NI Motion Control Technical Library

Motion Fundamentals

Explore the fundamentals of motion control

Mechatronics

Understand the newest tools in machine building

Stepper Motion

Learn to select your own stepper motion system

Custom Motion Control

Learn the fundaments of custom motion control

Servo Motion

Explore servo motors and controllers

Motion, DAQ, and Vision

Integrate your machine's motion, vision, and I/O

Piezo Motion

Discover precision motion

Example Programs

Learn how to program a motion control system

Control Algorithms

Understand PID and advanced control

Case Studies 

Read motion control case studies

Position Feedback

See the basics of position feedback

Selection Guides

Select the right motion control components

Motion Fundamentals

Explore the fundamentals of motion control, motors, and essential technologies for motion.

Featured Resource: Fundamentals of Motion Control

Application Notes

• NI Motion User Manual
  
• 10 Essential Technologies for High-Performance Motion Control
  
• Designing a Motion Control Project
• Understanding Servo Tune
• Motor Fundamentals
  
• Home and Index in Motion Control
  
• Breakpoints
  
• Circular Interpolation

Webcasts

• Fundamentals of Motion Control with LabVIEW
  
• Understanding NI SoftMotion Technology - 10-Minute Interactive Tutorial
  
• Getting Started with the NI Motion Assistant and LabVIEW
  
• The NI Motion Assistant Takes CAD Drawings to Motion Hardware in Minutes

Industry Articles

• Design News - Use Motion Control on Any Platform with NI SoftMotion Technology
  
• Design News - NI SoftMotion Technology at Georgia Tech's Intelligent Machines Lab
  
• Packaging World- Single Controller Governs Motion, Vision and Logic
  
• Embedded Control - Creating Reliable and Scalable Motion Control Systems
  
• Successful Motion and Measurement Integration
  
• Evaluation Engineering - Making Fiber Optic Measurements
  
• Evaluation Engineering - Developing a Flexible Environment for Display Test
  
• Biomed Central - Behavioral Analysis System with NI Motion Controllers
  
• SourceForge - Using NI-Motion in Ch Embeddable C/C++ Interpreter

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Stepper Motion

Learn about stepper motors, theory of operation, and how to select your own stepper control system.

Featured Resource: Stepper Motion System Selection Guide

Application Notes

• Stepper Motor Theory of Operation
  
• Linear Stepper Motors
  
• Types of Stepper Motors (detailed)
• Types of Stepper Motors
  
• Selecting the Proper Size Stepper Motor
  
• Stepper Motor Switching Sequence
  

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Servo Motion

Learn about servo motors and controllers and how to select and tune your servo system.

Featured Resource: Servo Motor Overview

Application Notes

• Servomotors
  
• Servo Motor Applications
  
• Understanding Servo Tune
  
• Simple Servo Amplifiers
  
• AC Servo Amplifiers
  
• Amplifiers for DC Servomotors
  
• DC Motor Calculations
  
• Servomotor Controllers
  
• Motor Advisor
  
• Drive Advisor
  
• Motion Control Selection Guide

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Piezo Motion

Discover how to build precision motion control with Piezo motors and stages.

Featured Resource: High-Precision Motion Control with Piezo Actuators

Application Notes

• Piezo Tuning Wizard 1.0 - Windows 2000/98/NT/XP
  
• Controlling a Piezo Electric Stage with a PCI-73xx Motion
  
• Stage Advisor
  

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Control Algorithms

Understand PID and other advanced motion control techniques.

Featured Resource: PID Theory Explained

Application Notes

• Configuring a Non-Linear Process Control System using National Instruments Products
  
• CyboSoft Delivers High-Speed and High-Accuracy Control with NI CompactRIO
  
• Six Key Machine Control Challenges Solved
  
• Increase your Control System Performance with More Accurate I/O

Webcast

• PID for Process Control
  

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Position Feedback

Learn the basics of position feedback and choose the right sensor for your application.

Featured Resource: Quadrature Encoder Fundamentals

Application Notes

• How to Choose Among LVDT, RVDT, Potentiometer, Optical Encoder, Ultrasonic, Magnetostrictive, and Other Technologies
  
• Using an Incremental Encoder in a Cut-to-Length Controller
  
• Encoders
  
• Absolute Encoders
  
• Quadrature Encoder Velocity and Acceleration Estimation with CompactRIO and LabVIEW FPGA
  
• String Potentiometer and String Encoder Engineering Guide
  
• Resolvers
  
• Difference Between a Line Driver, Open Collector, and Push-Pull Quadrature Encoders
  
• Decoding Tachometer Signals Using CompactRIO and LabVIEW FPGA
  
• LVDT/RVDT/Resolver Measurements
  

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Mechatronics

Understand the newest tools in machine building and how you can take advantage of them.

Featured Resource: Mechatronics Technical Library

Application Notes

• ni.com/mechatronics
  
• Integrating 3D Mechanical Design and Analysis with Physical Testing
  
• NI LabVIEW-SolidWorks Mechatronics Toolkit (Alpha version 01)
  
• Mechatronics - Five Design Challenges and Solutions for Machine Builders

Webcast

• Mechatronics Webcast Series: New Technologies Enable Virtual Machine Prototyping
  

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Custom Motion Control

Learn the fundaments of developing a custom motion controller in software for challenging motion applications.

Featured Webcast: Understanding NI SoftMotion Technology – 10-Minute Interactive Tutorial

Application Notes

• Create Custom Motion Controllers with NI SoftMotion Technology - White Paper
  
• Creating Custom Motion Control and Drive Electronics with an FPGA-Based COTS System
  
• CompactRIO Motor Control Basics Tutorial
  
• Connecting an R-Series Device to a MID-765x Drive for Servo Motor Control
  
• FPGA Design, Development, and Programming Tutorial
  

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Motion Synchronization with DAQ and Vision
		Explore techniques to integrate your machine's motion, vision, I/O, and measurements. Featured Resource: Synchronizing Motion, Vision, and Data Acquisition
Application Notes Creating Vision-Guided Motion Systems Integration with Motion Using RTSI Integrating Measurements with Vision and Motion Synchronizing Measurements or Vision with Yaskawa, Mitsubishi, or Panasonic Drives Presentation Integrating DAQ, IMAQ, and Motion   Example Programs   RTSI between IMAQ and Motion - IMAQ Grab Triggered by Breakpoints Motion Triggered Image Acquisition Using Breakpoints and RTSI Synchronizing a National Instruments Motion Controller with a Data Acquisition Device Back to top >>
Example Programs and Development Techniques     Learn how to program a motion control system. Featured Resource: NI Motion Assistant Taking CAD Profiles to Motion in Minutes   Example Programs LabVIEW: Download More Than 100 Example Programs NI LabWindows™/CVI: Download More Than 10 Example Programs  Visual Basic: Download More Than 15 Example Programs Visual C++: Download More Than 20 Example Programs Applicaiton Notes Axis Settings for Motion Controllers Using Contour Moves in the Motion Control Module Controlling an X-Y Stage with a Joystick Prototyping Your Semiconductor Wafer Heating Application Using the NI Motion Assistant Prototyping Your Custom Gluing Machine Using the NI Motion Assistant Prototyping Your Door-Knob Hole Cutting Machine Using the NI Motion Assistant Fiber-Optic Component Inspection Using Integrated Vision and Motion Components Getting Started Guide: Connect NI LabVIEW to Yaskawa SIGMA II Servo Amplifiers Webcast Understanding NI SoftMotion Technology - 10-Minute Interactive Tutorial Back to top >>       Case Studies     Read motion control case studies. Featured Case Study: Sylvania Lighting Bulb Manufacturing       Control     Test     Research Nuclear Power Plant Maintenance Tool Control Electrospark Deposition Control TIG Welding Control PCB Assembly Beverage Packaging Laser Manufacturing Laser to Fiber Alignment Microprocessor Fabrication Solar Collector Test Medical Imaging Table Test Telecom Manufacturing Test Product Quality Test Liquid Crystal Display Test Cylindrical Coordinate Measurement Machine Microscopy in Protein Crystallization Solar Tracker View all motion control case studies. Back to top >>       Motion Advisors and Selection Guides     Learn how to select the right motion control components for your application. Featured Resource: Stepper Motion System Selection Guide   Selection Guides Motion Control Selection Guide Stepper Motion System Selection Guide Selecting a Stage and Motion Controller for Your Automation Application Advisors Motor Advisor Drive Advisor Stage Advisor Back to top >>