PI A-824.21 Series User manual

User Guide
Doc# A824D001 v2.0
15-Nov-2018
Page 1 of 28
PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P.
16 Albert Street, Auburn, MA 01501
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
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A-824.21XXX 4-AXIS HI-POWER MOTION CONTROLLER
FOR USE WITH PIGLIDE AIR BEARING PRODUCTS AND OTHER DIRECT-DRIVE STAGES.

User Guide
Doc# A824D001 v2.0
15-Nov-2018
Page 2 of 28
PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P.
16 Albert Street, Auburn, MA 01501
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Physik Instrumente (PI) GmbH & Co. KG is the owner of the following trademarks:
PI®, PIC®, PICMA®, PILine®, PIFOC®, PiezoWalk®, NEXACT®, NEXLINE®, NanoCube®, NanoAutomation®,
Picoactuator®, PInano®, PIMag®
PI owns the following patents or patent applications for the technology field Magnetic Direct Drives (PIMag®):
WO212146709A2, DE102012207082A1
© 2018 PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P. The text, photographs and drawings in this user guide are protected by
copyright. With regard thereto, PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P. retains all the rights. Use of said text, photographs
and drawings is permitted only in part and only upon citation of the source.
Subject to change without notice. This user guide is superseded by any new release. PI continually improves its
product offerings, and listed options and specifications may be superseded at any time.

User Guide
Doc# A824D001 v2.0
15-Nov-2018
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PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P.
16 Albert Street, Auburn, MA 01501
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Table of Contents
1. About this Document..................................................................................................................................................5
1.1. Objective and Target Audience of this User Guide .....................................................................................................5
1.2. Symbols and Typographic Conventions ......................................................................................................................5
1.3. Other Applicable Documents ......................................................................................................................................5
2. Safety..........................................................................................................................................................................6
2.1. Intended Use ...............................................................................................................................................................6
2.2. General Safety Instructions.........................................................................................................................................6
2.3. Organizational Measures............................................................................................................................................6
2.4. Personnel Qualification...............................................................................................................................................6
2.5. Warnings and Safety Notices......................................................................................................................................7
3. Unpacking...................................................................................................................................................................7
4. Product Overview .......................................................................................................................................................8
4.1. Model Overview and Part Numbering ........................................................................................................................8
4.2. Product Description.....................................................................................................................................................8
4.3. Product Features.........................................................................................................................................................8
4.4. Product Views .............................................................................................................................................................9
4.5. Product Labeling .......................................................................................................................................................10
4.6. Scope of Delivery.......................................................................................................................................................11
4.7. Upgrade Options.......................................................................................................................................................11
5. Mounting..................................................................................................................................................................12
6. Connecting the Cables ..............................................................................................................................................12
7. Hardware Interlock ...................................................................................................................................................12
8. Connecting the Controller to Protective Earth ..........................................................................................................13
9. User I/O ....................................................................................................................................................................14
9.1. Analog Inputs............................................................................................................................................................14
9.2. Analog Outputs .........................................................................................................................................................14
9.3. Digital I/O .................................................................................................................................................................15
10. Axis Numbering.....................................................................................................................................................17
11. Software Installation on Host PC...........................................................................................................................18
12. Establishing Host PC Communications with the Controller....................................................................................18
13. Operation..............................................................................................................................................................19

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13.1. Basic Setup............................................................................................................................................................19
13.2. Homing and Initialization......................................................................................................................................20
13.3. Simple Motion.......................................................................................................................................................21
13.4. Cycle Program.......................................................................................................................................................22
13.5. Servo Tuning .........................................................................................................................................................22
14. Maintenance.........................................................................................................................................................23
14.1. Updating Firmware...............................................................................................................................................23
14.2. Cleaning ................................................................................................................................................................23
15. Customer Service ..................................................................................................................................................23
16. Technical Data.......................................................................................................................................................24
16.1. Specifications ........................................................................................................................................................24
16.2. Ambient Conditions...............................................................................................................................................24
16.3. Dimensions............................................................................................................................................................25
16.4. Connector Pin Assignments...................................................................................................................................26
17. EC Declaration of Conformity ................................................................................................................................28
18. Old Equipment Disposal ........................................................................................................................................28
Table of Figures
Figure 1 - Front panel of A-824.21xxx motion controller 9
Figure 2 - Rear panel of A-824.21xxx motion controller 9
Figure 3 - Product Labeling Example 10
Figure 4 - Interlock Bypass Jumper 13
Figure 5 - Chassis Protective Earth Stud Location 13
Figure 6 - Attaching the Protective Earth Conductor 14
Figure 7 - Variables Manager and Watch Dialog 15
Figure 8 - Inputs / Outputs Manager 15
Figure 9 - Suggested PC LAN Adapter Settings 18
Figure 10 - Connect to Controller Dialog 19
Figure 11 - Controller Object –List of Typical Components 20
Figure 12 - Motion Manager 21
Figure 13 - Back and Forth Motion 21
Figure 14 - Buffer Window 22
Figure 15 - A-824.21xxx Dimensions 25

User Guide
Doc# A824D001 v2.0
15-Nov-2018
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PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P.
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1. About this Document
1.1. Objective and Target Audience of this User Guide
This User Guide contains information on the intended use of the A-824.21xxx series of motion controllers,
hereinafter referred to as the “A-824”. It assumes that the reader has a fundamental understanding of basic
servo systems as well as motion control concepts and applicable safety procedures.
1.2. Symbols and Typographic Conventions
The following symbols and markings are used in this User Guide:
Symbol
Meaning
If not avoided, the situation could result in damage to the equipment.
Failure to observe these precautions could result in serious injury to
those performing the procedures and damage to the equipment.
1.
2.
Action consisting of several steps whose sequential order must be
observed

Action consisting of one or several steps whose sequential order is
irrelevant
1.3. Other Applicable Documents
Name
Instructions for SPiiPlus ADK Suite Installation
ACSPL Plus Programmer's Guide
SPiiPlus MMI Application Studio User Guide
SPiiPlus Command and Variable Reference Guide
SPiiPlus C Library Reference Programmer Guide
SPiiPlus COM Library Programmers Guide
SPiiPlus NET Programmers Guide
App Note - PEG and MARK Operations

User Guide
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PI (Physik Instrumente) L.P.
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2. Safety
2.1. Intended Use
The A-824 is a laboratory device according to DIN EN 61010-1. It is intended to be used in interior spaces and in
an environment which is free of dirt, oil and lubricants.
According to its design, the A-824 is intended for operating the PIglide line of direct-drive air bearing linear and
rotary stages. Do not attempt to connect the A-824 to any other device unless specifically instructed to do so by a
PI engineer.
The A-824 may only be used in compliance with the technical specifications and instructions in this User Guide.
The user is responsible for process validation and application software development.
2.2. General Safety Instructions
The A-824 is built according to state-of-the-art technology and recognized safety standards. Improper use can
result in personal injury and/or damage to the A-824.
Only use the A-824 for its intended purpose, and only use it if it is in a good working order.
Read the user documentation.
Immediately eliminate any faults and malfunctions that are likely to affect safety.
The operator is responsible for the correct installation and operation of the A-824.
Install the A-824 near the power source so that the power plug can be quickly and easily disconnected from
the mains.
Use the supplied components to connect the A-824 to the power source.
2.3. Organizational Measures
Always keep this user guide available by the A-824.
The latest versions of the user guide are available from PI.
Add all information given by the manufacturer to the user documentation, for example supplements or
Technical Notes.
If you give the A-824 to other users, also turn over the user documentation as well as other relevant
information provided by the manufacturer.
Only use the device on the basis of the complete user documentation. Missing information due to incomplete
user documentation can result in property damage.
Only install and operate the A-824 after having read and understood this user guide.
2.4. Personnel Qualification
The A-824 may only be installed, started up, operated, maintained and cleaned by authorized and qualified staff.

User Guide
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2.5. Warnings and Safety Notices
The following statements apply throughout this user guide. Failure to observe these precautions could result in
serious injury to those performing the procedures and damage to the equipment. This user guide and any
additional instructions included with the stage should be retained for the lifetime of the stage.
To minimize the possibility of electrical shock and bodily injury or death, disconnect all electrical
power prior to making any electrical connections.
To minimize the possibility of electrical shock and bodily injury or death when any electrical circuit
is in use, ensure that no person comes in contact with the circuitry when the stage or controller is
connected to a power source.
To minimize the possibility of bodily injury or death, disconnect all electrical power prior to making
any mechanical adjustments.
To minimize the possibility of bodily injury or death from electric shock in the case of malfunction or
failure of the system, make sure a protective earth conductor is properly connected.
Moving parts of the stage can cause crushing or shearing injuries. All personnel must remain clear
of any moving parts.
Improper use of the equipment can cause damage, shock, injury, or death. Read and understand
this user guide before operating the stage.
If the equipment is used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer, the protection provided by
the equipment can be impaired.
Interconnect cables can pose a tripping hazard. Securely mount and position all stage cables to
avoid potential hazards.
Do not expose the equipment to environments or conditions outside the specified range of
operating environments. Operation in conditions other than those specified can cause damage to
the equipment.
The equipment must be mounted securely. Improper mounting can result in injury and damage to
the equipment.
Use care when moving the equipment. Lifting or transporting stages can result in injury.
Use care when moving the equipment. Avoid any shocks, drops or bumps that can cause
scratches, dings, dents, or distortion of the equipment.
3. Unpacking
Carefully unpack the controller, stages, and other components from the shipping packaging. Inspect the contents
for signs of damage. If there is any sign of damage or missing parts, contact PI immediately. Keep all packaging
materials in case the product needs to be returned.

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4. Product Overview
4.1. Model Overview and Part Numbering
The A-824 series offers various models, defined by the encoder type, communications protocol, and IO options.
Model
Encoder
Options
A-824.21
A = Incremental Sine (1 Vp-p)
Interpolation 4x to 16,384x
00 = Ethernet Communications
72 VDC Motor Bus
24V IO
B = Absolute BiSS-C
4.2. Product Description
The A-82x series of high-power motion controllers from PI offers a completely integrated electronics solution, with
controller, drives, and power supplies packaged together in a compact 4U, 19-inch rack-mount enclosure. These
controllers are designed and optimized to work with the PIglide line of air bearing stages which feature direct
drive linear and rotary servo motors and high resolution encoders. The A-824.21xxx series features the UDMnt
PWM servo drive from ACS, which offers the excellent performance at a reduced cost.
Standard options include inputs for incremental sine encoders and absolute encoders using the BiSS-C serial
data protocol. Sine encoder support includes integrated encoder multiplication up to 16,384x. All controllers
feature on-board flash memory for stored motion programs and parameters. The A-82x controllers can run in
standalone mode running stored programs, or controlled via an external PC. A PC is required for programming
and setup. All software is included with the controller.
4.3. Product Features
ACS SPiiPlus EC Motion Controller and EtherCAT® master.
ACS UDMnt PWM servo drives
AC-to-DC power supplies to convert AC line voltage into the required DC voltages needed for the servo
motors and controller logic.
Cooling Fan
Circuit breakers built into on/off power switch
Cabling to bring all necessary electrical signals to the rear panel, using industry-standard D-sub connectors
on the package exterior.
19” wide rack-mount chassis.
Incremental SIN/COS Analog encoder inputs with 4096x Interpolation.
Absolute BiSS-C encoder inputs.
(Note: The standard model configuration assumes that all axes of the A-8xx are configured for the same
encoder type. However, custom configurations can be offered that allow mixing of the encoder types
between axes).
Universal AC Power Input. For maximum performance, the A-82x series should only be used with AC input
voltages of 200 - 265VAC (single phase) 50-60 Hz.)
MPU cycle rate of 5 kHz.
Can operate DC servo, voice-coil, and 3-phase brushless servo motors.
Encoder-based sine commutation (no Hall Effect sensors needed) of 3-phase motors.
16 buffers for stored motion programs.
24VDC IO and limits.
24VDC interlock input.
EtherCAT® output port for expansion to more axes, expanded IO, LCMv2 laser control module, and more.
Ethernet (TCP/IP) communications to host PC. Ethernet/IP also supported.

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All required software drivers.
ACS SPiiPlus ADK Suite of software tools. Includes SPiiPlus MMI Application Studio, SPiiPlus Utilities for
software maintenance and application management, Full documentation of all ACS products and software
tools, Full controller simulator.
4.4. Product Views
Figure 1 - Front panel of A-824.21xxx motion controller
Figure 2 - Rear panel of A-824.21xxx motion controller

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Labeling
Type
Function
AC INPUT
IEC 60320 Type C20
Connection for the AC supply voltage
ETHERNET
RJ45 Socket
Connection to the host PC
ETHERCAT OUT
RJ45 Socket
Connection to ACS Controller EtherCAT Bus
INTERLOCK
DB9-F
E-Stop/Interlock Connection
ANALOG IO
DB9-M
Controller Analog I/O Connection
DIGITAL IO
DB25-F
Controller Digital I/O Connection
ENCODER 1
DB15-F
Stage Encoder Connection Axis #1
MOTOR 1
DB9W4-F
Stage Motor Connection Axis #1
ENCODER 2
DB15-F
Stage Encoder Connection Axis #2
MOTOR 2
DB9W4-F
Stage Motor Connection Axis #2
ENCODER 3
DB15-F
Stage Encoder Connection Axis #3
MOTOR 3
DB9W4-F
Stage Motor Connection Axis #3
ENCODER 4
DB15-F
Stage Encoder Connection Axis #4
MOTOR 4
DB9W4-F
Stage Motor Connection Axis #4
See Section 16.4 for connector pin assignments.
4.5. Product Labeling
Figure 3 - Product Labeling Example
#
Description
1.
A-824.21A00 (Product model number example)
2.
Serial number (example), individual for each A-824
Meaning of the places (counting from left):
A = PIglide Air Bearing Product
17 = year of manufacture (i.e. 2017)
242402 = consecutive unique number, 6-digit
3.
Warning sign "Observe manual"
4.
Old equipment disposal warning sign
5.
CE mark
6.
Country of origin
7.
Manufacturer's address (website)
8.
Manufacturer's logo