Machine planning

Distributed machines

Place control near the joints and I/O instead of routing every signal to one cabinet.

Large machines create a wiring problem long before they create a software problem. JetFlight's architecture allows controller nodes to sit closer to the motors and machine functions they serve.

Logical axes and physical motors

A logical axis describes machine motion, such as X travel or a rotary A axis. A joint is a physical motor/drive connection. Two motors on opposite rails can map to one logical gantry axis even when their controllers sit at different locations.

The hardware illustration shows an Ethernet switch feeding three controller locations, with two motors at each controller. Y-left and Y-right share one logical Y axis. The drawing describes the intended mapping, not a finished controller configuration or a claim that arbitrary independent boards already synchronize.

Run power and a network cable to each location, then keep the drive and encoder wiring short. Controllers still need appropriate local power supplies, electrical interfaces, and commissioning.

Mixed interfaces, shared coordination

A future distributed configuration can combine:

• Step/direction steppers and servo drives
• Direct-feedback servo interfaces on capable hardware
• Device-specific CAN drives, including the SteadyWin development integration
• Local machine I/O
• Shared Ethernet back to the host
• A process-specific operator interface

This is a product direction, not a released unlimited-node claim. The public catalog will show a distributed configuration as supported only after synchronization, startup, loss-of-communication behavior, stop behavior, and mixed-controller operation are verified together.

Reviewed 2026-11-06. Confirm the hardware catalog and current published release before connecting a machine.