How to create and startup a motion group
| Version Number | Description |
|---|---|
| 1.0 | Base specification for working with Groups in iCube Engineer |
| 2.0 | Updated with 2025.6 features. 1) No need for Y_UpdateAxesGroupRef. 2) Set up Update task rate in MotionGroups Settings page. |
This application note shows how to configure and startup a motion group.
1. Supported Components
| Component Name | Version |
|---|---|
| iC9200 series | ≥ 2024.3 |
| iCube Engineer | ≥ 2024.3 |
2. Required Libraries
Template Project Libraries
- Y_Axis_Toolbox
- Y_DataTypes_Toolbox
- Y_Math_Toolbox
- Y_PLCopenPart1_Toolbox
- Y_Yaskawa_Toolbox
Added when adding a group
- Y_PLCopenPart4_Toolbox
Added for "Ease of use" function blocks
- Y_Group_Toolbox
3. Solution details
Adding a motion Group to the Project
Start from a Template Project in iCube Engineer
Add Motion Axes to the project
Drag the "Locally Hosted Group" from the Component window to the Motion Group section in the Plant window.
Add Motion Axes to the project
- EtherCAT bus scan
- Manually adding servo amps to EtherCAT
- virtual axes
Drag the "Locally Hosted Group" from the Component window to the Motion Group section in the Plant window.
Open the Group Configuration to define the Mechanism type by "double clicking" on Group1
Pre-defined mechanism types can be selected from the "Mechanism type" drop down
- For this App note a "Coupled Gantry" mechanism is selected
The Mechanism Variant can be adjusted for different Mechanism types within the Coupled Gantry type.
The Axes can be assigned in the Mechanism tab.
Creating motion with a Grouped axis
In the Component Window under the Programming section open or create a new FBD POU.
Add the following function blocks to the POU:
- For iCube Engineer and iC9226 controller version <= 2024.9, use function block Y_UpdateAxesGroupRef (PLCopenPart4_Toolbox) to copy data from the GDS to the AXES_GROUP_REF variable in the application.
- Y_GP_GroupControl (Y_Group_Toolbox): Used to enable the configured group and to servo on the members of the group.
Note
If using a version of iCube Engineer and iC9226 controller version that is > 2024.9, the "Y_UpdateAxesGroupRef" function block need not be used. The user should set up the update rate of data being populated in the AXES_GROUP_REF structure in the Motion Groups Settings page.
Code for enabling and powering on the group is shown below.
Alternatively the following function blocks can be used instead of the Y_GP_GroupControl function block:
Extra interlocking needs to be used to use these blocks.
- MC_GroupEnable
- MC_GroupDisable
- MC_GroupReset
- Y_GroupPower