KEB Software Upgrade Eliminates Bulky Diagnostic Hardware for Servo Commissioning
KEB has rolled out an advanced software-based oscilloscope package that integrates directly into its drive commissioning ecosystem to simplify motion profiling and diagnostic troubleshooting. The newly released Scope 2.0 expansion tool runs natively within the existing Combivis 6 programming environment, giving automation engineers the ability to monitor high-frequency electrical signals and drive telemetry in real time. By shifting multi-channel tracking functionality into a centralized software interface, the platform removes the typical reliance on delicate benchtop testing instruments, lowering commissioning hurdles for complex multi-axis machinery setups.
Tuning high-performance multi-axis servo drives has traditionally forced engineers to juggle bulky hardware oscilloscopes on the factory floor to capture transient voltage spikes and switching anomalies. Because modern pulse-width modulation drives clean up erratic raw line power into precise, high-frequency waveforms to run servo motors, tracking down positional errors or resonant vibration requires incredibly fast signal sampling. KEB bypasses the physical hardware obstacle entirely with the Scope 2.0 architecture, mapping internal frequency inverter registers and amplifier metrics directly onto the operator's PC screen. This integration gives field technicians immediate visibility into closed-loop velocity configurations, current draw trends, and tracking errors without requiring a separate physical probe connection.
A particularly useful element of the Scope 2.0 platform is its flexible, multi-level recording engine. Transient faults and high-speed electrical spikes happen in milliseconds, making them impossible to diagnose by simply watching a live scrolling monitor. The upgraded package allows users to configure automated recording triggers linked directly to real-time clock cycles or specific logic bits changing state within the drive parameter configuration software. Once a snapshot is captured, engineers can pause, lock, and archive the data set for deep-dive investigation. Crucially, the software features a motion curve overlay function, allowing technicians to stack distinct operational profiles on top of each other. This comparative visualization makes it easy to analyze exactly how mechanical components respond to minor adjustments across different product runs.
This overlay capability is highly practical when dialing in PID tuning software loop gains for demanding dynamic applications, such as heavy-duty process pumps or rapid pick-and-place gantry systems. Getting the proportional, integral, and derivative parameters wrong quickly leads to position overshoots, systemic hunting, or overly aggressive acceleration spikes that cause premature mechanical gearbox fatigue. By overlaying behavioral waves from different gain settings, commissioning teams can clearly isolate the optimal tuning sweet spot. This software-driven approach enables the development of highly accurate, energy-efficient motion profiles while eliminating the field deployment costs and logistical friction of traditional hardware diagnostic arrays.
Written by: Silas Crawford, a veteran field commissioning engineer and technical writer with 14 years of specialized experience optimization tuning variable frequency drives and multi-axis synchronized servo systems.