Aerotech Ndrive HLe maintenance replacement

Aerotech Ndrive HLe maintenance replacement

In precision motion control systems, linear servo drives undertake the key tasks of low noise, high bandwidth, and zero crossover distortion. Aerotech Ndrive HLe is a high-performance linear digital driver in the Automation 3200 motion system, supporting brushless, brushed, stepper, and voice coil motors. It has a closed digital current loop, speed loop, and position loop, making it suitable for equipment with extremely high dynamic performance requirements such as optical inspection, semiconductor processing, nanopositioning, and laser microfabrication. When the original drive is discontinued, malfunctions frequently, or the system needs to be expanded, engineers must accurately understand the specifications, feedback, I/O, PSO, and replacement logic of HLe in order to avoid selection errors and downtime losses.

The positioning and core specifications of Ndrive HLe

Ndrive HLe belongs to the linear high-performance branch of the Ndrive family, and together with Ndrive ML, forms a low-noise linear drive scheme. HLe supports 2-phase or 3-phase AC input, with a motor power supply of 115/230 VAC, 50/60 Hz, factory configured; The control power supply is 85-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, used for logic circuits and "keep active" power supply. The bus voltage covers ± 40, ± 60, and ± 80 VDC, depending on the model.

The main models of HLe include 10-40, 20-40, 10-60, and 10-80. 10-40 peak output 10 A, continuous 5 A, bus ± 40 VDC; 20-40 peak 20 A, continuous 10 A, bus ± 40 VDC; 10-60 peak 10A, continuous 5A, busbar ± 60 VDC; 10-80 peak 10A, continuous 5A, bus ± 80 VDC. All models are of linear power level, with a minimum load inductance of 0 mH, suitable for low inductance linear motors and voice coil motors. The current loop update rate is 20 kHz, the servo loop update rate is 8 kHz, and the power amplifier bandwidth can be selected by software. The working temperature is 0-50 ° C, and the storage temperature is -30-85 ° C.

HLe has passed CE certification, NRTL safety certification, and complies with the EU 2015/863 RoHS 3 directive. Unlike PWM drivers, linear power stages have no switching noise, extremely low EMI/RFI emissions, better speed regulation and position stability, but lower efficiency and generate more heat, requiring sufficient heat dissipation space.

Comparison of Differences between HLe and ML

Ndrive ML is the smallest linear drive in the series, with a width of 92.1 mm and a height of 141.0 mm, suitable for devices with extremely limited space. The ML motor power supply is DC, with a maximum of ± 40 VDC; The control power supply is 18-36 VDC. Peak output 10 A, continuous 5 A, bus ± 40 VDC. Standard I/O only has one 16 bit differential analog input, while digital I/O requires an expansion board. Extended I/O includes 8 digital inputs, 8 digital outputs, 1 16 bit analog input, and 1 16 bit analog output, and supports auxiliary encoders and PSO outputs.

HLe is 206.9 mm wide and 234.3 mm high, with a wider range of standard I/O options: 6 optically isolated digital inputs (including 2 high-speed), 4 optically isolated digital outputs, 1 16 bit differential analog input, and 1 16 bit single ended analog output. Expand I/O to include 16 digital inputs, 16 digital outputs, 3 16 bit analog inputs, and 3 16 bit analog outputs. HLe standard configuration automatic brake control, 24 V @ 1 A; ML's automatic braking is optional. HLe optional Ethernet port for third-party I/O expansion and PLC type applications; ML does not provide Ethernet. HLe supports dual axis and three-axis PSO options, while ML only supports single axis PSO. HLe can choose 1 or 2 channel rotary converter interfaces with 16 bit resolution; ML does not provide a rotation interface. HLe supports Renishaw Resolute BiSS, EnDat 2.1, and EnDat 2.2 absolute encoders; ML does not provide an absolute encoder interface.

In terms of encoder multiplication, HLe can choose MXH, with a maximum of x65536 and real-time orthogonal output. ML can choose MXU up to x4096 or MXH up to x65536 with real-time orthogonal output. HLe main encoder input supports 32 MHz square wave standard or 500 kHz sine wave (MXH). The ML main encoder input supports 32 MHz square wave standard or 2 MHz sine wave (MXU or MXH). Both sub encoders are 32 MHz square waves. If the original system uses rotary encoders, absolute encoders, multi axis PSO, or Ethernet, HLe is a more suitable choice; If the space is extremely small, DC power supply, and single axis PSO, ML has more advantages.

Power supply, motor, and feedback wiring

HLe requires motor power and control power. The motor power supply is 115/230 VAC, factory configured; Control the power supply to 85-240 VAC. If the motor power supply is cut off by the emergency stop circuit, the control power supply can still maintain communication and encoder power supply, achieving controlled stop and status monitoring. During installation, it is necessary to ensure safe grounding, grounding of the motor frame and shielding layer, and physical isolation of the signal line from the motor line and AC power line.

HLe supports brushless, brushed, stepper, and voice coil motors. When wiring brushless motors, motor A/B/C and Hall A/B/C must correspond correctly. The forward motion command should cause the motor to rotate clockwise when viewed from the mounting flange. If the direction is opposite, any two-phase motor wires can be exchanged. Hall signal connected to feedback connector, if the status (0,0,0) or (1,1,1) is invalid, it will trigger a Hall fault. The encoder phase must be consistent with the direction of motor rotation; The encoder count should increase during forward motion. If the count decreases, Sin and Sin-N can be exchanged, or the feedback direction parameter can be taken. Connect the positive lead of the brushed motor to OA and the negative lead to OC; pay attention to the common connection and two-phase winding of the stepper motor. The limit switch includes CW, CCW, and Home, connected to a feedback connector. Positive motion is stopped by the CW limit, and negative motion is stopped by the CCW limit. If the limit direction is opposite, switch the CW and CCW wiring.

The feedback connector also includes motor over temperature input, encoder fault input, 5V encoder and limit power supply, and brake output. A thermistor with a normal resistance of about 100 Ω triggers an over temperature fault when it exceeds about 1 k Ω. Encoder fault input is used for encoders with fault output, and the effective state can be parameterized. The brake output can be connected to the brake power supply and brake coil. The brake coil must be equipped with a suppression circuit to avoid high-voltage transient damage to relays or solid-state switches.

PSO, MXH and multi axis laser triggering

PSO position synchronization output is a key function of HLe in laser processing, visual inspection, and aerial photography. HLe standard supports single axis PSO, with optional dual axis and three-axis PSO. The trigger signal can come from the autoencoder, auxiliary encoder, SSI Net, or software trigger. The maximum single axis tracking rate can reach 20 MHz, with a trigger delay of about 200 ns; the dual axis and three-axis PSO delay is about 275 ns, and the multi axis tracking rate is limited to 5 MHz. The PSO hardware uses FIFO queues internally, programmable pulse configuration, window mode, data capture, and data update modes.

The MXH encoder has a maximum multiplier of x65536 and supports real-time orthogonal output, making it suitable for systems that require high resolution and encoder cascading. When using a dual axis or three-axis PSO, if the encoder data rate is too high, the PSO tracking rate should be limited to 5 MHz through parameters while maintaining full resolution of the servo loop. The MXH programming and erasing cycle is about a few minutes, during which the LED will flash and the axis cannot be enabled. After changing the multiplication parameter, you must wait for the cycle to complete.

HLe also supports SSI Net for daisy chain encoder signals, which sends the second/third axis encoder to drivers with dual/three-axis PSO. SSI Net has a maximum data rate of 20 MHz and requires the use of dedicated cables and parameter configuration. If the original device uses multi axis laser triggering, these cables and parameter configurations must be retained during replacement. PSO and MXU are mutually exclusive on some models, while HLe is compatible with PSO and real-time output when using MXH.

Rotary, Absolute Encoder, and I/O Expansion

HLe optional rotary interface, providing 1 or 2 channels, 16 bit resolution, and carrier frequency options of 10 kHz, 7.5 kHz, or 5 kHz. Rotary feedback is suitable for harsh environments, high vibration, or high-temperature situations. When using spinors, Sine and Cosine signals should be adjusted to 2 V RMS (2.8 V peak) and gain, offset, and phase should be optimized through parameter optimization. The commutation initialization of brushless motor rotary feedback can be achieved through R/D automatic configuration or Hall initialization. R/D automatic configuration is usually not suitable for Inductosyn because it has multiple electrical cycles per revolution. In dual loop mode, the position source generates commutation initialization, while the speed source maintains commutation position.

In terms of absolute encoders, HLe supports Renishaw Resolute BiSS, EnDat 2.1, and EnDat 2.2. The absolute encoder can directly read the position after power on without returning to zero, making it suitable for devices that cannot be moved or require quick startup. When replacing, it is necessary to confirm that the original encoder protocol matches the HLe option.

In terms of I/O expansion, HLe's expansion board provides 16 digital inputs, 16 digital outputs, 3 16 bit analog inputs, and 3 16 bit analog outputs. Digital I/O optical isolation, can be sourced or sung, but the same group must be configured uniformly. Analog input ± 10 V, 16 bit differential, analog output ± 10 V, 16 bit. The high-speed data capture delay is about 50 ns, suitable for high-speed sampling and position locking. HLe can choose Ethernet and supports Modbus TCP and Ethernet/IP for connecting third-party I/O modules. ML does not provide Ethernet, but both support FireWire network with a speed of 400 Mbps. Star daisy chain is recommended, with a maximum of 32 axes and a maximum of 16 drivers per chain.

Engineering process for replacing discontinued modules

When replacing discontinued Ndrive HLe or other brands of linear servo modules, it is recommended to follow the following sequence:

Record the original module parameters: model, peak/continuous current, bus voltage, motor power supply, control power supply, feedback type, communication interface, I/O quantity, PSO axis number, encoder multiplier, brake output, ESTOP logic, size, and heat dissipation.

Match motor: confirm brushless, brushed, stepper or voice coil; Confirm pole pairs Hall、 Encoder resolution, rotary or absolute encoder. If the original system uses a rotary converter, HLe needs to choose RDP; If using an analog sine encoder, choose MXH.

Confirm power supply: HLe uses 115/230 VAC motor power supply and 85-240 VAC control power supply; ML uses DC motor power supply and 18-36 VDC control power supply. If the original system is powered by AC and requires a rotary converter, multi axis PSO, or Ethernet, HLe is more direct.

Confirm network: FireWire topology, device number, controller axis mapping. When Ethernet I/O is required, select HLe ENET.

Confirm I/O and PSO: Select expansion board when standard I/O is insufficient; Dual axis/three-axis laser trigger selection - DUALPSO/- TRIPLEPSO; Need high-resolution encoder multiplication and real-time output selection - MXH; Need to rotate and select RDP.

Mechanical and heat dissipation: HLe has a large volume and requires sufficient heat dissipation space. Linear drives have low efficiency and generate significant heat, with ambient temperatures not exceeding 50 ° C. The chassis temperature may be high, so be careful of burns.

Power on test: Do not connect the motor first, check the logic power supply LED、FireWire、ESTOP； Connect the motor for low-speed testing of phase, feedback direction, limit, and PSO; Finally, gradually load and check the current, temperature, and tracking error.

If the original device uses PWM drivers, upgrading to linear HLe can achieve lower noise and higher bandwidth, but it is necessary to evaluate heat generation, regenerative energy, and heat dissipation. If the original device uses ML, HLe provides more I/O, rotary encoders, absolute encoders, Ethernet, and multi axis PSO, but with higher volume and cost. Selection should not only be based on installation size and current, but also on feedback, communication, and functional options.

Common troubleshooting

Motor runaway or shaking: Check if the encoder Sin/Cos is connected in reverse, if the feedback direction is incorrect, and if the commutation phase is correct. The brushless motor does not rotate, and the common reason is that the relative order of motor A/B/C and Hall A/B/C is incorrect. Swap any two-phase motor wires or Hall wires and perform phase testing again.

Over current or over temperature: Check if the acceleration is too fast, if the load is stuck, if the motor is short circuited, if the gain is too high, and if the commutation is correct. Linear drives require high heat dissipation, and overheating can be triggered when the ambient temperature exceeds 50 ° C, air ducts are blocked, or continuous current is too high. Ventilation should be improved and continuous current should be reduced.

Bus overvoltage: Linear drives do not have internal shutdowns, and regenerated energy must be processed externally. If the motor brakes frequently or is lowered vertically, an external shunt or regenerative resistor needs to be added. HLe and ML do not provide internal shutdowns, and external solutions must be calculated based on regenerative energy.

Communication failure: Check FireWire cable, ports, node sequence, and device number. FireWire networks are sensitive to topology and cable quality, and it is recommended to use a star daisy chain with up to 16 drivers per chain and up to 32 axes. After replacing the drive, confirm that the firmware version and configuration file are compatible.

PSO not triggered: Confirm if the PSO option is correct. HLe supports single axis standard, dual axis/three-axis optional; ML is only single axis. PSO is not available when using MXU. Check the PSO output wiring, optoelectronic isolation options, trigger position, and controller configuration.

ESTOP alarm: The ESTOP input requires an external fail safe circuit, with an input of 5-24 V. If it exceeds this range, a series resistor current limiting is required. If ESTOP is enabled in FaultMask, this input must be driven to avoid faults. Check the external safety relay and 24V logic.

Abnormal braking: HLe automatic braking control standard, ML optional. Check the specifications of the brake relay, suppression diode or RC network, brake power supply, and brake pins. Inductive loads must be suppressed, otherwise they may damage the relay contacts.

In terms of maintenance, the chassis, cooling vents, cables, and connectors should be checked monthly. Turn off the power during cleaning, use a dry soft cloth, and if necessary, slightly wet water or isopropanol. Do not allow liquids to enter the connector. Internal high voltage may still exist after a power outage, and maintenance must be carried out by qualified personnel.

FAQ

How to choose between HLe and ML?

HLe is selected when rotary encoders, absolute encoders, multi axis PSO, Ethernet, and more I/O are needed; ML is selected when ultra small size, DC power supply, and single axis PSO are required.

Does HLe support rotation?

Support, RDP option needs to be selected, providing single/dual channel, 10/7.5/5 kHz carrier frequency, and 16 bit resolution.

What is the maximum multiplication of HLe's encoder?

MXH up to x65536, with real-time orthogonal output. ML can choose MXU up to x4096 or MXH up to x65536.

Can PSO and MXU be used simultaneously?

PSO is not available when using integrated MXU in ML. HLe's MXH is compatible with PSO and real-time output, making it more suitable for applications that require both multiplication and triggering.

What absolute encoders does HLe support?

Supports Renishaw Resolute BiSS, EnDat 2.1, and EnDat 2.2.

How to connect a multi axis system?

Through FireWire star daisy chain, up to 32 axes, a single chain of 16 drivers, with each driver assigned a unique device number. HLe can optionally connect to third-party I/O via Ethernet.