Technical Specifications

Main Features and Advantages

Dedicated motion kernel offloads the PLC.​ The architectural win of Moog 3AXES​ is that it is not a PLC with motion add-on—it is a motion-first device with a deterministic RTOS that runs position/velocity/torque loops and trajectory generation at ≤1 ms, independent of the supervisory PLC’s scan (which may be 5–20 ms on a typical S7-1500 or CLX). In a high-speed SMT placement machine or wafer-prober, the PLC handles “feed next substrate, call recipe 47, wait for operator ack”—but the X/Y/Z coordinated move that places 20,000 components/hour is computed on the Moog 3AXES. This eliminates inter-axis jitter (common when three axes are each a separate PLC motion FB on a shared scan) and lets the cell hit sub-micron repeatability at throughputs PLC-only motion can’t sustain. For SI’s, the Moog 3AXES​ means they can spec a modest PLC (S7-1200 class) for sequence and let Moog carry the motion math—BOM cost shift that pays back on precision cells.EtherCAT master with sub-micro sync.​ The Moog 3AXES​ embeds an EtherCAT master port (DC-clock distributed) that synchronizes Moog CD-series / DS2020 drives (or third-party EtherCAT slaves—probes, I/O couplers, vision-trigger modules) on a single real-time ring. Cycle time ≤1 ms, DC-jitter <1 µs, which is what lets X/Y/Z on a probe-stage hit 0.1 µm repeatability even at 200 mm/s traverse. Compared to traditional ±10 V analog + encoder-follower wiring (6 wires/axis × 3 axes + shield + home/limit per axis = ~30 wires), EtherCAT collapses this to one CAT5e/CAT6 + one power cable per drive—Moog 3AXES​ reduces panel wiring by ~60 % on a 3-axis cell and eliminates the analog-noise path that plagues precision stages next to VFD-rich MCCs.Multi-interpolation and kinematic openness.​ The Moog 3AXES​ firmware supports jog, linear, circular, and helical (spiral) interpolation natively—the helical mode matters for electronics dispensing (conformal-coat beads, adhesive rings on medical cartridges) and for aerospace blisk milling auxiliaries where a 3-axis head needs to spiral-interpolate a fillet radius. The controller also accepts custom kinematic transforms via the C API—e.g., a gantry-XY-to-polar transform for a wafer-handler end-effector, or an electronic-cam profile downloaded from a vision system for variable-pitch placement. Moog’s MACS (Axis Control Software) is CODESYS-based IEC 61131-3, so an SI who knows Codesys (Beckhoff, ABB AC 500, etc.) ramps fast; the C API layer is for math-heavy transforms (non-linear calibration maps, Abbe-error compensation, thermal-growth correction) that IEC ST can’t express cleanly.Predictive diagnostics and open sparing.​ Moog 3AXES​ runs background tasks monitoring encoder-signal integrity (CRC on EnDat/BiSS if the drive side supports it), thermal status (controller internal + drive-feedback proxy), and loop-deviation trending (integral-of-error accumulation as “pre-fault” indicator). These push to the PLC/SCADA via EtherCAT PDO or to Moog’s MASS (Moog Application Software Suite) for condition-based maintenance—instead of “axis fault → line down,” the plant sees “loop deviation rising on X, schedule PM” three shifts ahead. For spare strategy, Moog 3AXES​ DIN and panel variants are cross-sourceable at the motion-project level (same MACS project downloads to either, provided I/O count matches)—storeroom can hold the DIN version as default and the panel version for washdown/rugged cells.Compact DIN footprint for retrofits.​ At 140 × 100 × 70 mm and DIN-rail mount, Moog 3AXES​ slides into an existing electronics-assembly cart or SEMI-grade enclosure without re-paneling. For retrofit of 1990s-era 3-axis stages still running on ±10 V analog + standalone servo amps (common in legacy wafer-probers and CMM retrofits), dropping a Moog 3AXES​ + 3× Moog DS2020 (or CD motor + drive) modernizes the motion layer without touching the granite base or air-bearing—CAPEX ~⅕ of a full tool replace.