Below is a list of highlights of new features and
enhancements. For all the details, please see the Revision
Log.
- Supply Peak Power
Optimization (Pro version)
- Added option to add/subtract DC Bus [Cbus] and/or ESS [Cess]
capacitance for quick scenario analysis
- Also added ability to find optimal [Cbus] and/or [Cess] to
quickly find the optimal capacitance to minimize supply energy
- Added Mechanisms in
Parallel (n>1) support for
- Ball Screws
- Rack & Pinions
- Rack & Gearbox Pinions
- Two Pumps
- Motor Model
- The motor phase current [Iph] and power factor [PF] are changed
so that [Iph] is always positive, and the [PF] now changes to
negative when the motor is generating power back to the drive.
Previously, it was the other way around.
- All Feature sets
- Enabled [Iq] and [Id] phasors as option to display in Sequence
chart. Previously only enabled for Advanced & Pro
versions.
- Print Report
- Rack & Pinion mechanism now organizes Rack data under its
heading, and Pinion data under its heading
- Shade all affected cells when more than 1
mechanism/transformation/motor/drive in parallel. Ie. n>1.
- See Mechanisms in
Parallel: Print Report
- Max-Stop Mode
- In the Sequence form when in Max-Stop mode, select the
crosshairs and right-click and select
Start Max-Stop here to specify the
Max-Stop ramp for the active axis or all axes in the Power
Group
- Move form
- Extended profile type "Sub-Segment" to a fully flexible
Jerk-Linear-Jerk ramp segment
- Ie. Specify any portion of a standard Linear profile by
specifying the Jerk, Start & End Velocity and Start & End
Acceleration
- Previously, only the linear, Start Jerk ramp or End Jerk ramp
portion could be specified in one Sub-Segment
- This exteneded capability allows for a continuous spline using
a standard jerk profile without the need for polynomials
- PMSM Field Weakening UI
- For PMSMs, when the Motor FW curve is used, now display "FW"
beside the Bus Voltage value. If field weakening is applied to the
motor where the application profiles (green) cross over into the
shaded FW zone, the "FW" text is highlighted in pink, the same
colour as the pink shading of the motor FW zone in the chart. The
same display is also done in the Main form beside the bus voltage
drop down list.
- PMSM
- Added database field [Ld] "Stator d-axis inductance" for PM
salient machines
- Position Based Load
- Added ability to edit table data including add/delete rows,
edit cell values
- Applies to Rotary and Slider Crank mechanisms
- Slider Crank
- When motion defined at the Crank, added the option to specify
"360deg Modulo"
- Linear Mechanism forms
- Moved the Incline input under the "Load" tab
- Applies to Conveyor, Ball Screw, Rack & Pinion, Cart,
Slider Crank, etc.
- Ball Screw Mechanism
- Added Nut Roller Inertia input, used when the screw is rotating
and the nut is stationary
- Added Screw Dynamic Load Rating [Ca] as an input under the
Limits tab for a user-defined ball screw, thereby allowing for
liftetime calculations for a user-defined ball screw
- Added drop down list for suggested mechanism efficiency values
- Ball Screw: 95% (typ. 70-95%)
- Roller Screw: 90% (typ. 70-90%)
- Lead Screw: 65% (typ. 35-65%)
- Added the following parameters to the Ball Screw performance
data displayed on the Main form, consistent with the Performance
form and Print Report
- Equivalent dynamic load
- Stroke
- Lifetime (distance)
- Lifetime (cycles)
- Lifetime (hours)
- Add / Edit Rack & Pinion form
- Added buttons to list all Racks or Pinions using the same
combination parameters, along with the variables that are different
such as rack length
- For those vendors that publish Rack & Pinion product data,
this is a huge improvement that will help quickly isolate product
data issues.
- Command Line Interface
- Added the ability to set the Operating Mode in the command
line
- Command Line Print to
File
- Added the ability to set the Operating Mode in the command
line
- Database Utility
- Added extensive combinations checking for Racks, Pinions, FMax
database tables. For those vendors that publish Rack & Pinion
product data, this is a huge improvement that will help quickly
isolate product data issues
- Added check if [DocPath] field is numeric with message "Invalid
url". This will catch the scenerio where perhaps the [ProductZone]
value was mistakenly entered in the [DocPath] column.
- Help
- Overload Monitoring
- Added formulae for Infeed Pxt, Inverter Ixt, Bleeder Bxt, ESM
I2t and Motor I2t models
- Motor Models
- Added PMSM Phasor Diagrams
- Added the following pages
- Added Auxiliary Power Module
(Pro version)
- Adds "Power vs Time" Sequence and Cascaded Power Groups
- Allows for "Cascaded Power Groups" where an Auxiliary Power
Module feeds the DC Bus power to another Power Group (Pro
version)
- Added Kinetic Buffer (Pro
version)
- Kinetic Buffer axis stores and/or absorbs energy in a rotating
disc to help manage the DC bus during a mains supply loss
- Model a machine to come to a controlled stop or continue
running through an intermittent loss of power
- Added new concpet of Operating
Modes
- Added Backup Power
Mode, allowing for users to define a specific sequence when the
mains supply power fails
- Supply Peak Power
Optimization (Pro version)
- Added full support for Energy Storage Modules to find the
minimum supply peak power including constant supply power when
possible
- Changed from Peak Factor to absolute Max Supply and Max Regen
values
- Added Regen Peak Power so can control Supply and Regen power
flow separately
- Added new solution Type: "Lowest Pmax with No Regen"
- Added Target Bus Voltage range [Vt0 - Vt1], where previously
there was only Vt0
- Cart Mechanism
- Added new tab called "Traction"
- Added new concept using "Spring Normal Force" or suspension for
the driven wheels. When using the Spring Normal Force, the Applied
Traction Force is not used
- Added the option to include the Applied Traction Force in the
Radial Force calculations [Fr] for gearbox output bearing
sizing
- Moved Lever Arm and other friction inputs under the "Traction"
tab
- The Gravity force for the Radial Force calculation now uses the
Percentage Weight Over Driven Wheels instead of equally
distributing the weight across all wheels
- Added check if No. Driven Wheels > No. Wheels
- Dual Rack & Conveyor
Mechanism
- Updated images on Main and Mechanism forms, Print Report and
Help page
- Re-organized formulae on Help page so easier to understand
- Calculation results remain unchanged
- Extended Project View Only
Mode
- Performance charts now viewable in "View Only Mode" for Power
Groups, Motors, Transformations, Gearbox, Gearbox Shaft Loads,
Actuators and Mechanisms.
- This allows users with less capable feature sets view to more
detailed performance data from projects created by Advanced and Pro
versions. Further, this change allows vendors to better support
their customers when using their Pro version to better
size/optimize a customer's Manufacturer version project, that can
then share with their customer.
- Sequence Shaft Loads
- Added X2 & Y2 offsets for each move segment that are used
to calculate the tilting moment at the adjacent gearbox output
- Allows for much more detailed tilting moment calculations for
sizing gearbox output stage bearings
- Power vs Time form
- Display "Bus Voltage" profile when no Energy Storage
Solution
- Added DC Bus Power Profile, and moved the Bus Energy Y Scale to
the right side of the chart
- Add Edit Rotary Motor form
- Added support to generate AM parameters based on nameplate data
and Mn & nN
- Move form
- Added "Motoring at standstill" checkbox
- Provides the option to specify the mechanism is "Motoring",
meaning that it is applying the Thrust/Torque/Force, and therefore,
the efficiency is [1/n]
- When unchecked, the mechanism efficiency is [n]
- Optimizer PRO
- Added new optimization target, Motor I2t, allowing the
optimizer to minimize the motor's I2t
- Print Dialog
- Add checkbox "Include Page Numbers" to either include or
exclude page numbers in the header and footer. This was requested
so vendors can generate a "partial" report with some but not all
pages in the original report and include only what they need
without causing confusion about excluded pages. "Include Page
Numbers" is enabled by default when creating the initial print
report.
- Vendors tables
- Now allow up to 2000 characters in the [Address] field, to
allow multiple office locations
- Added support for Product Zone variables - Z1, Z2, Z3, etc. -
where one zone can be defined by one or more other zones.
- Eg. "Z3: Z1, Z2, 826", which means the countries in Z1 and Z2
as well as the UK.
- Note that the ProductZones supported since v4.0 - v4.3 are also
supported for backwards compatibility. Only when "Z" is used, is
v4.4 format assumed.
- Gearbox Sizing
- Added support for resonance frequency as part of sizing
rules
- Database
- Gearboxes
- Added Typ = 10 = "Strain Wave Gear"
- Added Typ2 = 4 = "Hollow Bore Flange"
- Added Lh2type = 3 = "HD" that uses Operating Factor (fw)
- Added new column "Torsional Rigidity for Resonance Frequency
calculation" [Ctf2]
- Added new column "Bearing pitch circle diameter at output"
[dp2]
- System Check
- When field weakening is applied to the motor, the message
"Field weakening applied to the motor" is displayed. Now added to
this message "Contact vendor for the drive configuration parameters
needed for field weakening"
- Added new "Help" column, where when the help icon is displayed,
indicates the associated help topic is available by clicking on the
help icon
- License Activation Wizard
- Added "Save to File" button to save a license request to a text
file that can be emailed to the license server
- ACT NW License Servers:
- Now support ACT NW licenses in addition to DGL NW
- This makes Network License Servers (NWLS) easier to configure
as Virtual Machines since there is no need to connect to a physical
dongle plugged into a USB port
- ACT license mechanism is bound to the h/w & s/w signature
of the server, and expires at the License Ends date
- Installer
- Windows 32-bit no longer supported
- Help
- Added new pages
- Cart Mechanism
- Added clarifying note that the Applied Traction Force [Ftr] is
"a clamped force, for example in rail systems"
- Added several detailed diagrams and text to explain how the
traction and friction forces are calculated
- Dual Rack & Conveyor
Mechanism
- Updated image and re-organized formulae so easier to
understan
- Linear Motor
Mechanism
- Added "Total Travel Distance" section explaining how this value
is used
- System Requirements
- Changed Minimum Requirements from Windows 7 64-bit to Windows
10 64-bit
- Added Windows 11 support
- Increased to 8GB RAM minimum and 16GB RAM recommended
- Common Tasks
- Organized "Common Tasks" into subfolders
- Organize Infeed, Bleeder, Capacitor, ESM and APM modules in
"Bus Modules" folder
- Added Master-Follower Mode (Pro version)
- Master-Follower mode defines
the motion sequence for each Follower axis with respect to its
Master axis position
- Based on a Virtual Master with Modulo Distance and Time
- Supports Master Sequence with Constant Velocity and Variable
Sequence for dynamic scenarios such as Max-Stop mode
- Optimizer PRO (Pro version option)
- Added Optimize
Master-Follower, which optimizes an entire Power Group in
Master-Follower mode with either a Constant Velocity or Variable
Sequence Master
- Added new optimizer targets "Supply Peak Power" and "Supply
Cont Power (efficiency)" (Master-Follower)
- Added "Power Group Utilization" constraint
(Master-Follower)
- Added new Transformation, Motor, Inverter, Infeed and Bleeder
constraints
- Added Command Line Interface (Pro version option)
- The Command Line Interface is a
new option that can be ordered with the PRO version that allows an
external optimization tool to take control of SERVOsoft and utilize
the Sequence Auto Update
feature
- The external tool can be a profile generator, program,
spreadsheet, or an optimizing tool that adjusts the Sequence with
each iteration
- Added Command Line Print to File (Pro version)
- The Command Line Print to
File allows other tools to command SERVOsoft to generate print
reports of existing project files
- Supported file formats are PDF and TXT
- Added Supply Peak Power Optimization (Pro version)
- Supply Peak Power
Optimization is for Shared Bus Power Groups
- Target Bus Voltage and Infeed Peak Power Reduction inputs are
combined to optimize/reduce/smooth the Infeed peak power from the
Mains Supply
- Transformations Database
- Expanded Coupling database to Transformation database allowing
for 'Gear' and 'Belt & Pulley' products stored in the
database
- Built with option for future transformation types including
Shafts, Torque Limiters, Brakes, etc.
- Linear Actuators
- Added support for 'Transformation Linear Actuators' where the
transformation can be any transformation type including 'Gear' and
'Belt & Pulley'
- Added support for 'Motor Transformation Linear Actuators' where
the transformation can be any transformation type including 'Gear'
and 'Belt & Pulley'
- Main form
- When Switching to Max-Stop mode, if the existing Max-Stop
sequences are empty, the user is asked to copy all Sequences to the
Max-Stop Sequences
- Added "Split/Combine" feature for Combined Products to split
into separate products, and combine them into one product. Applies
to Gearbox Pinions, Transformation Linear Actuators,
Motor Pumps, Motor Linear Actuators,
Gear Motors, Drive Motors and
Drive Gear Motors
- Sequence form
- Added support to Export/Import Load Formulae
- Added Load Power profile, which is the power applied to the
load
- Move form
- Now always display the Start Time / Master Start Position and
Start Position for all moves
- Now allow Segments with "Zero Velocity Crossover"
- Added Load Force/Torque,
which is a vector independent of the direction of motion
- Added Sequence Shaft Loads
Fr, Fa, rUL & mUL (available only for Rotary mechanism)
- Education, Lite & Manufacturer Versions
- System Power Flow Details
- Now the displayed Mechanical power is the power at the Load.
Ie. the power used to move the load.
- For Servo Pumps, it is the Hydraulic Power.
- In v4.2 and earlier, the power values were at the Mechanism
Input
- Slider Crank mechanism
- Pumps
- Renamed "Motor Coupling Pump" feature to "Motor Pump", as most
vendors do not use a coupling. When a Coupling is used, then it is
displayed as a "Motor Coupling Pump".
- Added support for multiple Pumps in parallel and multiple Motor
Pumps in parallel
- Drives & Bleeder Modules
- Added support for multiple External Bleeders per Drive
- Power vs Time form
- For Stand Alone axis applications, added Axis drop down list to
quickly focus on the chart profiles of the selected axis
- Charts
- Added CTRL + Mouse Scroll Up/Down using the mousewheel to zoom
in/out on any chart
- Installer
- Added language support for FR, IT, ES, TR, ZH & JA (in
addition to EN & DE)
- Help
- Added new pages
- Motor Torque vs Speed
- Added Field Weakening (FW) zone in Drive Curves section
- Bleeder Module
- Added details for the Bxt Overload Model formula in the
Calculations section
- Optimizer
- Updated page with the new additional constraints for
Transformation, Motor, Inverter, Infeed and Bleeder
- Improved Look and Feel
- Added collapsible sections to many pages to consolidate and
focus the reader
- Improved display of "Tips" and some "Notes" to help clarify
when a feature is available in specific version(s)
- One install package and one program for all versions and
license types (ACT/DGL/TS)
- When the program starts, it finds all licenses
- If more than one license is found, then the user is prompted to
choose a license
- Project View Only Mode:
- Added "Project View Only Mode" when opening a project using
features not enabled in current version. The Main form is
essentially locked down so the user can see the project layout and
general performance values on the Main form. Otherwise all other
features are locked/disabled. The user still has the option to open
the project as before with the disabled features' inputs
removed.
- Rotary Mechanism:
- Added Position Based Load (Pro version) where users
can import a table of Position, Inertia, Thrust & Torque, where
Torque is a vector
- Options form:
- Added Text Size Factor to increase or decrease the text size
throughout the entire program
- Main form & Project Structure
- The ADVANCED and PRO versions now allow multiple Motors,
Transformations, Gearboxes and Linear Actuators as well as multiple
Drives, Infeed, Bleeder and Capacitor Modules in parallel in the
same axis/slot (1-6)
- The Axis view now shows the Drive Bus, Chopper & Bleeder
performance in addition to the Inverter performance values
- Added support to double-click the large images on the Main form
as same short cuts when double-clicking the tree nodes
- Pumps:
- Added support for Variable Displacement Pumps
- Added "Flow Leakage" and "Power Loss" profiles in Sequence
Chart
- Added "Mean Flow Leakage" and "Mean Power Loss"
- Now chart dP vs Q on the X scale because Q is largely
proportional to speed
- Sequence form:
- Increased Sequence Maximum Segments from 500 to 2000 for the
EDUCATION, LITE and all Manufacturer versions
- Bleeder Calculations:
- Added Bxt overload thermal model
- Drive & Motor Performance Chart:
- Added chart toolbar button to show 1 or 2 Quadrants
(Advanced, Pro versions) more...
- When the chart Crosshairs are enabled and the user right-clicks
to snap the Crosshairs to the nearest data point, now the segment
is highlighted and a tooltip also appears with information about
the data point, allowing the quick detailed analysis of all
torque/force vs speed performance charts.
- Rotary & Linear Motors:
- Added [VbusMax] field, which is the "Max allowed DC bus
threshold voltage"
- System Check uses VbusMax to ensure the motor is not connect to
a bus voltage above what is allowed. Specifically, the check is if
the DC bus Threshold Voltage > VbusMax, then a System Check
alarm occurs.
- [VbusMax] can also be used in database selection to filter
motors below, above a max voltage limit.
- Combined Products Database form:
- Added 'Check Combinations' report for "sub-Models" in the
Combined Products table. After the report runs, two new columns are
added, identifiying any "sub-models" that do not exist in the main
tables, along with the specific details of the missing data. For
example, for a Gear Motor, perhaps the motor model does not exist
in the Motors table. This report was created to address this issue.
Works for all combinations including Drive Motors, Motor Linear
Actuators, Motor Coupling Pumps, Gearbox Pinions, etc. A similar
report was also added to the Database Utility. This goes a
long way in helping vendors manage their product data in the
SERVOsoft database.
- Optimizer PRO:
- Added Sequence "Auto Update", which allows an external tool to
set the Axis Sequence and read performance values. The external
tool can be a profile generator and/or an optimizing tool that
adjusts the Sequence with each iteration. more...
- Energy Storage Modules:
- All rated and performance values are displayed as solution
total values. So if 2x DSMs in the solution, then max rated current
is 2x 60A = 120A. This applies everywhere including the Main form
and Database Selection form, Charts, Print Report, etc.
- Added support for I2t overload model for KOCH ESMs
- Added support for multiple DLC banks connected in parallel
- Added MaxCurrent, ContCurrent and I2t monitoring for Expansion
Modules when Imax, Icont and Imax_tOL are provided
- Motors:
- Added support for Motor Brake On/Off control to be defined in
the Sequence more...
- Added support for up to 3 motor brakes for 1 motor. Previously,
only 1 motor brake was defined with a motor
- Main form:
- Added support to name Power Groups
- Added support to Disable Power Calculations for any
Axis/Slot
- Cart Mechanism form:
- Added Rolling Resistance Coefficient Lever Arm selection
table
- Added Wheel Flange and Slide Friction selection table
- Slider Crank mechanism:
- Added support for Radial Load Force at Crank
- Sequence form:
- Display diagram of a Flying Shear mechanism when the chart
crosshairs are selected using the 'Flying Shear' template
- Added option to display the Motor Brake On/Off profile in the
Sequence Chart
- Database forms:
- Added extensive error checking to give feedback on most filter
errors. This minimizes the need for the last resort message
"Invalid query inputs" when an unknown filter error occurs
- Print Configuration
- Print Configuration settings saved in project file
- Project Configuration
- ADVANCED version increases from 5 to 9 axes
- PRO version increases from 40 to 50 axes
- Multiple Power Groups (Pro version)
- Up to 3 Infeed Modules per Power Group
- Up to 3 Bleeder Modules per Power Group
- Up to 3 Capacitor Modules per Power Group
- Energy Storage Modules for KOCH Products more...
- DES, DEV & DEK products
- DSM & DLC (super capacitors) products
- (Advanced, Pro and some Manufacturer versions)
- Optimizer Pro:
- Added 'Motor Peak Torque Margin' target, which optimizes to a
target margin value
- Added support for 'complex splines' with up to 3 different
profile types in one spline
- Added two new constraints - 'Start Accel = End Accel' and
'Start Jerk = End Jerk'
- Added 'Curve Fitting' more...
- Optimizer works within the drive, motor, gearbox, and/or
mechanism rated curve(s)
- And then generates the resulting motion profile at the
load
- Mechanisms
- Two Servo Pumps driven by one Motor (Pro
version) more...
- Servo Pump (standard in Pro version, was an Option in
v3)
- Ball Screw Database (Lite, Advanced & Pro
versions)
- Cart Mechanism (Advanced & Pro
versions) more...
- Sequence form:
- Added option to display the motor current phasors, Iq & Id
(Pro version)
- Display diagram of the Rotary mechanism when the chart
crosshairs are selected
- Display diagram of a Rotary Knife mechanism when the chart
crosshairs are selected using the 'Rotary Knife' template
- Quick Import
Sequence (Advanced & Pro versions)
- Import Sequences:
- Added support to import 'Time, Velocity and Accel' table
data
Move form:
- Added "Accel Capped" feature, which calculates Start & End
Jerk values to minimize the maximum acceleration for the Poly1-7
profile
- Database forms:
- Re-order columns, set grouped columns, and then save as the
"Default View"
- Performance Improvements:
- Further improved the calculation performance up to 3.5x wrt
v3.3
- Further improved thrust and payload formula calculation
performance to 1.6x faster wrt v3.3
- Project files open 20% faster, and some large project files
open as much as 5x faster wrt v3.3
- Project files use compression algorithm resulting in 2-8x
smaller file size
- Utilization bars on all forms and print report
- Language Options:
- Enabled all language options French, Italian, Spanish, Turkish
& Chinese in addition to the standard language options English
& German (Education, Lite, Advanced & Pro
versions)
- When loading a project, if products are not found, now wait
until the entire project is loaded, and then provide a list of all
products that are not in the database.
- Then users can select which products to be added to the
database.
- By default, all products are checked.
- This is much more organized and more manageable, especially for
large projects with 20-50 axes and perhaps 100 products that may
not be in the local database.
- Runs as 64-bit application on Windows 64-bit, allowing for
better performance for large projects
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