Vector Spaces

NI-Motion VI

Vector Spaces

Vector spaces are logical, multidimensional groups of axes. They can be either one-dimensional, two-dimensional with x and y axes, or three-dimensional with x, y, and z axes. The total number of vector spaces NI-Motion supports in your motion control system can be calculated using the following formula:

total vector spaces = .

Vector spaces facilitate 2D and 3D interpolated moves: linear, circular, helical, and spherical. You can send a vector space to many NI-Motion VIs to define vector position, vector velocity, vector acceleration, and so on.

Vector spaces are started, stopped, and controlled as if they were a single axis, greatly simplifying the control of coordinated vector axes. All axes in a vector space start and stop at the same time, completing the vector motion profiles programmed. The following table lists the resource IDs for vector space control.

Resource Name    Resource ID
Vector Space Control 0x10 (16)
Vector Space 1 0x11 (17)
Vector Space 2 0x12 (18)
Vector Space 3 0x13 (19)
Vector Space 4 0x14 (20)
Vector Space 5 0x15 (21)
Vector Space 6 0x16 (22)
Vector Space 7 0x17 (23)
Vector Space 8 0x18 (24)

VIs that can operate on multiple vector spaces simultaneously (for example, Start Motion) can take the vector space control (0x10) as their resource parameter.

Vector spaces are configured by mapping axes to the vector space with the Configure Vector Space VI. Vector spaces are logical, not physical, and do not require motion resources other than those used by the axes themselves.

Using Vector Spaces Five Through Eight

Complete the following steps to use vector spaces five through eight:

  1. Open the desired VI in LabVIEW.
  2. View the block diagram.
  3. Right-click the appropriate terminal and select Create»Constant.
  4. Click the drop-down arrow on the constant and select Other.
  5. Type the selected vector space number (in decimal) for vector spaces five through eight.