www.motioncontroltips.com: In high-precision motion control, system performance is often judged simply by the specifications of the mechanics alone. The actuators are typically sorted by a standard set of specifications such as repeatability, accuracy, and load capability. For many applications, this is all that’s required. Others will need an understanding of those specifications to make sure the basic assumptions for them are met during installation. Achieving true precision, however, requires a deeper understanding of the full motion control system from the mechanics to the motors, drives, and controls.
3 comments:
Our industry is so interesting, because we can often build things in a quick and dirty way, but there are sometimes situations in which we are really pushing the limits of what is technically possible. I am thinking about a conversation we had in class yesterday, which was that the most important thing that a theatrical detailer needs to know is when they need to call an engineer.
I think that 3 levels of precision that this article was talking about was a good guideline for how we need to think about projects in theater. At the simplest level we have projects where the solutions we want are well within the structural and mechanical properties of the tools we are using. A great example of this is building a goalpost to hang one light using 1 ½” pipe and Cheesburros. We are so far within the capabilities of the equipment that we don’t even need to look at a datasheet to know that we are safe. If we are doing something more complicated like hanging a heavy truss from chain motors, we are probably going to look at what the chain motor is rated for, and make sure that it is actually being used safely and maintained. If we have something more complicated than that, we will call Tait or an Engineer to figure it out for us.
Motion control can be one of the most demanding aspects of a show's installation and overall maintenance. The fast-paced nature of the entertainment industry can sometimes cause us to rely on the It just works and Data Sheet Specifications rungs of the overall circle because of a lack of knowledge. Being able to understand the basics in a manner that guarantees safety is the depth that the majority of people maintain throughout their career. Though certain situations require a professional to be brought in to make sure that a system goes beyond the data sheet to create the desired effect. One particular detail that the article mentioned was life span. Certain shows in commercial or touring companies are performed over and over causing the life span that certain technologies need to function to be greatly increased. Bringing in an expert can maintain safety and quality for the show as it continues to be performed.
I like that this article highlights the way that fixing one problem in a system often leads to finding six more problems you didn't realize were there, or that were caused by the fix. Typically I don't think theater automation has to deal with measurements down to the micron, but it is cool that there are actuators out there that can do things to that level of specificity. I liked the three levels of performance that this article presents, because it's easy to get lost in the weeds of a project and lose sight of what your goal is. If all you need is for something to work, sure it would be nice if it's more specific, but there's no need to break your back over creating the world's most perfect machine if that's not necessary for the situation. I also like that this article points out the importance of knowing all the layers of a design, because if you don't know why things are happening it's a lot harder to make decisions.
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