At the recent SPS/IPC/Drives show in Germany, Lenze unveiled a controller for centralised control systems, which combines PLC logic, motion control and visualisation functions. The 3200C controller is aimed at “motion-centric” automation of complex machines with multiple rotary and linear axes.

The 136mm-wide DIN-rail-mounting controller integrates with Lenze’s I/O System 1000 to create a single station with a 48MHz backplane bus and a 1µs time stamp. Up to 64 I/O modules can be combined to provide digital and analogue I/O, temperature measurement, counters and encoder evaluation.

The 3200C (above) uses Intel Atom processors which operate without fans, and flash memory storage instead of hard discs, thus avoiding moving parts. A built-in UPS saves variables if power is lost. The controller has a SD memory card slot and two USB ports, while an optional third USB port can be used for DVI connections to a monitor.

There are two 100Mbit Ethernet interfaces with an integrated switch, avoiding the need for an external switch. A third Ethernet interface can be used as an EtherCAT master for real-time communication with drives. Further communication buses can be added and two synchronised CAN buses can support CANopen. A Profibus card is available and the controller can also act as a gateway between field devices and supervisory-level computers.

The Windows CE 6.0 based controller is supplied with Lenze’s PLC Designer software which enables programming compliant with IEC61131-3. The software is based on the CoDeSys3 programming system which has been optimised for the controller. Programming of motion functions is to PLCopen standards. An integrated Web server allows access to all control parameters and to the logbook from any Web browser.

Individual System 1000 I/O modules can be added as elements in the structure of a project tree in PLC Designer. The I/O system integrates with the controllers both mechanically and in the programming software.

Lenze’s VisiWinNet software with 500 power tags is supplied with the controller, allowing connection to drives to be made using the CANopen or real-time EtherCAT ports. The complete system can be configured through the controller using the transparent gateway function.