XMatrix Offline: arrange the move, transfer it, and let the device run without the PC

What it does

XMatrix Offline transfers a multi-axis move built on the PC onto the MSP device. After the transfer, and after the device is switched to offline mode, it can run the confirmed move on its own. A Windows PC does not have to stay on site.

It addresses the case where the move is already settled, and you do not want an industrial PC on every machine. The device can home and run a sequence at power-up, or a button, a dry contact, or a show-control UDP message can select a sequence already on the device.

• Finish hardware configuration, motion commissioning, and move editing on the PC.
• Transfer cues, sequences, the startup action, and the trigger map onto the device.
• Start from power-up, a digital input, or UDP.
• After the PC leaves, the device still runs what was transferred.
• To change a move, reconnect the PC, edit, and transfer again.

When to use XMatrix Offline

Offline fits projects whose move flow is already settled. After a move change, transfer again and verify one standalone run.

How to do it

1. Create a project in XMatrix and finish hardware configuration and matrix mapping for the axis count on site.
2. On each axis, check home, positive and negative limits, direction, homing, maximum travel, and collision parameters.
3. Create cues and sequences. Run once while the PC is connected, and confirm the move and the timing.
4. Set the power-up action and the input or UDP trigger, and transfer the whole configuration onto the device.
5. Set APP.0 to 1, check the offline axis count, power-cycle, and verify.
6. After power-up and the external triggers both behave, remove the PC.

How it is connected

• While editing and transferring: The PC connects to the devices with Ethernet. Several devices daisy-chain port to port. Addresses must not repeat.
• While running standalone: Leave power, motors, home and limits, the daisy-chain cables between devices, and the trigger wiring the project needs.
• External trigger: A button or dry contact connects to a controller digital input. Stepper, servo, and MSP1001 follow the silkscreen of that controller. Show-control UDP is sent to the device communication port.

First example: a four-axis sequence that runs on its own at power-up

A four-axis out-and-back move shows how a verified move is transferred so the device can run it alone:

1. Create 4 axes in the hardware configuration. Finish matrix mapping, limits, direction, homing, and maximum travel.
2. Create cues C0 and C1, then sequence S0, and add C0, C1, C0 in that order. Run once while the PC is connected.
3. In the sequence or startup settings, enable homing before the run and set the startup action to S0. If it must repeat, change it to a loop only after that check passes.
4. Choose Transfer and write the cues, sequences, and trigger configuration onto the device. Do not remove power or the Ethernet cable during the transfer.
5. Set APP.0 to 1, set the offline axis count to 4, save the parameters, and power-cycle.
6. Watch whether the device homes and then runs S0. Disconnect the PC, power-cycle, and repeat the test. The offline handover is complete only after that second test.

Full procedure

Below: shared configuration and commissioning, the power-up order, triggers, key parameters, and the handover check. Button positions can move between interface versions. The order does not: connect and commission, then transfer, then disconnect the PC and test again.

Shared configuration, commissioning, and parameters

This software function shares the MSP device foundation with the other XMatrix entries. Configure groups, axes, and motion modules, check home, limits, direction, and homing, then set speed, acceleration, travel, and protection. Enter the software mode on this page only after that foundation is done.

What happens after power-up

When the device is in offline mode and the move has been transferred, it runs in this order:

1. Wait for the startup delay (default 1000 ms; the firmware treats the shortest delay as 1000 ms).
2. Run the startup action: often bound to Home, or run a sequence directly.
3. An axis that has not been homed cannot run a cue. It homes first, or it reports that homing is required.
4. The sequence runs its cues in order. The loop count follows that sequence.
5. Meanwhile the inputs and UDP are watched. A new trigger can change the sequence or stop. Whether it can interrupt depends on the mutual-exclusion setting.
6. If any device alarms or communication fails, the related move stops and the matching status is shown.

Triggers

Trigger configuration is in the project tree under External trigger (DI+UDP), and it is transferred with the sequences. The older 16-channel map in the firmware parameters is no longer used.

Start / stop actions (the words in the list)

The Other triggers window also has startup delay (default 1000 ms), delay after a stop action (firmware runs at least about 3 seconds), and the action after stop.

Switch a sequence from an input or from UDP

• Input: add an item in external triggers, choose type “input X trigger”, and bind one of the actions above. Choose rising or falling edge to match the wiring. If the contact chatters, adjust input filter time and count in the parameter table (default 10 ms / 2 counts).
• UDP sequence select: choose type “show-control UDP trigger” and bind that trigger path to a sequence (or Home / Stop). The show controller sends the matching command to the communication port on the device IP (default 9999). An unbound trigger path does nothing. The full mapping is supplied with the project documents.

Key parameters

Check the items below before the device runs alone. The full parameter table is in XMatrix Technical Documents.

Matching hardware

XMatrix Offline covers transferring the move and running without the PC. For the axis to move safely, the site still needs the items below.

The full map is in XMatrix Features × MSP Hardware. Accessory categories are in Accessories and matching parts.

Common questions