|Publication number||US5659480 A|
|Application number||US 08/495,284|
|Publication date||Aug 19, 1997|
|Filing date||Jun 27, 1995|
|Priority date||Jun 27, 1995|
|Publication number||08495284, 495284, US 5659480 A, US 5659480A, US-A-5659480, US5659480 A, US5659480A|
|Inventors||Robb Gary Anderson, Robert D. Lorenz, Andrew Joseph Meyer|
|Original Assignee||Industrial Service And Machine, Incorporated|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (13), Non-Patent Citations (4), Referenced by (79), Classifications (26), Legal Events (5)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
The present invention relates to controlling machines having members that move along or rotate about a plurality of axes, and more particularly to controllers that coordinate simultaneous movement of those members.
Machine tools commonly move a tool bit or other component in two or three axes to produce workpieces having two or three dimensional contours. Traditionally, such multiple axis machines were powered by a single motor which drove a common shaft. This power source often was referred to as a line shaft. Power was transferred from that line shaft to the different axes via mechanisms such as gears, cams and lead-screws. These mechanical linkages served two major purposes: the transfer of power and the coordination of relative motion among the axes. Inherent to the line shaft machine was inter-axis state feedback, or "stiffness," provided via the common power shaft. This inter-axis stiffness was the driving force for the coordination of the multiple axes and was bounded by the physical mechanics of the machines. In other words, resistance to movement along one axis was transferred back to the common line shaft and correspondingly affected the driving of mechanisms for the other axes. One example of this type of machine, which is still in frequent use today, is the engine lathe. Coordinated motion is accomplished with stiff, precision gear trains with user selectable ratios to fit individual machining applications. The degree to which the performance requirements are met is a function of the mechanical properties of the mechanisms and the ability to match a fixed number of gear ratios to the application. Precise matching of the requirements often could not be achieved by these machines.
As advances in computer control, power electronics and high performance servo-drives became available, programmable replacements for the hard-shafted machines began to evolve. The programmability allowed commands for multiple axes of motion to be coordinated together along with complex motion trajectories. One example of a machine using this control is a vertical CNC mill. The trajectory is computed off-line and the axes are controlled by computer controlled servo-motors. Although this power and flexibility provided enormous strides in manufacturing automation and precision, it lost some favorable attributes of the line-shaft predecessors. The mechanical inter-axis stiffness was not achieved by previous topologies for coordinating multiple axis motion with dynamically variable kinematics in programmable computer controlled machines.
Conventional methods for coordinating multiple degree-of-freedom machines were realized in programmable machines with a master command generator. The master command generator produced the required number of independent command references for the machine and synchronously sent these commands to each independent axis controller. This command reference could be precalculated and stored for later retrieval or computed in real-time. Numerous motion interpolation techniques can be utilized to facilitate a synchronous command generation technique. The independent time variable was discretized by the computer controller and was available to all of the required interpolating functions. Since all the functions received the same time reference, the functions produced the correct time synchronized commands.
However, these command generation topologies do not contain a mechanism which ensures that the machine synchronously tracks the command reference. This condition permits one axis to lag another in the presence of disturbances or drive saturation. For coordination to be maintained, the machine is required to produce stiff motion not only relative to the command reference, but most importantly, with respect to the other axes.
Another control mechanism is the slaving of one axis to another. The master-slave topology for command generation consists of a slower-responding axis serving as the master command generator and one or more other high performance slave axes servoing off the master's response. This topology is widely used in some sectors of the machine tool industry and represents a much closer analogy to the once standard line shaft machines than does the synchronized command topology.
If the slave controllers are modeled properly and tuned for similar closed-loop Eigenvalues, then synchronization will occur. However, if there are errors in the feedforward estimates or disturbances acting on one or more slave axes, the coordination of the machine suffers. Furthermore,.if a prescribed trajectory is infeasible, the system may enter the highly non-linear realm of saturation. These situations have many undesirable properties. Thus, present control topologies for computer controlled, servo-driven multiple axis machines emulating dynamically variable kinematics have not been able to replicate the beneficial inter-axis stiffness provided by line shaft machines.
A general object of the present invention is to provide a virtual common shaft control system for operating a multiple axis machine with dynamically variable kinematics.
Another object is to provide relative stiffness among independent axes which are connected via dynamically variable kinematic relationships and act collectively as a one input command-driven coordinated motion control system.
These objects are achieved by a method for controlling a machine which simulates a line shaft power train for driving each axis of the machine. The method involves simulating (on a computer) a "virtual" line shaft which has variable states of shaft acceleration, velocity and position. The computer also simulates a separate "virtual" mechanical linkage with dynamically variable kinematics for each independent axis of movement. The simulation of each virtual mechanical linkage uses the shaft states of acceleration, velocity and position to produce a virtual reference command vector for controlling the individual axis actuators. Furthermore, each axis produces a dynamically variable kinematic torque (force) state feedback signal representing an equivalent force which the virtual mechanical linkage exerts back on the virtual line shaft. The simulation of the virtual line shaft incorporates these state feedback force signals in its response for each axis of movement.
Although the machine actually has separately powered actuators, such as servo-motors that drive each axis, the machine operates as though the axes are driven from a common line shaft. By controlling the actuators with signals derived from the simulation of the virtual line shaft and virtual dynamically variable kinematic mechanical linkages, movement along or about a given axis is dependent upon the operation of the entire machine. Thus the present electronic control system provides the dynamically variable mechanical cross coupling of the axes found in mechanical cam driven, interconnected axes machines. As a consequence, if any combination of axes encounters either load resistance or is driven by the load, movement along or about the other axes are affected by that resistance such that synchronization of all axes is maintained.
FIG. 1 is a top view of a multiple axis machine;
FIG. 2 is a side view of the multiple axis machine;
FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the electronic control system for the multiple axis machine;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a four-axis virtual line shaft control system which is implemented by software in the computer of the machine; and
FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of the control technique for each axis of the control system shown in FIG. 4.
With initial reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a filament winding machine 10 can be used to apply a matrix of fiber and resin, under controlled tensions, to a mandrel in a predetermined geometrical pattern. For example, a tank can be fabricated over a thin metal form by applying repeated layers of a resin coated fiber to the outside of the metal form. When the resin cures, a solid outer casing having significant strength has been formed. In such an application, the metal form mandrel (not shown) is placed between chuck 12 and spindle 14. The chuck 12 is driven by a servo-motor 25 to rotate the mandrel. As the mandrel rotates, one or more resin-coated fibers is fed through a reciprocating payout eye 16 and wrapped around the mandrel.
The pay-out eye 16 is mounted on a base 18 that rides on a carriage 20. The base 18 moves along a crossfeed axis in reciprocal directions, indicated by arrows 22, perpendicular to the axis of mandrel rotation in the horizontal plane. Specifically, the base 18 is connected to a crossfeed lead screw 24 that is driven by a crossfeed servo-motor 26 to produce translational movement perpendicular to carriage 20. Similarly, the carriage moves in reciprocal directions, indicated by arrows 28, along a translational axis that is parallel to the axis of mandrel rotation. For this movement, the carriage 20 is connected to another lead screw 30 that is driven by a carriage servo-motor 32 and mounted to the frame of the filament winding machine 10. Furthermore, the payout eye 16 can pivot with respect to base 18, as indicated by arrows 15, when driven by a pivot servo-motor 44. Another servo-drive can be provided to rotate the payout eye 16 about center point 17, if desired.
In order to properly wind the filament in a pattern that precisely covers the mandrel with a strong outer layer, the movement along the axes denoted by arrows 22 and 28 as well as the pivoting of the payout eye 16 indicated by arrows 15 must all be coordinated with respect to one another and with the mandrel rotation. That coordination is provided by an electronic control circuit which operates the servo-motors 26, 32 and 44 as well as the motor 25 for chuck 12. The control circuit is located within a housing 46 which includes a control panel 48 that provides a keyboard and joy stick for the operator to use in sending commands to the machine. The operator control panel 48 also includes an alphanumeric display and indicator lights that provide status information about the machine operation to the operator.
The electronic control system 50 for operating the filament winding machine 10 is shown in FIG. 3. The control system 50 is built around a microcomputer 52 which includes input/output circuits, one or more central processing units, a random access memory 54 and a read only memory 56. The microcomputer 52 is also connected to an external memory 58 that provides additional storage for the control program of the filament winding machine. The control panel 48 is connected to the microcomputer by a control panel interface circuit 60.
The microcomputer 52 also is interfaced to the four servo-motors 25, 26, 32 and 44, and to additional servo-motors for any other axes of movement provided by the machine. Specifically, each servo-motor comprises a motor that is connected to a position sensor, such as an optical encoder, which provides an indication of the position of the component driven by the lead screw or rotary member attached to the motor. The motor and the position sensor within each servo-motor 25, 26, 32 and 44 is connected to a separate servo-drive 61-64. Electricity for operating the motors is controlled by the associated servo-drive 61-64 in response to an analog voltage level received from a set of digital to analog (D/A) converters 66. In order to operate a particular servo-motor, the microcomputer 52 sends the appropriate D/A converter 66 a digital command which defines the level of torque to be generated by the motor. The D/A converter 66 produces an analog signal having a voltage level that corresponds to the digital torque level and applies that analog signal to the servo-drive 61-64 associated with the motor. The conventional servo-drive controls the application of electricity to the servo-motor in order to produce the commanded torque level. Alternatively, the D/A converters 66 could be eliminated if the servo drives 61-64 could receive digital commands directly from the microcomputer 52.
As the servo-motor 25, 26, 32 or 44 moves, the signal from its associated position sensor is fed through the corresponding servo-drive 61-64 to a sensor interface 68. The sensor interface 68 converts the signals from the position sensor into a digital representation of the position θn of the axis that is driven by the corresponding motor, where n is a numerical designation of the particular one of the four axes. This digital position value is applied to an input of microcomputer 52 which uses the value to determine the velocity ωn of the lead screw or rotary member that is driven by the motor.
According to the present invention, the control circuit 50 executes a software program for the filament winding machine 10 which simulates a virtual line shaft driven machine. An actual line shaft has a number of cams located along its length which transfer power to followers which ride on the cams. A cam is a mechanical linkage that produces a dynamically variable kinematic relationship between input and output motion and forces. Cams produce position, velocity, acceleration and torque (force) relationships which are a function of their surface profile and are mechanically very stiff so as to provide the potential for high accuracy tracking of the desired profile. Thus, given complex shapes, cams can generate sophisticated motion and torque (force) profiles. Cams can be considered as devices which produce a spatial follower output which is either linear or non-linear with respect to the independent input variable(s).
The kinematic motion relationships of position, velocity, acceleration and torque for a cam and follower pair are given by the following four equations: ##EQU1## where θV, ωV, ωV and TV refer to position, velocity, acceleration and torque of the line shaft to which the cam is attached, and θ*, ω*, ω* T* refer to the position, velocity, acceleration and torque of the follower output. The relationship between the input and output positions of the cam and follower pair as expressed by Equation (1) is defined by the physical contour of the cam surface and the follower mechanism and is specified by coupling characteristics of the cam and follower. The most useful relationship for cam and follower motion kinematic modelling are given by Equations (2) and (4) which can be thought of as an operating point "Cam Gain", or generically as a gain factor, that is a function of the present input position.
The design of cam and follower pairs is well-understood by engineers and can be expressed in numerical terms as a set of cam positions and desired follower positions which the cam and follower pair is to follow. From that specification a mathematical function can be smoothly fit to this data using various interpolating functions.
Although the present invention is being described in terms of a line shaft with cams to transfer power to each axis, the inventive concept can be applied by those skilled in the art to other mechanical systems. Other types of common power mechanical sources can be utilized in place of a conventional line shaft and thus the term line shaft as used herein includes such analogous power sources. Furthermore, other mechanical linkages with dynamically variable kinematics can be substituted for a cam-follower mechanism to transfer power from the line shaft to mechanical components for a given axis. Such mechanical linkages can be simulated in the same manner as the cam-follower being described in detail.
FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the virtual line shaft control system which is simulated by the microcomputer 52 to produce torque command signals for the servo-motors 25, 26, 32 and 44. Block 100 represents the functional equivalent of a line shaft which is used to simulate a virtual line shaft in the control system 50. Specifically, the input angular velocity ωV, emulates the no-load line shaft speed. This angular velocity is summed with a feedback signal in summer 102 with the result being applied to function block 104 where the resultant value is multiplied by a variable bav corresponding to the viscous friction or viscous damping gain of the line shaft. The product from function block 104 is applied to a second summer 106 where a feedback torque value designated Tsfbr2, is subtracted from the product. The resultant value is applied to function block 108 where the input is divided by quantity JV which represents the inertia of the virtual line shaft. The output of function block 108 is a numerical value corresponding to the angular acceleration ωV of the virtual line shaft 100. The angular acceleration is integrated at step 110 to produce the angular velocity ωV which is fed back as the negative input of the first summer 102. The value corresponding to the angular velocity ωV is applied to a second integrator 112 to produce a value of the angular position θV of the virtual line shaft 100. The viscous friction or viscous damping gain bav and inertia JV are characteristics of the virtual line shaft that are analogous to the physical mechanical line shaft characteristics when driven by conventional prime movers. The angular acceleration, velocity and position of the line shaft, along with the command vector variables of position θn, velocity ωn and acceleration ωn for each axis n, are collectively referred to as the "command vector variable states."
The virtual line shaft 100 is functionally coupled to four or more virtual cams 114-117 which are simulated by microcomputer 52 also. Specifically, virtual cam 114 represents the mechanical linkage between the virtual line shaft and the spindle axis, that drives chuck 12. Virtual cam 115 corresponds to the movement of the carriage axis operated by the carriage servo-motor 32 and virtual cam 116 corresponds to the crossfeed axis which is operated by crossfeed servo-motor 26. Finally, virtual cam 117 corresponds to the payout eye axis driven by the payout eye servo-motor 44.
The real-time simulation of each virtual cam 114-118 produces an output signal Tn * which is the torque command that is sent to the servo-drive 61-64 for the axis designated by the number n. Also produced by the real-time virtual cam simulation is a torque feedback signal Tv.sbsb.n which represents the force applied by the follower for axis n to the corresponding cam attached to the virtual line shaft 100. By implementing the functional diagram shown in FIG. 4 in the software of the filament winding machine's computer control circuit 50 and using the results of that simulation to control each of the servo-motors 25, 26, 32 and 44, the machine 10 has the response of a conventional line shaft driven machine. In other words, by simulating the line shaft and the mechanical linkage that transfers force between the line shaft and the mechanisms for each axis of the filament winding machine, the axes take on the characteristics, such as relative stiffness, of a mechanically cross coupled machine with dynamically variable kinematics. This is in contrast to conventional computer-operated machines which used other techniques for operating each of the multiple axes as described previously.
With reference to FIG. 5, each of the virtual cams 114-117 provides a functional simulation of the mechanical linkage between the virtual line shaft 100 and machine components that move along or about each of the four axes. The functional diagram is shown in terms of a cam and follower pair that converts rotational movement and torque, and thus has a desired angular acceleration ω*n, angular velocity ω*n, angular position θ*n and torque T*n, as well as position θn, velocity ωn and acceleration ωn values for each axis n. For axes that provide translational movement and thus have another type of mechanical linkage, the notation can be changed to linear acceleration, linear velocity, linear position and force as will be apparent to one skilled in the art. The functional simulation utilizes characteristics of line shaft mechanical linkage characteristics that are familiar to designers of physical line shaft mechanical systems. These characteristics include the physical load inertia JP, physical damping bP, active relative stiffness gains of damping br1, stiffness Ksr1 and integrated stiffness Kisr1 of the line shaft and cam follower axis mechanism. The integrated stiffness control state is a fictitious state that does not exist in the real world, but that very beneficial state is familiar to state based motion control designers.
The virtual cam mechanism 120 receives as inputs the "command vector variable states" of angular acceleration ωV, angular velocity ωV and angular position θV from the virtual line shaft 100. These inputs are fed to a Virtual Cam Motion Kinematics function block 124 which applies Equations (1), (2) and (3) above to that input data to produce a "virtual reference command vector" comprising desired angular position θ*, angular velocity ω* and angular acceleration ω* of the shaft coupled to the virtual cam follower. This function block maps the movement of the virtual line shaft to dynamically variable kinematic movement of a mechanism that drives one particular axis of the machine 10.
The three parameters of the virtual reference command vector from virtual cam motion kinematics function block 124 are applied as inputs to a closed loop axis motion control section 128 which also receives the actual position θn and angular velocity ωn of the corresponding axis mechanism n derived from the position sensor signals. Section 128 provides a feedforward control path for the axis physical inertia and damping parameters, as well as providing a feedback control to account for errors due to disturbances of the axis mechanism.
The feedforward control features are provided at function block 130 where the acceleration ω*n is multiplied by an estimate of the output system's physical inertia JPn. Similarly, the cam output velocity ω*n is multiplied by function bPn which is an estimate of the physical damping (drag) of the axis mechanism, at block 132. The results of the operation performed at blocks 130 and 132 are summed at point 134 to produce a value designated T*cffa.sbsb.n which represents the estimated torque that the servo motor must generate in order to compensate for the inertia and drag of the axis mechanism. This torque value is applied to a summing point 136.
The closed loop axis motion control block 128 also provides a torque value designated T*sfbr1.sbsb.n which represents the torque required to be applied to the mechanical axis in order to compensate for disturbances. This torque value contains a virtual connecting shaft component derived by subtracting the actual axis position θn from the desired position θ*n at point 138 to determine the difference θerr.sbsb.n between the desired and the actual axis position. The numerical value of the error θerr.sbsb.n is fed to function block 140 which applies the active relative stiffness gain Ksr1.sbsb.n of the mechanical axis to the error signal and sends the result to a summation node 142. The axis position error θerr.sbsb.n also is integrated at block 144 to produce a result that is then acted upon by the integrated stiffness gain Kisr1.sbsb.n. The result of the functions performed by blocks 144 and 146 are applied to another input of summing node 142.
The closed loop motion control section 128 also derives the velocity error ωerr.sbsb.n for the mechanical axis. To do so, the desired axis velocity ω* is applied from the virtual cam motion kinematics function block 124 to summing node 148. From the desired axis velocity, the summing node 148 subtracts the actual axis velocity ωn produced by microcomputer 52 in response to the signals from the position sensor for that axis. The output of the summing node 148 is the velocity error value ωerr which is sent to function block 150 and operated upon by the active damping gain br1.sbsb.n of the mechanical axis. The output of function block 150 represents the torque level associated with the relative velocity difference and the active damping gain, and that torque level is applied as another input to summing node 142. The result of the summation which occurs at node 142 is the desired torque that is required to overcome system disturbances for this particular axis. The blocks 140, 146 and 150 define the relative stiffness of the virtual connecting shaft and produce a torque value T*sfbr1.sbsb.n associated with these gains. The torque value produced from node 142 is summed at node 136 with the feedforward torque value from node 134 to produce the torque output command Tn * that is required for the axis at this point in time. Torque output command Tn * is sent from the microcomputer 52 to the D/A converter 66 for this axis and thereby produces the torque command for the servo-drive 61-64 for this axis so that the associated servo-motor is operated to produce required the torque levels.
Relative stiffness also is utilized in functional section 152 as part of a feedback loop that affects the operation of the virtual line shaft 100. In other words, the relative stiffness of each mechanical axis is reflected back to the operation of the virtual line shaft 100. Thus, just as in the mechanical analogue, the stiffness of the electronically controlled axis affects the operation of the virtual line shaft and in turn the other axes which are driven by the virtual line shaft. Specifically, the relative stiffness feedback section 152 receives the axis position error θerr.sbsb.n and angular velocity error ωerr.sbsb.n from section 128. The relative damping br2.sbsb.n is applied at function block 154 to the axis velocity error ωerr.sbsb.n. This is the same type of operation performed at step 150 in the closed loop axis motion control and in a true mechanical system, both of these function blocks could use the same value for the shaft damping. However, as this is a simulation, different values can be utilized in each block if desired. The same is true for the operators Ksr2.sbsb.n and Kisr2.sbsb.n in blocks 158 and 162 and those of previously described blocks 140 and 146, respectively. The output of function block 154 is sent to a summing node 156. The position error θerr.sbsb.n is operated upon by the stiffness gain Ksr2.sbsb.n at block 158 and the result applied to summing node 156. Similarly, the position error is integrated at step 160 and the result operated upon by the integrated stiffness gain for this axis at block 162 with the final result being applied to summing node 156. The outputs from function 154, 158 and 162 are summed at node 156 to produce a torque value Tsfbr2.sbsb.n that represents the feedback torque from the mechanical axis.
At function block 164, the torque feedback value Tsfbr2.sbsb.n is multiplied by the dynamically variable kinematic cam gain as given by Equation (4) above. This operation produces a torque value Tvn representing the torque (force) that the relative stiffness of the axis mechanism exerts on virtual line shaft 100.
Referring again to FIG. 4, each of the torque feedback outputs Tvn from the four virtual cams 114-117 are summed at node 166 to produce a value Tsfbr2 ' which represents the total torque (force) exerted by all of the axis mechanisms on the virtual line shaft. This total torque (force) value is applied to a subtracting input of the second summer 106 in the virtual line shaft 100. This coupling of the feedback torque to the virtual line shaft causes the operation of the virtual line shaft to take into account the backward torque (force) from all of the axes. In other words, the feedback torque Tsfbr2 ' provides the mechanical cross coupling found in a true line shaft machine in the electronic control of the filament winding machine 10 where each axis is operated by a separately powered servo-motor.
As noted previously, the functional diagrams of FIGS. 4 and 5 are implemented by the control program that is executed by microcomputer 52 to simulate a line shaft controlled machine. Thus, in order to operate the filament winding machine 10, the user specifies the angular velocity ωv ' which defines the speed of the virtual line shaft. From this single input value, the microcomputer 52 derives the servo-drive torque commands Tn * for each of the four axes of movement for the machine. When one or more of the axes encounters a disturbance, for example drag on the carriage axis by the winding of the filament on the mandrel, the disturbance is reflected onto the movement of the other axes via the simulation of the virtual line shaft machine in the microcomputer. Specifically in this case, the position X2 and velocity V2 of the carriage axis sensed by the position sensor will be different from the desired values for those parameters as the result of the disturbance. The microcomputer 52 in simulating the carriage axis virtual cam 115 produces error values Verr and Xerr representing the difference between the actual and desired values for these parameters. These error values as previously described with respect to FIG. 5 affect the torque feedback signal Tvn which reflects the disturbance onto the virtual line shaft 100. The effect of the feedback torque on the virtual line shaft then is transferred to the operation of the other axes of the machine. In this manner, the simulation of the virtual line shaft and cam-follower mechanisms for each axis generates the torque control signals for the axis servo-motors and as a consequence of the use of the simulation to control the axes, the inter-axis coupling is affected.
The foregoing description was primarily directed to a preferred embodiment of the invention while some attention was given to various alternatives within the scope of the invention. It is anticipated that one skilled in the art will likely realize additional alternatives from the disclosure of embodiments of the invention. For example, although the present invention is being described in the context of a filament winding machine, the concepts can be applied to other multiple axis machines. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined from the following claims and not limited by the above disclosure.
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|U.S. Classification||700/186, 409/235, 700/169, 700/159, 700/188, 318/567, 318/568.2, 703/7, 701/59, 700/180|
|International Classification||B23Q17/22, G05B19/416, B23Q5/40, B23Q1/62|
|Cooperative Classification||G05B2219/43162, B23Q5/40, G05B2219/50229, Y10T409/309576, G05B19/416, B23Q17/22, B23Q1/623, G05B2219/50218|
|European Classification||B23Q1/62A1, B23Q5/40, B23Q17/22, G05B19/416|
|Jun 27, 1995||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: INDUSTRIAL SERVICE AND MACHINE, INCORPORATED, WISC
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:ANDERSON, ROBB GARY;LORENZ, ROBERT D.;MEYER, ANDREW JOSEPH;REEL/FRAME:007565/0995;SIGNING DATES FROM 19950623 TO 19950626
|Jan 3, 2001||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|Mar 9, 2005||REMI||Maintenance fee reminder mailed|
|Aug 19, 2005||LAPS||Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees|
|Oct 18, 2005||FP||Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee|
Effective date: 20050819