Using arduino for interpolation of two stepper motors.

Other Hardware Motors, Mechanics, Power and CNC
1

Hello,

I'm a student automation and I made an automated cookie factory using parts of a 3D printer and two S7-1200 PLC from Siemens. The machine is working very well for straight cookies but now i want to be able to print letters. Siemens doesn't really have a good interpolation tool. Is there a way i can use Arduino to do the interpolation and send commands or a relative velocity to the PLC? I want the PLC to stay connected to the stepper motors.

Thank you in advance

2

What sort of commands would need to be sent to the PLC?
Would the timing of the commands be critical?
If so what would be the acceptable timing error?

How does you PLC receive commands - is it a serial interface?

...R

3

I was thinking to use move velocity in the PLC. So the arduino would send one intiger per stepper motor, the velocity the stepper motor needs to have at that moment. . Small timing errors aren't a problem since the shape does not have to be perfect. And the PLC is using profinet at the moment, but I could add a module for serial communication.

4

Kariboe1997:
I was thinking to use move velocity in the PLC. So the arduino would send one intiger per stepper motor,

You must understand that I know nothing about your PLC. Can you give a specific example of a command that would need to be sent to it in order for it to do what you want.

Separately, I have no idea whether successfully sending a velocity command would achieve the change in behaviour that you seek. But at least if you could send the command you could do some experiments.

And the PLC is using profinet at the moment

What is "profinet"?
Have you Googled to see if it can be used with an Arduino?

...R

5

With a PLC you can make a stepper motor move to a relative or absolute position. But what i was thinking is letting arduino calculate the speed each motor needs. Then sending the speeds of both motors via an analog input of the PLC. I'm pretty sure profinet can't be connected with a PLC. It's made to connect PLCs with HMI and computers.

6

Kariboe1997:
With a PLC you can make a stepper motor move to a relative or absolute position. But what i was thinking ...

That may all be true but it does not answer my questions.

...R