Step-Motion Processors Eye Low-Cost Applications

May 12, 2003

The MC2500 Navigator series welcomes three new stepper-motor motion-controller processors designed for less demanding cost-sensitive applications. Available in one-axis (MC2512), two-axis (MC2522), and four-axis (MC2542) configurations, the 5-V MC2502...

Roger Allan

Developed by Performance Motion Devices, the processors are driven via an 8- or 16-bit bus interface or through an asynchronous bidirectional serial port. They feature motion profiles of trapezoidal and velocity contouring, on-the-fly velocity and acceleration changes, asymmetric acceleration and deceleration, on-the-fly incremental encoder quadrature input, and system-performance checks with trace capabilities. Also included are a pulse and direction output up to 1 Mpulse/s, an at-rest indicator, a 5-Mcount/s encoder rate, 256 16-bit I/O locations, and eight general-purpose 10-bit analog inputs.

Prices start from $40 in OEM quantities.

Performance Motion Devices Inc.
www.pmdcorp.com • (781) 674-9860

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About the Author

Roger Allan

Roger Allan is an electronics journalism veteran, and served as Electronic Design's Executive Editor for 15 of those years. He has covered just about every technology beat from semiconductors, components, packaging and power devices, to communications, test and measurement, automotive electronics, robotics, medical electronics, military electronics, robotics, and industrial electronics. His specialties include MEMS and nanoelectronics technologies. He is a contributor to the McGraw Hill Annual Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. He is also a Life Senior Member of the IEEE and holds a BSEE from New York University's School of Engineering and Science. Roger has worked for major electronics magazines besides Electronic Design, including the IEEE Spectrum, Electronics, EDN, Electronic Products, and the British New Scientist. He also has working experience in the electronics industry as a design engineer in filters, power supplies and control systems.

After his retirement from Electronic Design Magazine, He has been extensively contributing articles for Penton’s Electronic Design, Power Electronics Technology, Energy Efficiency and Technology (EE&T) and Microwaves RF Magazine, covering all of the aforementioned electronics segments as well as energy efficiency, harvesting and related technologies. He has also contributed articles to other electronics technology magazines worldwide.

He is a “jack of all trades and a master in leading-edge technologies” like MEMS, nanolectronics, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, military electronics, biometrics, implantable medical devices, and energy harvesting and related technologies.