IEN: What improvements are expected in motion-related technologies in customized solutions for optimal application form factors? Common standards for interfaces, programming, and physical connections? Smaller motion device footprints? Feedback technology? Other areas?
Kulkarni: Control experts are often frustrated because the new model-based control algorithm that they just developed on the PC for advanced motion control cannot be readily ported over to the FPGA or DSP that ultimately controls the machine. This typically involves an embedded systems developer who would take a couple of weeks to rewrite the code in C and deploy it on custom hardware. Some of the main advances in motion control technology in the future would be bridging this gap between design and deployment of motion control algorithms -- be it supervisory control, trajectory generation, spline interpolation, or control algorithms. NI SoftMotion Development Module for LabVIEW takes a huge leap in this direction by allowing the controls expert to prototype his/her control algorithm in LabVIEW on a PC and then deploy the same code on an FPGA with NI Reconfigurable I/O technology.
Another area of improvement is simplified cabling offered by distributed motion solutions based on standard interfaces like IEEE 1394 and CANopen. While drive vendors work toward adding intelligence to drives to create a distributed solution, motion controller vendors should add supervisory control and trajectory generation in real-time and easy-to-use interfaces to program such distributed motion solutions.
IEN: How can users implement preventive or predictive monitoring in motion solutions?
Kulkarni: Modular, reconfigurable I/O platforms like NI CompactRIO enable engineers to add current / voltage sensors and accelerometers to their motion control system. With a single programming environment, LabVIEW, you can now easily incorporate vibration monitoring or diagnostics as part of your motion control system.