KINGSTAR Runtime components

To provide the greatest flexibility to customers, KINGSTAR offers packages that can be added on to the KINGSTAR Fieldbus Runtime. The available packages are described below. You can combine packages depending on your application’s needs. To see the API functions, structures, and types each package supports, click the links in Functions, Structures, Types, and Feature.

NOTE:  To streamline the information, only RT/Win32 functions and types are listed. Other interfaces have the same features.

The following diagram shows what each package includes. For further details, see the text that follows.

KINGSTAR Fieldbus Runtime packages

The Fieldbus Runtime is the primary component of KINGSTAR and provides an EtherCAT master and communication capabilities. This package has no axes support. Only I/O modules can be controlled. The Fieldbus Runtime package comes with an RTX64 Runtime Solo Core package, allowing for one core to be dedicated to the KINGSTAR Subsystem and applications. You can upgrade the Core package to any of the following:

• RTX64 Runtime Entry Core Package – allows for up to 2 cores to be dedicated to the KINGSTAR Subsystem and applications.
• RTX64 Runtime Basic Core Package – allows for up to 3 cores to be dedicated to the KINGSTAR Subsystem and applications.
• RTX64 Runtime Professional Core Package – allows for up to 7 cores to be dedicated to the KINGSTAR Subsystem and applications.

Functions: all Fieldbus Runtime packages support KINGSTAR Fieldbus and KINGSTAR COM functions, structures, and types, except the features supported in Feature packages.

KINGSTAR Motion packages

Provides support for motion control within KINGSTAR. If you want to use KINGSTAR to control axes, you need to get one of the packages. The lowest package is PTP Motion and the highest is Kinematic. The higher the package, the more the supported functions.

You must have one Fieldbus Runtime package, and then you can use Motion packages. The following packages provide different levels of motion control:

• PTP Motion Package – allows for point to point single-axis motion. This package does not include cam and gear motion.

Functions: Axis PTP motion

• Synchronization Motion Package – allows for point to point single-axis and multi-axis motion, including cam, gear, and static spline motion.

Static spline motion: the splines cannot be adjusted during a spline move.

Functions: Cam, Gear, Spline, Axis PTP motion, and Group motion

• Blending Motion Package – allows for point to point single-axis and multi-axis motion, including cam, gear, blending, and dynamic spline motion.

Dynamic spline motion: the splines can be adjusted during a spline move.

NOTE:  Dynamic spline motion is not supported in KINGSTAR 4.5.

• Functions: Cam, Gear, Spline, Axis PTP motion, and Group motion
• Types: McBufferMode (blending parameters)
• Kinematic Package – allows for coordinate transformation among Axis Coordinate System (ACS), Machine Coordinate System (MCS), and Product Coordinate System (PCS).
  • Functions: Cam, Gear, Axis PTP motion, Group motion, and 3D coordinate transformation
  • Structures: McKinRef
  • Types: McKinType

KINGSTAR Axis packages

Each motion package comes with an Axis Level 1 package, allowing up to 8 axes to be used for motion control. Axis packages are only related to the number of axes you can control. It doesn't include or affect any API function supported in Fieldbus Runtime and Motion packages.

You can upgrade the Axis package to any of the following:

• Level 2 Axis Package – allows for up to 16 axes to be used with KINGSTAR motion control.
• Level 3 Axis Package – allows for up to 32 axes to be used with KINGSTAR motion control.
• Level 4 Axis Package – allows for an unlimited number of axes to be used with KINGSTAR motion control.

KINGSTAR Feature packages

The optional Feature Packages add functionalities to the KINGSTAR Subsystem and EtherCAT master.

• Cable Redundancy Package – supports connecting the last EtherCAT slave to another network interface card on the computer so all the slaves can be communicated even if one cable is broken.

Feature: EnableRedundancy

• High Speed Timer Package – supports an EtherCAT cycle time of less than 1000 microseconds (in LogicLab if you have PLC Package license).

Feature: able to set a value less than 1000 for Cycle in SetCycleTime

NOTE:   KINGSTAR Runtime supports a minimum cycle time of 100 microseconds; KINGSTAR PLC supports a minimum cycle time of 250 microseconds.

• Hot Connect Package – supports adding new hardware to an EtherCAT network while the KINGSTAR Subsystem is running.

Feature: EnableHotConnect

• Multiple Master Package – supports multiple EtherCAT masters running concurrently using different network cards and cores. This feature requires the upgraded Fieldbus core package.

Feature: able to set a value greater than zero for Instance in Create or KINGSTAR Control Panel

• PLC Package – supports KINGSTAR PLC, which provides KINGSTAR PLC Runtime for you to run PLC motion programs developed using KINGSTAR LogicLab. KINGSTAR PLC Runtime requires the PLC Package to activate, while KINGSTAR LogicLab can be used without any limitation.

KINGSTAR LogicLab contains KINGSTAR motion function blocks (FBs), which require a Motion package. Without a Motion package, only communications FBs can be used.

Feature: KINGSTAR PLC Runtime

• Vision Package – supports the use of GigE Vision Cameras. The upgraded Fieldbus’ core package is recommended with this feature.