Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions, a brand of AMETEK Precision Motion Control, has introduced the latest addition to the IDEA Drive™ line of sophisticated stepper motor controllers. The RoHS-compliant PCM4806E drive allows an encoder input to the controller for closed-loop position correction capability. This particular drive is optimized to regulate a low-current power stage suitable for accurately controlling smaller can-stack linear actuators.

The IDEA Drive encoder interface is designed to accept single-ended, 2-channel quadrature encoder input and an index signal. The 90 degree offset of Channel A and B allows the system to determine motor direction. A 1000 line encoder will be translated by the firmware as a 2000 pulse signal for use in position correction.

The IDEA Drive platform also is designed with an easy-to-use patent-pending graphic user interface (GUI). The system is programmed through easy-to-use on-screen buttons instead of complicated command sets or proprietary programming languages. Among the unique features of the GUI is automatic population of the motor and drive parameters based on entering a Haydon Kerk actuator part number when prompted by the user interface.

Complex parameter calculations or in-depth stepper motor knowledge are completely unnecessary. For experienced users, default values can easily be adjusted as long as they remain within the safe range calculated by the software. That software allows system designers to easily troubleshoot programs using line-by-line or multiple line program execution using an interactive debug feature. Inputs and outputs also can be simulated using the software before connecting actual I/O hardware.

Other features include programmable current control, a single supply voltage of 12 to 48 VDC, 0.6Arms (0.84Apeak) max rated current per phase, and 8 opto-isolated general purpose I/O. Each input is rated for 5 to 24 VDC, 8 mA maximum per input. The outputs are open collector, 5 to 24 VDC, 200 mA maximum per output. Communications to the PCM4806E IDEA Drive is via a USB to mini USB. Other options are available.