LabVIEW 2020 SoftMotion Module Known Issues

Overview

This document contains the LabVIEW SoftMotion Module known issues that were discovered before and since the release of LabVIEW 2020 SoftMotion Module. Known issues are performance issues or technical bugs that NI has acknowledged exist within this version of the product.

 

Not every issue known to NI appears on this list; it is intended to show the most severe and common issues that you may encounter and provide workarounds when possible. Other technical issues that you may encounter could occur through normal product use or system compatibility issues. You may find more information on these issues in NI’s Product Documentation, Knowledgebase, or Community.

Bug Number

Legacy ID

Description

Details

811169 404235

Rebinding an axis to a different hardware resource can cause parameters to be outside of the valid range.

When you bind an axis to a different hardware type than what it was originally configured with, it can cause parameters to fall outside the valid range for the new hardware type.

Workaround:

When you are rebinding axes, make sure to check that the axis configuration parameters are still valid.

Reported Version:

NI SoftMotion 2009

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

Aug 2, 2012

862424 236390

NI 951x Module Cannot Clear Position Error When Performing Coordinate and Single Axis Moves on the Same Axis.

When performing both coordinate and single axis moves in the same VI it is possible to have a position error occur that cannot be cleared even by switching the NI Scan Engine to Configuration mode and back to Active mode. The error typically occurs after writing a setpoint greater than the maximum step length specified on the module.

Workaround:

Perform individual axis moves by using a coordinate move that only moves a single axis.

Reported Version:

NI SoftMotion 2010

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

Feb 13, 2011

864390 298886

Encoder velocity filter distances greater than 1 do not work.

Setting the Encoder Velocity Filter Distance to a value greater than 1 causes the velocity returned to never update. This is only apparent if you are using the Encoder Velocity Filter Distance only (setting the Velocity Filter Time to 0 to disable it).

Workaround:

There is currently no known workaround for this issue.

Reported Version:

NI SoftMotion 2009

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

Jul 28, 2011

864405 305115

Setting the closed-loop stepper correction profile velocity to 0 returns error -77037 (NIMCDM_invalidDataError).

When configuring a closed-loop stepper axis using the instructions found in the "Configuring a Closed-Loop Stepper Axis (NI SoftMotion Module)" topic in the NI SoftMotion Help, error -77037 is returned when the correction profile velocity is set to 0 when you attempt to enable the drive.

Workaround:

Set the correction profile velocity to 0.01 instead of 0.

Reported Version:

NI SoftMotion 2010

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

Jul 28, 2011

864415 341045

Some Method and Property Inputs do not Have Range Checking

The following SoftMotion methods and properties only support certain values, but NI SoftMotion does not return an error if you use an unsupported value. Function Block and Express VIs also fail to return an error when using these unsupported values.
  1. The Line input of Read Analog Line, Write Analog Line, Read Digital Line, and Write Digital line should not have inputs less than 0 or greater than the number of valid lines.
  2. Any method or property with an enum or ring input may not work correctly when using an unsupported value. Refer to the NI SoftMotion Module Help for supported values.
  3. The Position Compare Period property should not be set to a value less than 0 (the minimum value depends on your hardware).

Workaround:

Only use valid values for all properties and methods.

Reported Version:

NI SoftMotion 2009

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

Mar 18, 2012

862735 221638

Preempting a move in the opposite direction can return error -77070 (NIMCDM_startPendingError).

NI SoftMotion automatically performs a decelerate stop move when commanding a move in the opposite direction. If you command a second move before the stop has completed, error -77070 is returned.

Workaround:

Wait for the direction to change before starting a new move.

Reported Version:

NI SoftMotion 2009

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

Jul 29, 2010

866749 374856

Large position error values can cause position oscillations when in closed-loop stepper mode.

These oscillations only occur when travelling in one direction and only if the position error is greater than ~0.25 revolutions.

Workaround:

Use a motor that is properly sized for your application to eliminate the need for large position error corrections.

Reported Version:

NI SoftMotion 2010

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

Feb 27, 2013

862412 235309

Relative to Capture moves on a coordinate resource function as regular relative moves.

Coordinate resources do not support the Relative to Capture straight-line move mode. Using this move mode on a coordinate move is the same as executing a straight-line move using the Relative mode.

Workaround:

There is currently no known workaround for this issue.

Reported Version:

NI SoftMotion 2010

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

Jul 29, 2010

867545 227752

Using a contour table configured for one axis with a multi-axis contour move does not immediately return an error.

The move will start on the single axis, but as the buffer points are consumed NI SoftMotion eventually returns error -77032 (NIMCDM_bufferNotUpdatedError).

Workaround:

There is currently no known workaround for this issue.

Reported Version:

NI SoftMotion 2009

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

Jul 29, 2010

867615 356333

Starting a new move while another move is in progress can cause a hang

The hang occurs when a move is in progress and you start another move in the same direction. If the move parameters would not allow the motion to stop at the specified position without moving in the opposite direction, the move does not start and the VI hangs.

Workaround:

Abort the VI.

Reported Version:

NI SoftMotion 2009

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

Aug 2, 2012

862737 325655

Starting a move that has a final position larger than 1E16 will produce error -77109 (NIMCDM_parametersDefineOutOfRange).

Workaround:

There is currently no known workaround for this issue.

Reported Version:

NI SoftMotion 2010

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

Feb 29, 2012

874277 631324

Scan Engine returns to Configuration Mode if accessing EtherCAT SDOs with SDI Axes returns an error

The error handling behavior of the SoftMotion Drive Interface (SDI) framework is to transition the Scan Engine to Configuration mode. Any errors that are returned inside an SDI Plug-in's VIs will cause this transition. SDI Plug-ins should be thoroughly tested to remove any EtherCAT SDO read or write operations that will cause a third-party EtherCAT drive to return an error.

Workaround:

Use the SDI Plug-in's override VIs to modify or remove SDO read or write operations that return an error from the EtherCAT API.

Reported Version:

NI SoftMotion 2017

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

Mar 20, 2017

862399 231425

Profile Complete and Move Complete are True when the drive is disabled during a move.

The Profile Complete status is incorrectly set to TRUE when the drive is disabled during a move. Because the Profile Complete status is always included in the Move Complete Criteria, Move Complete is also true when the drive is disabled even when it is not included in the Move Complete Criteria.

Workaround:

There is currently no known workaround for this issue.

Reported Version:

NI SoftMotion 2010

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

Jul 29, 2010

873542 300628

Losing connection to an AKD EtherCAT servo drive requires a reinitialize or reboot to recover.

Losing connectivity with an AKD EtherCAT servo drive will result in a communication watchdog error -77055 when accessing the axis. This can happen if you power up an AKD EtherCAT drive when the master is already powered, disconnecting the EtherCAT cable on an AKD EtherCAT drive, or powering off the AKD EtherCAT drive at any time.

Workaround:

Reinitialize the NI SoftMotion Module or reboot the controller. Refer to the Reinitialize example in the <labview>\examples\Motion\ConfigurationAPI\Reinitialize directory for an example showing how to programmatically reinitialize the NI SoftMotion Module. This can also be found in KB 75LA9L6R.

Reported Version:

NI SoftMotion 2011

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

Jul 28, 2011

883934 630533

Straight Line Move in Velocity Mode will not allow the coordinate velocity to change to zero

When using the Straight Line Move set to Velocity Mode, updating the velocity to zero does not work. In SoftMotion 2017 and forward, this only affects moves with coordinate spaces.

Workaround:

Instead of commanding zero velocity to the move, call a Stop Move instead. To begin moving again, command a new Straight Line Move.

Reported Version:

NI SoftMotion 2016

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

May 2, 2017

886320 612844

Simulated Axes do not work with Windows executables

SoftMotion Simulated Axes will not work when a VI with SoftMotion code is built into a Windows executable. The deployment process is not compatible with standalone LabVIEW executables, and Error -77005 will be returned from any SoftMotion API operation on the axis.

Workaround:

There is currently no known workaround for this issue.

Reported Version:

NI SoftMotion 2015

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

Mar 20, 2017

885465 585856

Ethernet Steppers do not implement the Smoothing attribute on moves

On other SoftMotion axes, the Smoothing attribute calculates suitable acceleration values when supplied the position and velocity of a move. Ethernet Steppers do not calculate this velocity and will apply the last used values for acceleration and deceleration.

Workaround:

Always give the position, velocity, acceleration, and deceleration values for moves with Ethernet Stepper resources.

Reported Version:

NI SoftMotion 2016

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

Jun 9, 2016

889242 623781

SDI Axes may fault when reacting to limit switches

SoftMotion's reaction to limit switches may not be compatible with third party EtherCAT drives using SDI Plug-ins. When a limit switch is activated and the drive's stop routine is complete, the drive returns to accepting position setpoints from SoftMotion. The last position setpoint generated by SoftMotion's trajectory generator is used as a valid setpoint, which may either cause the motor to suddenly move away from the limit switch, stay in place without an error, or stay in place with an error. The behavior depends on the drive and the programmed reaction to limit switches.

Workaround:

If possible, use an immediate, full torque stop reaction to limit switches with SDI drives. This will minimize position difference between the stop location of the motor and SoftMotion's position setpoint.

Reported Version:

NI SoftMotion 2016

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

Mar 20, 2017

1092322

Use of multiple 9503 modules may fail to execute within timed loop constraints

If you have multiple 9503 motion modules in the same cRIO chassis and try to use the Anti-Resonance or First Order Low Pass Filter VIs with them, they may not all execute within the default 50 microsecond timed loop constraints and can lead to unpredictable behavior.

Workaround:

There is currently no known workaround for this issue.

Reported Version:

LabVIEW SoftMotion Module 2020

Resolved Version:

N/A

Added:

Sep 1, 2020

Final Time Issue Listed

Issues found in this section will not be listed in future known issues documents for this product.

There are currently no issues to list.

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Glossary of Terms

 

  • Bug ID - When an issue is reported to NI, you may be given this ID or find it on ni.com.  You may also find IDs posted by NI on the discussion forums or in KnowledgeBase articles.
  • Legacy ID – An older issue ID that refers to the same issue.  You may instead find this issue ID in older known issues documents.
  • Description - A few sentences which describe the problem. The brief description given does not necessarily describe the problem in full detail.
  • Workaround - Possible ways to work around the problem.
  • Reported Version - The earliest version in which the issue was reported.
  • Resolved Version - Version in which the issue was resolved or was no longer applicable. "N/A" indicates that the issue has not been resolved.
  • Date Added - The date the issue was added to the document (not the reported date).