Implementation and design of open control system for industrial robot based on double-CPU

In order to enhance openness and flexibility of industrial robot control system, an open control system based on double-CPU was designed. An embedded industrial computer based on ×86 CPU with Windows XP worked as the upper-system, which implemented HMI and management of the open control system. A FPGA(Field Programmable Gate Array) and another same embedded industrial computer with RT-Linux worked as the lower-system, which implemented realtime motion control of the open control system. Ethernet based on a user-defined Ethernet type was used for exchanging data between the two CPU. Experimental results of the open control system being used for controlling a 5 DOF(Degrees of Freedom) flexible-joint manipulator demonstrate that performance of the system can satisfy requirements of different industrial robot application.