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Motion network will be based on CIP

01 January, 2005

Motion network will be based on CIP

Work has begun on a distributed motion networking technology that will provide real-time, deterministic, closed-loop motion control for multi-axis, controller-to-controller synchronisation and controller-to-drive communications.

At its annual conference, late last year, ODVA - the organisation formerly known as the Open DeviceNet Vendors Association - decided to expand the work it is doing with ControlNet International to develop standards for commissioning and maintaining distributed motion applications.

A working group formed by the two organisations is developing standards based on synchronisation services carried over CIP - the Common Industrial Protocol, which is the upper-level networking protocol shared by DeviceNet and EtherNet/IP.

The group aims to specify objects for demanding motion applications, such as electronic line shafts and cams, that require time synchronisation. The objects will use CIP Sync, a standard for precision time synchronisation, based on IEEE 1588, that ODVA adopted in 2003. The group is also working on a CIP-to-Sercos gateway.

At its November meeting, ODVA decided to expand the motion group`s work to encompass a complete CIP Motion system by extending CIP Sync to demanding motion applications and to controller-to-drive communications.

Explaining the recent developments in London last month, the ODVA`s executive director, Katherine Voss (above), said that "the work paves the way for a complete motion solution with the ability to run I/O, HMIs, and motion on the same network. You can never have enough I/O."

CIP Motion is expected to have its first public demonstration at the SPS/IPC/Drives exhibition in Nuremberg this November, with the first products going on sale during 2006.

• The first European centre for EtherNet/IP conformance testing has been established at Otto von Guericke University`s Institute of Ergonomics, Manufacturing Systems and Automation, located in Magdeburg, Germany.