Sartorius Introduces ProBatch+ Software

Goettingen, Germany – The Sartorius ProBatch+ software used in conjunction with the Sartorius X-Family, Combics Pro, and other PLC controllers offers the user efficient management of original raw material and recipe data. The powerful ProBatch+ software program allows for visual presentation of the running process and enables all batch procedures to be both visually monitored and easily controlled.
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Motion and Easy-to-Use

I get a little crabby about some of the things I have seen over the years in the motion control and especially the American marketing mentality.  In particular, the words “motion control” and “easy to use” should not appear in the same sentence without great care and thought about the statements being made.  If there is any lesson in the last two blogs on simulations and analytical tools for system design, it is that the motion control field is complex.

It is certain that computers and ever more powerful software programs automate tasks so that we can work more quickly.  The tools are evolving to make design faster and more thorough.  Many programs embed software oscilloscopes to display important parameters of operation while we tune or test our work.  And I love anything that makes my job easier, as I’m sure you do. Read more

Danaher Motion Introduces MechaWare 3.0

SANTA BARBARA, CALIF ­— Danaher Motion introduces MechaWare 3.0 ­— the industry’s only mechatronic toolkit that seamlessly integrates mechanical systems and control software design resulting in faster design cycles, superior motion system performance, and faster time to market.

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Better Software Tools

Better Software Tools Help Machine Builders Reap the Benefits of Mechatronics.

Newer software programs intended for machine builders take advantage of mechatronic principles and easily blend the necessary and different engineering disciplines.

By John Pritchard, Global Product Marketing Manager
Kinetix Motion Control, Rockwell Automation

Traditionally, machines have been designed and built using individual mechanical, control, and electrical design teams — that work independently to produce separate pieces of the whole system. Often, the mechanical team will turn the design over to the controls team and hope they can integrate the software and controls before control and programming issues are addressed. The machine might deliver substantial performance and flexibility advantages, but typically the marriage of the mechanical functions with the control system is not optimal; it is merely sufficient. Read more

The Evolution of Motion Programming Devices

Here’s a closer look at software development for programming motion systems and how these choices affect software reusability.

By Chuck Lewin Performance Motion Devices

Software development can be the single greatest engineering cost for many machine design projects. This observation is especially true for motion control projects because of the inherent complexity of managing such real time tasks as profile generation, events, and throughput.

Do you protocol?

It’s easy to be a bit overwhelmed with the range of choices in motion control protocols, languages, interface standards, and control architectures. However, as it turns out, a few basic concepts provide the necessary foundation for understanding motion programming languages. Read more