{
  "_about": "Does a Direct Motion system fit this machine? Six yes/no questions plus the lists behind them. All six yes = fits; any no = ask DM before planning.",
  "_updated": "2026-11-08",
  "_publisher": "Direct Motion, Inc., https://www.directmotion.com",
  "questions": [
    { "id": "pc", "ask": "Can the machine have a Windows PC, and may the application be a .NET program?", "if_no": "DM does not fit. The control runs on the PC." },
    { "id": "motors", "ask": "Are the motors 3-phase permanent-magnet AC servo motors or induction motors?", "if_no": "DM does not fit. No steppers; brushed DC is not offered for new designs." },
    { "id": "encoders", "ask": "Do the motors have incremental A/B/index, sin/cos, BiSS or BiSS-C encoders (or none, for induction run open loop)?", "if_no": "DM does not fit that motor. Proprietary serial encoders cannot be read. Choose a different motor or encoder option." },
    { "id": "size", "ask": "Is one power board + one amplifier per motor + the IO boards 16 boards or fewer?", "if_no": "Ask DM. More than 16 links is a conversation, not a no." },
    { "id": "io", "ask": "Can the job be done with digital inputs and outputs?", "if_no": "Ask DM. There is no analog IO API; a threshold device in front of an analog sensor is the usual answer." },
    { "id": "safety", "ask": "Will rated safety functions be provided by rated safety parts around the DM system?", "if_no": "DM publishes no SIL or PL rating. A machine that needs a rated controller should look elsewhere or add rated parts." }
  ],
  "motor_types_ok": ["3-phase permanent-magnet AC servo", "induction with encoder", "induction without encoder (open loop)"],
  "motor_types_not_ok": ["stepper", "brushed DC (not offered for new designs)", "any motor whose only encoder is a drive-specific serial protocol"],
  "encoders_ok": ["incremental A/B/index", "sin/cos", "BiSS", "BiSS-C"],
  "encoders_not_ok": ["Yaskawa serial", "other proprietary serial encoder protocols"],
  "limits": { "links_per_card": 16, "coordinated_groups_per_control": 1, "control_applications_per_pc": 1, "analog_io": false },
  "not_offered": ["PLC programming (IEC 61131)", "EtherCAT, PROFINET or CANopen drives from other makers", "safety-rated functions", "stepper motors", "analog IO", "closed-loop force or torque control", "operation without the Windows PC"],
  "ask_dm_first": ["two motors on one gantry axis with squaring", "electronic gearing, cams, flying shear", "more than one independent coordinated mechanism per PC", "robot arms through the kinematics hook (hook exists; no arm built yet)", "more than 16 boards"],
  "field_record": "production machine tools since 2005; no field installation outside machine tools yet",
  "request": "https://www.directmotion.com/ai.md#request"
}