Motion

When you use Move APIs, you need to understand the difference between absolute, relative, and additive move. This section describes how they work.

Linear motion

Linear motion is applied to MoveAxis and MoveLinear functions, and MC_Move function blocks. Note that XY can be any directions. They don't indicate the fixed directions. When you use the Move functions, XY are defined by the directions your axis moves to.

Absolute, relative, and additive
This is an example of absolute, relative and additive linear motion. There is a starting point (50, -50) and two end points: Endpoint 1 (100, 50) and Endpoint 2 (170, 70). If your axes need to travel to either or both of them, you can use absolute, relative, and additive functions to complete your task. Absolute: sets the absolute position your axes will move to. The end point's position is counted from the origin. Relative: sets the linear distance your axes will go. The distance is between the starting point and the end point. Additive: the linear distance you add after the axis reaches a position. For example, if the axis reaches Endpoint1 and needs to move to Endpoint2, you can add the distance between Endpoint 1 and 2.

Absolute, relative, and additive

This is an example of absolute, relative and additive linear motion. There is a starting point (50, -50) and two end points: Endpoint 1 (100, 50) and Endpoint 2 (170, 70). If your axes need to travel to either or both of them, you can use absolute, relative, and additive functions to complete your task.

Absolute: sets the absolute position your axes will move to. The end point's position is counted from the origin.
Relative: sets the linear distance your axes will go. The distance is between the starting point and the end point.
Additive: the linear distance you add after the axis reaches a position. For example, if the axis reaches Endpoint1 and needs to move to Endpoint2, you can add the distance between Endpoint 1 and 2.

Circular motion

Circular motion is applied to MoveCircular functions and MC_MoveCircular function blocks. Note that XY can be any directions. They don't indicate the fixed directions. When you use MoveCircular functions, XY are defined by the directions your axes move to.

Absolute, relative, and additive
This is an example of absolute, relative, and additive circular motion. There is a starting point (50, -50) and two end points: Endpoint 1 (100, 50) and Endpoint 2 (170, 40). If your axes need to travel to either or both of them, you can use absolute, relative, and additive functions to complete your task. Absolute: sets the absolute position your axes will move to. The moving path of the axis is circular. The end point's position is counted from the origin. Relative: sets the linear distance your axes will go. The distance is between the starting point and the end point. The moving path of the axis is circular. Additive: the linear distance you add after the axis reaches a position. For example, if the axis reaches Endpoint1 and needs to move to Endpoint2, you can add the distance between Endpoint 1 and 2. The moving path of the axis is circular.

Absolute, relative, and additive

This is an example of absolute, relative, and additive circular motion. There is a starting point (50, -50) and two end points: Endpoint 1 (100, 50) and Endpoint 2 (170, 40). If your axes need to travel to either or both of them, you can use absolute, relative, and additive functions to complete your task.

Absolute: sets the absolute position your axes will move to. The moving path of the axis is circular. The end point's position is counted from the origin.
Relative: sets the linear distance your axes will go. The distance is between the starting point and the end point. The moving path of the axis is circular.
Additive: the linear distance you add after the axis reaches a position. For example, if the axis reaches Endpoint1 and needs to move to Endpoint2, you can add the distance between Endpoint 1 and 2. The moving path of the axis is circular.

Commanded and set position

The difference between a commanded and set position is that a commanded position is the target position of a command, and a set position is an interpolated position when an axis is heading to a command's target.