Nikolai Ensslen, Synapticon: "In future, we will focus primarily on collaborative and mobile robotics."

© Synapticon

What are the special technical features of the new 'Somanet' drive controller?

Ensslen: The 'Somanet Drive 1000 EtherCAT' supports decentralized drives up to 1000 W power and offers independent motion control intelligence. With two EtherCAT interfaces and a powerful 'Somanet' system-on-chip, the controller is future-proof. Robot manufacturers who use the new 'Somanet node' can manage with little cabling and do not need any control cabinets for their drive electronics. The servo drive enables precise sensor-based control with high power density and at the same time saves costs by reducing the number of system components and simplifying the mechanical design. It underlines Synapticon's role as a single-source provider of complete robotic control systems.

In your opinion, which features are unique selling points?

Ensslen: With the 'Drive 1000', we have succeeded in significantly reducing heat dissipation by using our model-predictive, field-oriented control technology - which is a very relevant factor for decentralized servo technology. We have also created the prerequisites for the 'Somanet Safety Module' announced for 2018, which is particularly important for topics such as collaboration and the safety of driverless transport vehicles.At Synapticon, we pursue the basic principle of significantly reducing the manufacturing costs of robotic electromechanics by using software to control physical factors that influence performance and quality. This involves combining computational models of the elements of a drive with high-resolution and fast sampling of the corresponding physical variables, such as the phase voltages and currents of the motor or the backlash of the gearbox. On this basis, Synapticon's control technology can improve the performance and quality of motors and gearboxes, from eliminating disruptive torque effects from low-cost motors to adjusting the backlash of cycloidal gears. With a power stage density of 10 cm² per 1 kW, the company's servo drives are among the world's most compact power electronics, allowing them to be integrated into a robot arm or mobile base right next to the motors. The integrated safety functions and I/Os reduce the number of wires in an industrial robot cable from hundreds to just six, combined in one DC line and one communication line.