Ultra Motion Servo Cylinders get CANopen, 4–20 mA boards

Ultra Motion introduced the two control boards on August 28, 2019. They are offered alongside the Classic controller, which is integrated in all Servo Cylinder models. Customers can select the option when they configure a model online.

The Industrial Control Board takes a 4–20 mA input and provides an isolated 4–20 mA output for communication with new and existing PLC systems. It also accepts a ±10 VDC command signal. Its RS-422 full-duplex serial connection is intended to be more reliable in harsh environments than the connection on the Classic controller.

The CAN Control Board complies with CiA DS301 and DS402. Up to 127 Servo Cylinders on one CAN bus can be controlled in a synchronized way, because the board handles both cyclic synchronous position mode and profile position mode. For diagnostics, configuration and firmware updates in the field, the CANopen controller provides a serial link of the RS-485 half-duplex type.

Ultra Motion refers customers to its Servo Cylinder pages and its online configurator for the new options.

Why it matters

Ultra Motion (see the company profile) supplies linear actuation. The announcement dates from 2019, and it remains background for buyers who compare how actuators connect to a host system.

CANopen with the DS402 drive profile is a common standard for commanding drive position over a shared bus. With synchronized position modes and up to 127 units per bus, one network can coordinate several actuators, which matters for any installation with many axes. Firmware updates over the serial port are part of the CAN board’s feature set.

The 4–20 mA, ±10 VDC and RS-422 options of the Industrial board suit systems built around PLC control, such as ground equipment and test benches. The source does not name aerospace customers or applications for these boards, so integrators of large uncrewed aircraft or eVTOL platforms should confirm environmental and qualification requirements with the manufacturer.

Other linear actuation products in the same directory category are listed below for comparison. Their interfaces differ and need to be checked individually.