Joint

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You can use the joint to simulate turnings around an axis which is orientated in any direction. It has the form of a linear mover. You specify the turning axis by specifying the position of the line in space. All elements (also their children) which you fix to this joint are turned around this axis.

The elements which shall be turned need to be quite small, because most elements cannot be turned itself in the current version yet. An exception are the elements which have got the form of a line, for example light barrier, linear mover and bar and also the box, the hooks, the limit switches, the turnable conveyor and the turnable dynamics.

There are several drives for the joint:

1.) Bit drive: This drive will be connected to one or several bits of the PLC, and it makes the adjustment of the speed of rotation in both directions and up to two speeds possible. Also the acceleration and deceleration ramps can be adjusted, as well as possible limitations if the joint shall not go round continuously.

2.) Servo drive: Creating the simulation you specify some turning angles here which will be covered during runtime of the simulation. Therefore you only have to give the PLC the number of the turning angle.

3.) Linear mover as drive: With this you can translate a linear motion into a rotary motion. A rattle function is possible as well.

4.) Crank drive: With this you couple the current joint to another one that already exists. The transmission ratio is adjustable.

5.) Absolute real drive: Direct specification of turning angle. The same function is better fulfilled by a servo drive with direct specification.

6.) Simple Frq converter: This drive corresponds with a frequency controlled engine or a proportional valve of a hydraulic engine. It has to be connected to a word (E, A-, M- or data-) of the PLC.

Next to the address you have to specify at which value of the word the maximum speed shall be reached. If the word shall head for an analog output in the real PLC that shall give +/- 10V to a frequency converter you will have to enter 27.648 here. For this drive you can specify slopes and limitations of the turning angle as well.

There are two slide controllers on the edit mask of the joint:

1.) The slide controller ‘without’ loosen the axle nut. So you turn the axis with all the fixed elements. You do not cause any constructive changes of the machine in doing this. This turning possibility has only been created to monitor the movement of the elements which are fixed to the joint easily and to adjust limit switches, e.g. while editing. As soon as you restart the simulation the elements which are fixed to the joint will go back to their original position.

2.) The slide controller ‘with’ loosen the axle nut will cause constructive changes of the machine though. Adjusting this controller means the same as turning the elements which are fixed to the axis after loosening the axle nut.

With the page-up/down-buttons you cause a changing of the turning angle of about 45° each, an accurate adjustment is possible with the help of the arrow right/left-buttons.

With a peek you can load the current angle of the joint in a Word of the PLC (unit 0.1 degree).

The examples ‘Robby1’ and ‘Robby2’ demonstrate the use of joints.

--- #element.funktions ---

#element.angle_act (read, REAL, grad).

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