White PaperMotion Control
Yaskawa America Prepares to Release iCube Control™ Platform
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After years of development, Yaskawa is prepared to release its iCube Control™ platform in September 2024. iCube Control represents a major shift for Yaskawa, moving to an EtherCAT-based machine controller, designed specifically for demanding machine control applications. Powered by a Triton processor, the controller supports multiple modern field buses to provide features that can be tailored to meet your specific requirements. In this interview, learn about the advances and benefits of the iCube Control platform.
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Overview
The white paper discusses Yaskawa's iCube Control™ platform, which features the iC9200 series, an EtherCAT-based machine controller designed for demanding machine control applications, particularly those requiring multi-axis synchronized motion. Central to this platform is the Triton processor, a Yaskawa-developed ARM processor optimized for their specific applications. The Triton is a 3-core processor operating at 1.26GHz, supporting large memory capacities and fast access, with built-in functionalities such as Gigabit Ethernet that is TSN-ready, and support for EtherCAT and PROFINET.
A key highlight of the iC9226M controller is its availability in two versions: the standard EC version and the FSoE (Functional Safety over EtherCAT) version. The FSoE version includes all the functionalities of the EC version but adds a safety controller with dual processors that operates independently, enhancing safety features. This version allows for the integration of safety-rated devices and advanced safety modules, enabling the implementation of safe motion functions like Safe Limited Speed and Safe Position. The development environment, iCube Engineer, includes a dedicated safety programming area with password protection for added security.
The iCube platform is built on the PLCnext platform from Phoenix Contact, which facilitates programming using IEC61131-3 languages and allows for the creation of custom function blocks in C#. This Linux-based platform supports the development of applications that can run on the iCube, providing flexibility for users and third-party developers. Yaskawa's initial offering includes the WebVisu app, enabling HMI projects to be hosted on the controller and accessed via HTML5-compliant web browsers.
Yaskawa chose EtherCAT for its next-generation control platform due to its speed, efficiency, and ability to synchronize devices across the network. This makes it ideal for applications where motion control must integrate with various I/O devices. The iCube control platform represents Yaskawa's first global control product line, with EtherCAT gaining acceptance worldwide, particularly in Europe and the Americas, and emerging in Asian markets.
Overall, the white paper emphasizes Yaskawa's commitment to innovation in machine control, highlighting the advanced capabilities of the iCube platform and its potential to enhance industrial automation.