies layer.

The inputs are taken into account at each cycle depending on the system Periodicity (for example each millisecond).

• Under certain circumstances, it can be insufficient when more accuracy is needed, or if a quick response is required from the system.
• To fill the gap, a drive can have some Fast Input connections (generally one or two).
  • When an event happens that triggers a Fast Input (e.g., a sensor A sensor is a type of transducer that converts one type of energy into another for various purposes including measurement or information transfer sends a Rising Edge), the detection of a signal occurs faster.
  • This can be 1000 times more accurate than the system periodicity.
• The Timestamp associated with this input can be provided to the controller to take corrective action.

• A process where some proportion of the output signal of a system is passed (fed back) to the input.
• In automation, a device coupled to each motor to provide indication of the motor's shaft angle.
• Used in communicating the motor and controlling its speed and position.

Describes an element or pathway within a control system which passes a controlling signal from a source in the control system's external environment.

Often a command signal from an external operator to a load elsewhere in its external environment.

An industrial network protocol used for distributed control (e.g., EtherCAT, CAN "Controller area network" CAN is a broadcast, differential serial bus standard developed for connecting electronic control units. Each node is able to send and receive messages, but not simultaneously, PROFINET).

It is a way of connecting instruments in a plant design.

A non-volatile computer storage chip that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed.

• Flash memory offers fast read access times, as fast as dynamic RAM, although not as fast as static RAM or ROM.
• It's mechanic shock resistance explain the popularity over hard disks in portable devices because of:
  • its high durability.
  • being able to withstand high pressure, temperature, immersion in water etc.

In networking dialect, a message is called a frame.

In software design, the front-end is the part of a software system that interacts directly with the user.

The homing procedure allows a position offset to the motor in order to ensure it is physically at the home position.

• This offset is based on a position measurement.
• The homing offset is saved in the controller.

An asynchronous signal from hardware indicating the need for attention or a synchronous event in software indicating the need for a change in execution.

In physics, this is the rate of change of acceleration.

More precisely, the derivative of acceleration with respect to time.

The control word is used to activate the drive's latch status machine.

• The latch control word is processed independently of the EtherCAT bus cycle.
• The status word is used to return the drive's latch status

Media Access Control address

• This is a quasi-unique identifier assigned to most network adapters or network interface cards (NICs) by the manufacturer for identification.
• If assigned by the manufacturer, a MAC address A Media Access Control address (MAC address) is a quasi-unique identifier assigned to most network adapters or network interface cards (NICs) by the manufacturer for identification. If assigned by the manufacturer, a MAC address usually encodes the manufacturer's registered identification number usually encodes the manufacturer's registered identification number.

A serial communications protocol and the most commonly available means of connecting industrial electronic devices.

• Modbus ModBus is a serial communications protocol and is now the most commonly available means of connecting industrial electronic devices. ModBus is often used to connect a supervisory computer with a remote terminal unit in supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. Versions of the ModBus protocol exist for serial port and Ethernet (it is widely used with TCP/IP over Ethernet) is used to connect a supervisory computer with a remote terminal unit in supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems.
• Versions of the Modbus protocol exist for serial port and Ethernet.
• It is widely used with EtherNet/IP.

An industrial network protocol used for real-time distributed control (e.g., EtherCAT).

A sub-field of automation, in which the position and/or velocity of machines are controlled using some type of device such as a hydraulic pump, linear actuator A mechanical device for moving or controlling a mechanism or system. An actuator typically is a mechanical device which transforms an input signal (usually an electrical signal) into motion, or an electric motor, generally a servo.

• Motion control Motion control is a sub-field of automation, in which the position and/or velocity of machines are controlled using some type of device such as a hydraulic pump, linear actuator, or an electric motor, generally a servo. Motion control is an important part of robotics and CNC machine tools; however, it is more complex than in the use of specialized machines, where the kinematics is usually simpler. The latter is often called General Motion Control (GMC). Motion control is widely used in the packaging, printing, textile and assembly industries is an important part of robotics and CNC machine tools.
  • It is more complex than in the use of specialized machines, where the kinematics is usually simpler.
  • The latter is often called General Motion Control Motion control is a sub-field of automation, in which the position and/or velocity of machines are controlled using some type of device such as a hydraulic pump, linear actuator, or an electric motor, generally a servo. Motion control is an important part of robotics and CNC machine tools; however, it is more complex than in the use of specialized machines, where the kinematics is usually simpler. The latter is often called General Motion Control (GMC). Motion control is widely used in the packaging, printing, textile and assembly industries (GMC).
• Motion control is widely used in the packaging, printing, textile and assembly industries.

An actuator focused to a movement, converting electrical energy in a force or torque Torque is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist.

Information is stored in a specific memory to remain accessible even when the application has been powered off.

Applies to downloading PLC "Programmable Logic Controller" A Programmable Logic Controller, PLC, or Programmable Controller is a digital computer used for automation of industrial processes, such as control of machinery on factory assembly lines. Used to synchronize the flow of inputs from (physical) sensors and events with the flow of outputs to actuators and events code changes while the application is running.

Applies to EtherCAT communication to the drives in a special mode.

A positioning technique, typically utilizing stepper motors, in which the controller issues a sequence of commands to the motor without any absolute means of detecting if the move has in fact been made.

When the load and move velocity and acceleration are appropriately defined, open loop A positioning technique, typically utilizing stepper motors, in which the controller issues a sequence of commands to the motor without an absolute means of detecting if the move has been made. When the load and move velocity and acceleration are appropriately defined, open loop positioning is capable of extended operation without losing steps. positioning is capable of extended operation without losing steps.

Open Graphics Library

A standard specification defining a cross-language, cross-platform API for writing applications that produce 2D and 3D computer graphics.

The Softscope uses this API to implement graphical manipulations.

A specification of a CPU whose instructions are expected to be executed in software rather than in hardware.

• AKA "Also Known As" Provides an alias to a name: pseudo-code machine
• Programs that have been translated to P-code P-code machine or pseudo-code machine is a specification of a CPU whose instructions are expected to be executed in software rather than in hardware. Programs that have been translated to p-code are executed (interpreted) by a software program that emulates the behavior of the CPU specification are executed (interpreted) by a software program that emulates the behavior of the CPU specification.

The period of execution of a pipe is the time spent between two successive computations of set values for the same pipe.

The period of execution of a pipe is specified by the PERIOD parameter of the input Pipe Block.

A vendor -and product- independent worldwide association active in Industrial Control and aiming at standardizing PLC file formats based on XML "Extensible Markup Language " XML is a general-purpose markup language. It is classified as an extensible language because it allows its users to define their own tags.

A compiler directive communicating additional pragmatic information.

In arithmetic and algebra, when a number or expression is both preceded and followed by a binary operation, a rule is required for which operation must be applied first.

• From the earliest use of mathematical notation, multiplication took precedence In arithmetic and algebra, when a number or expression is both preceded and followed by a binary operation, a rule is required for which operation should be applied first. From the earliest use of mathematical notation, multiplication took precedence over addition, whichever side of a number it appeared on. Thus 3 + 4 × 5 = 5 × 4 + 3 = 23. To change the order of operations, we use parentheses (). Thus, if we want to force addition to precede multiplication, we write (3 + 4) × 5 = 35 over addition, whichever side of a number it appeared on.
  • Example: 3 + 4 × 5 = 5 × 4 + 3 = 23.
• To change the order of operations, we use parentheses ().
  • Example: To force addition to precede multiplication, we write (3 + 4) × 5 = 35.

See Softscope - Probe.

When the step gets activated, the action is activated for a single execution, and possibly once again when the step is deactivated.

In computer science, this is a technique of storing the number of references, pointers, or handles to a resource such as an object or block of memory.

It is used as a means of de-allocating objects which are no longer referenced.

The transition of a digital signal from low to high.

AKA: positive edge.

In computer science, run-time (or run time In computer science, runtime (or run-time) describes the operation of a computer program, the duration of its execution, from beginning to termination (compare compile time). Within KAS, runtime also refers to the virtual machine that manage the program written in a computer language while it is running) describes the operation of a computer program, the duration of its execution, from beginning to termination (compare compile time).

A type of transducer that converts one type of energy into another for various purposes including measurement or information transfer

UDP "User Datagram Protocol" applications use Datagram sockets to establish host-to-host communications.

• An application binds a socket to its endpoint of data transmission, which is a combination of an IP address and a service port.
• A port is a software structure that is identified by the port number, a 16-bit integer value.

A special electric amplifier used to power electric servo motors.

It monitors feedback signals from the motor and continually adjusts for deviation from expected behavior.

The target value that an automatic control system (e.g., a PID "Proportional-Integral-Derivative" A PID controller is a generic control-loop feedback mechanism widely used in industrial control systems. An "error" occurs when an event or a disturbance triggers off a change in the process variable. A PID controller attempts to correct the error between a measured process variable and a desired setpoint by calculating and then outputting a corrective action that can adjust the process accordingly controller) aims to reach.

A channel is used by the softscope to acquire the evolution of a variable which is plugged on it.

A device that uses onboard instruments to gather and relay a variety of measurement to controllers from remote locations.

Probes can return their data over radio links or be physically tethered to controllers or another device, or to collect and return physical samples.

To acquire the variable's evolution, samples are taken at fixed intervals.

The accuracy to create the trace depends on the resolution of the acquisition. The sampling frequency must be higher than 2 times the highest frequency in the input signal. It is called the Nyquist frequency. Theoretically it is possible to reconstruct the input signal with more than 2 samples per period. In practice, 10 to 20 samples per period are recommended to be able to examine the signal thoroughly

The time-base allows you to set the speed at which all the lines for each channel are drawn, and is calibrated in milliseconds per division

The trace is the resulting graph of a variable's evolution against time, with the more distant past on the left and the more recent past on the right

A stepper drive is a special electric amplifier used to power electric stepper motors without position feedback (open-loop). It controls the current to the various phases in a stepper motor to control the motor’s position.

Combines an axis or axes group (as slave) with an axis as master so that the slave executes its path with synchronization to the progress of the master, meaning linked to a one-dimensional source for synchronization

SynqNet is a digital machine control network. Built on the 100BT physical layer, SynqNet provides a synchronous real-time connection between motion controllers, servo drives, stepper drives, I/O modules, and custom devices

In the HMI "Human-machine interfaces " Also known as computer-human interfaces (CHI), and formerly known as man-machine interfaces, they are usually employed to communicate with PLCs and other computers, such as entering and monitoring temperatures or pressures for further automated control or emergency response context, objects connected to tags can change values in a controller, and controller values can be reflected by changing object appearance in various ways. A tag has a symbolic name and can be of different data types. Tags can belong to a connected controller, be internal or belong to the system.

A timestamp is a sequence of characters denoting the date and/or time at which a certain event occurred

Torque is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist. The SI unit for torque is the newton metre (N.m).