Science fiction sends its regards

Moog Animatics SmartMotor™ servos form the foundation of PAL intralogistics robots’ drive technology. PAL Robotics develops, manufactures and supplies robot units for intralogistics tasks, including the associated software and implementation services. It focuses on integrating contemporary technologies into the systems’ functionality.

As readers will no doubt already know, their much smaller brothers of consumer brands, the robotic vacuum cleaners, are already capable of mapping premises, calculating ideal paths and avoiding obstacles with current sensor technology. If we pick up on this capability and apply it to industrial intralogistic practice, we immediately find ourselves discussing autonomous ‘AMRs’ and ‘AGVs’ as track-bound transport units. However, our intention here isn’t to evaluate what is a more efficient solution for the task in question.

In any case, the fact of the matter is that current electronics’ and sensor technology’s ability to map premises, calculate optimised routes from A to B, avoid obstacles and work out alternatives if necessary makes autonomous AMRs a pioneering solution. But, understandably, that alone isn’t enough. The transport units need a robust drive system for tough daily use that can respond to incoming information in an extremely short space of time and turn, stop, brake or accelerate the unit.

Communication between drive motors and the entire sensor system for distances, position and location, even potentially with image recognition compared to the ‘map’ is absolutely essential. SmartMotors from Moog Animatics are enabling PAL Robotics to turn its dream into a reality.

The different robot designs have the same basic platform, containing the control electronics, sensors, battery and the drive’s two SmartMotors (one motor per drive wheel). There are four support rollers under the base plate to ensure that the unit can move stably.

SmartMotors of the SM23165DT-DE-CDS type, which are nominally designed for 48 V and have 57 x 57 mm flange dimensions, are used in the approx. 54 cm diameter base. However, they harmonise just as perfectly with the unit’s 36 V supply, with each motor’s output being max. 204 W continuous power. At 5,200 revolutions, each motor delivers 0.52 Nm of continuous torque, with peak power reaching 0.84 Nm. Communication with one another and with the central processing unit takes place via the CAN bus.

Why choose SmartMotors from Moog Animatics?

The individual drive wheel’s direction of rotation and speed are used to corner to the right and left, accelerate and brake, and make complete rotations too. To do this with the necessary precision, both motors must know at all times where the other motor is at that moment in time, and what its direction of rotation and speed are, so they constantly have to compare the target and actual values.

The use of directly interconnected SmartMotors significantly enhances efficiency in several respects. The sensors required here are integrated directly in the motor, which increases the reaction speed and eases the computational burden on the central processor by means of Combitronic. The Combitronic™ protocol uses the CAN bus in addition to other protocols, transfers data in real time between the motors and thus enables coordinated motion sequences, whereby one of the two SmartMotors takes over the controller function and also directs the second motor. In addition, this integration makes the assembly more compact and cuts costs in addition to reducing weight.

Less weight, plus the main processor being relieved of computing processes, also boosts the robot’s energy efficiency, so either more runtime or more payload is available to the user while the battery size stays the same. This aspect is further enhanced by the separate power supply for the motor controller and amplifier. The amplifier is switched off when demand is low, and the motor controller and software are still supplied with power.

Dr. Jordi Pagès, Head of Intralogistics Solutions at PAL Robotics, said: ‘Moog Animatics’ solution with SmartMotors fitted the requirements of what we were looking for to drive our AMR. We also discussed the rest of the task with Moog Development and Moog offered to prefabricate the “motors and gearboxes” assembly for us, since its team had a lot of experience in that regard. As things stand at present, all we have to do is click the Moog assembly into the housing and connect it to the power and data supply. This proactive approach to supporting PAL Robotics beyond motor technology has made our lives easier, to help enhance the efficiency of our manufacturing operations.’

A flexible assistant

Above the robot’s base unit is the customised attachment, which carries out goods transport or also targeted handling like automatic gripping, setting down and so on. Overall, the manufacturer’s ‘TIAGo Base’ basic system is designed for a payload of up to 100 kg and a speed of 1.5 m/s.

Communication with the network takes place over WiFi or Bluetooth, and also over LAN or USB connections at the charging station. The robot detects its surroundings with lasers. The user can operate the robot directly in the field via a touch panel and LED status or audio output indicator.

The Combitronic approach in the SmartMotors’ direct communication with one another is similar to what happens in the human body, where many reflexes and muscle activities are processed by the spinal cord to ease the burden on the brain. A faster, more efficient response and increased energy utilisation with a smaller size reveal potential for optimisation for many other applications. If you have similar or transferable drive technology tasks, you should absolutely contact Moog Animatics’ developers right away.