The drive behind Robbie Williams' sellout show

The innovative set for last year's Robbie Williams "Weekends of mass distraction" concert tour featured a huge eight-section video screen precisely positioned using eight Unidrive SP AC drives.

In the summer of 2003, Robbie Williams started one Europe's most eagerly awaited tours, with 18 dates over 10 countries and including three shows at Knebworth in the UK.

Producing set design and an automated video show to complement the "Weekends of mass distraction" tour was a massive undertaking, with Kinesys providing the technical expertise and equipment necessary for the focus of the set - a huge eight-section video screen.

At the heart of the control system to move the eight columns of LED video screen around a 360-degree oval track, all in perfect synchronism and each precisely positioned, were eight Unidrive SP AC drives from Control Techniques.

In order to ensure a high quality overall picture when the screens were brought together, millimetre-precise movement was essential.

The reverse sides of the screens were lined with lights, and so a rotate mechanism had to be included to allow either the screen or the lights to face the audience at any location around the track.

In conjunction with set builder Brilliant Stages, automation expert Kinesys working in association with RW Creative team, Lee Lodge, Mark Fisher and Liz Berry supplied a total of 30 axes of motion control including eight fixed-speed drives.

The system is used to rotate the screens and 14 variable-speed chain hoist controllers to provide the pinpoint accuracy and speed control for the raising and lowering of the screens - almost touching the floor when downstage and raised to be visible over the band when upstage.

"We switched to Unidrive SP because of the much greater potential that the drive offers", explains Andy Cave of Kinesys.

"We have considerable experience of using Unidrive Classic and liked the flexibility that the plug-in processor units offer".

"Now, with Unidrive SP, we particularly like the facility for multiple plug-in modules for very substantial onboard programming and a wide choice of communication options".

For the Robbie Williams tour, the communication medium of choice was Control Techniques' own high-speed network, CT-Net, which provided fast communications directly with the Vector control.

The SM applications modules had enough capacity to handle the moves of the eight fixed-speed drives, which rotate the screens by 180 degrees - thus reducing the amount of cabling required.

Each column was suspended below a track-driven tug unit, which was hung from the 8in steel I-beam via flanged rollers, propelled by geared AC Unimotors via a rack and pinion.

Each section of the eight-part, 14t LED screen, measuring 13.4 x 7.7m when configured as a single screen, had to be moved to an accuracy of less than 1mm to give the quality of images required.

The system used Kinesys' Vector software package, running on a PC with a touch-screen, and with a Control Techniques OPC server that talks directly to the drives via CT-Net.

The motion control package supervised all 30 axes, providing the essential synchronising and safety features required ensuring that all eight columns could work safely together in such close proximity.

Each of the 7.5kW Unidrive SP drives was fitted with an SM-Applications module, which gives CT-Net connectivity and also additional processing capacity.

Each runs a modified version of Control Techniques' new LiPoS linear positioning software, to give greater accuracy of positioning over distances of over 60m and up to 320m.

The strength of LiPoS is in its flexibility, that allows preset or serial communication controlled moves, in discrete, triggered or automatic sequences, as well as continuous following, giving the client a wide variety of control options.

At any one time, all of the 30 axes could be in movement, with the vector controller giving each LiPoS module target position, speed, acceleration and deceleration ramps and run command.

All the Unidrive SP drives are rack mounted in sets of four, for fast connection and dismantling between shows.

"We are very pleased with the Unidrive SP", concludes Andy Cave, "and, whilst we haven't yet used the drives anywhere near their maximum capabilities, we regard them as an investment for future shows".

The Unidrive SP solutions platform marks the evolution of AC drives from dedicated controllers of speed and torque to fully-fledged solutions platforms in there own right.

It provides unequalled universal control and communication capabilities to handle the most complex centralised and distributed applications, as well as the versatility and simplicity of operation required for standalone applications.

Unidrive SP incorporates V/f, open and closed loop vector, servo and regeneration operation.

Unidrive SP can be configured for 14 different feedback signal devices as standard.

And Unidrive SP's facility of onboard solutions modules tailor the drive both in terms of scalable control (ie in replacing a PLC) and in terms of communications, with a wide choice of fieldbus options available including CT-Net used in this instance.

Automation specialists Andy Cave of Entertainment Innovations and Dave Weatherhead of Gravity Control joined forces to establish Kinesys, a company that specialises in motion control and automation.

Its standard, modular product range includes control equipment for motors, hydraulics, pneumatics and steppers as well as controllers to provide a quick-to-assemble, quick-to-program, flexible and reliable solution.

Rugged construction and industry-standard 19in racking ensures a compact, easily transportable solution perfect for touring or a fixed show.

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