TUS

Native Delphi and C++Builder VCL Components

for Motion Control

This set of 16 native VCL components deliver a complete motion control solution. Simply drop IO, servo motor, or stepper motor control directly into your form. locoMotion will handle the background thread generation and communication to the hardware interface card.

You even get built in GUI forms for machine parameters with online help. Your clients will love it! They will get a uniform look to the machines you design, plus complete factory floor customization.

With locoMotion, you need only concentrate on your project specific issues, putting you months ahead of schedule.

Currently supports the Delta Tau Turbo PMAC on Win32 and the Motion Engineering DSP series cards (PC/DSP, PCX/DSP, etc.) on the Windows 2000 and Windows XP operating systems.

Purchase locoMotion today
$949 (no source code) or
$4,995 (with the Delphi source code).

Email us for the link to download the demo. The VCL contains all the functionality, of the full version except that it requires Delphi or C++Builder to be running. Please note that the demo will expire in 30 days. Only available for Delphi 5 and C++ Builder 4.

The simplest way to automate any machine!
We'll give you the foundation, you build the sky scraper!

locoMotion on the Delphi tool bar locoMotion on the C++Builder tool bar

TlocoMotion

TlocoMotion represents the hardware card(s). Every application will contain one (and only one) of these components. Since all other components reference this component, we recommend you place it within a Data Module. Furthermore, to guarantee the creation of this component ahead of all other components, modify your project source and "auto" create the data module ahead of the main form for your application.

TlocoStarter

TlocoStarter is responsible for starting the machine and creating the background thread that "cycles" all devices. The modes of operation are "green", "yellow", and "red". Green mode is the initial mode. In this state, the software components are not interacting with the hardware. The machine operator has the opportunity to enter device parameters. In Yellow mode, the servo objects are initialized, but not running. They are simply holding position. The jog command is available. All digital I/O and analog inputs are functional. In Red mode, all devices are available and functional. Also, in both "Yellow" mode and "Red" mode, device diagnostics are available.

Corresponding to these modes, all locoMotion devices inherit the following methods:

RunSoft - This method is called when the machine enters Yellow mode.
Run - This method is called when the machine enters Red mode.
Stop - This method is called when the machine exits either Yellow or Red modes.
CycleSoft - This method is called by the background thread when the machine is in Yellow or Red modes. under Windows NT, 2000, and XP, the maximum service outage is 11 milliseconds.
Cycle - This method is called by the background thread when the machine is in Red mode. under Windows NT, 2000, and XP, the maximum service outage is 11 milliseconds.

TlocoBasicServo

TlocoBasicServo encapsulates basic functionality required by a servo or stepper motor. For example, Reading of encoder counts, absolute move commands, relative move commands, and constant velocity commands. Parameters of this component include the Board number (incase of multiple MEI boards), Axis number, and encoder counts per inch. All dedicated inputs are contained within this component and may trigger any of the actions supported by the MEI card along with a notification event. Three homing methods are also built in. These include homing using the dedicated home input, homing using a specified user input, or homing against a hard stop. We have encapsulated most commonly used MEI API commands. However, you may also call any of the API commands directly as well.

TlocoInput

TlocoInput encapsulated a user input port of the MEI card. Parameters of this component include the board number (incase of multiple MEI boards), port number, and whether the input is dark operate or light operate. There is an OnChange notification event along with the status of the input port passed as a parameter.

TlocoOutput

TlocoOutput encapsulated a user output port of the MEI card. Parameters of this component include the board number (incase of multiple MEI boards), port number, and whether the output is active low or active high. You may also set the boot state of the output. There is an OnChange notification event along with the status of the output port passed as a parameter.

TlocoAnalogI

TlocoAnalogI encapsulates a analog input port on the MEI card. Parameters of this component include the board number (incase of multiple MEI boards), port number, whether the signal is differential, and whether the signal is bipolar. Event notifications include an OnPercentChange. You may also reverse the behavior by reading low when the signal is high and reading high, when the signal is low. The component also comes with an optional filter that you may use to stabilize the reading.

TlocoAutoSwitch

TlocoAutoSwitch is a convenient way to direct an input switch to triger an output port. For example, if you require a light to come on when the operator pushes a given switch, you would use this component. Options for this component include whether you want the switch to act momentarily, or whether you want the output to remain on until the operator activates the switch again.

TlocoEStop

TlocoEStop is a special purpose digital input to be used as the emergency stop of the machine. On activation, it takes the machine into Green mode. Also, you may optionally specify that the emergency stop should be cycled before the operator is allowed to start the machine. This is sometimes used as a safety measure.

TlocoPulseTrain

TlocoPulseTrain is a special purpose digital output. It has support for producing a digital pulse train. Its parameters include on time, off time, and repetitions. If repetitions is set to zero, then the pulse train will cycle indefinitely. A common use for this component is as a watch dog timer. This way, should your computer crash, hardware circuitry would activate the emergency stop.

TlocoLink

TlocoLink represents a servo / stepper motor that is linked to another servo / stepper motor. The method Engage is used to establish the link and the method DisEngage is used to sever the link. The parameter Ratio is used to specify the link ratio.

TlocoAngularServo

TlocoAngularServo represents a servo / stepper motor that is only intended for no more than 360 degree rotation. Parameters include encoder counts per revolution and move commands and position feedbacks are specified in degrees. A common use for this component is as a tool axis for a cutting machine.

TlocoGantry

TlocoGantry contains two axes representing movement is the X and a Y dimensions. You may also specify a theta axis for a tool. TlocoGantry encapsulates MEI coordinated motion commands. It contains an unlimited command buffer to hold XY command positions and automatically calculates the initial vector angle for the theta axis and downloads the commands to the MEI card for processing. Use of the theta axis requires the Tangential Following option of the MEI card.

TlocoConveyor

TlocoConveyor is used to represent a conveyor with an encoder for position feedback and two digital outputs for forward and reverse movements. The AdvanceBy method activates the appropriate digital output and monitors the progress of the conveyor. Using the AccelDis and DeccelDis parameters, it determines when to deactivate the digital output to stop the conveyor at the required position. Upon completion, it activates the OnMotionDone event.

TlocoDiagInput

TlocoDiagInput is a visual diagnostic control for TlocoInput objects and their descendents. You simply drop this control on a form and attach it to a TlocoInput object. That's it! The control updates automatically (and efficiently) to display the state of the input; "made" or "normal". Furthermore, clicking on the control opens the text diagnostics window for further non-visual information. Alt-Clicking on the control opens the Parameters Form. The default image is a through beam sensor. However, you may assign your own glyph.

TlocoDiagOutput

TlocoDiagOutput is a visual diagnostic control for TlocoOutput objects and their descendents. You simply drop this control on a form and attach it to a TlocoOutput object. That's it! The control updates automatically (and efficiently) to display the state of the output; "On" or "Off". Furthermore, clicking on the control opens the text diagnostics window for further non-visual information. Alt-Clicking on the control opens the Parameters Form. Ctrl-clicking on the control toggles the output. The default image is a red LED. However, you may assign your own glyph.

TlocoDiagBasicServo

TlocoDiagBasicServo is a visual diagnostic control for TlocoBasicServo objects and their descendents. You simply drop this control on a form and attach it to a TlocoBasicServo object. That's it! The control updates automatically (and efficiently) to display the current position of the servo / stepper. Furthermore, clicking on the control opens the text diagnostics window for further non-visual information. Alt-Clicking on the control opens the Parameters Form. Ctrl-clicking on the control opens the manual operation window. The default image is grey servo / stepper motor However, you may assign your own glyph.

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