Lingchen LCTASK Motion Control Software | One-Stop Configuration Solution for Non-Standard Automation
LCTASK Standard Motion Control Software
In the realm of industrial automation, the development of non-standard equipment has long remained in a rudimentary, labor-intensive phase. Project expertise is often concentrated in the hands of a few engineers—knowledge that vanishes the moment they depart. While hardware costs continue to fall, labor costs are steadily on the rise; furthermore, inconsistent coding styles mean that the departure of key personnel can bring a project to a grinding halt. Are these pain points plaguing your enterprise as well? Lingchen Technology, having dedicated over two decades to the field of industrial automation, has spent seven years refining a solution designed to break this deadlock: LCTASK—a standardized software for motion control. This specialized software focuses on PC-based multi-axis motion control, integrating a dedicated Config tool that supports the configuration of NAC, M60, and LMC cards, as well as visual debugging and recipe management—thereby making the development of non-standard automation systems significantly more efficient.
1. Why do non-standard equipment projects become increasingly exhausting to manage?
Lack of Accumulated Expertise: Project-specific knowledge remains largely confined to individuals; code, debugging logs, and troubleshooting protocols are scattered across engineers' personal computers, resulting in a complete loss of institutional memory whenever an employee departs. Enterprises lack a unified mechanism for consolidating technical assets, and the reliance on simply "stacking" manpower further inflates operational costs.
Cost-Profit Imbalance: While hardware costs continue to decline due to standardization, labor costs are constantly on the rise. The inability to standardize and scale the value derived from non-standardized, custom solutions stands as the primary driver of this profit imbalance.
Surging Labor Costs: The industry as a whole faces continuously escalating labor expenditures. The project-centric operational model places little emphasis on cumulative technical knowledge, making expertise highly susceptible to loss; furthermore, the absence of unified corporate standards intensifies operational pressures.
Poor Maintainability: The absence of standardized software frameworks makes it difficult to achieve structural consistency across programs. The departure of key personnel frequently brings projects to a standstill, while the issue of redundant on-site manpower remains a prominent concern.
High Demands on Engineering Proficiency: The development paradigm relies heavily on on-site operations, requiring developers to possess "full-stack" capabilities—integrating both hardware and software expertise—to perform real-time debugging and problem-solving; consequently, the talent development cycle is exceptionally long.
Extended Development Timelines: Given the wide variety of equipment types and the fluctuating nature of client requirements, code reusability remains low, resulting in significantly prolonged project development cycles.
Ultimately, these issues manifest across the core dimensions of the Project Management Triangle—Time, Cost, and Quality—all of which suffer negative impacts. Key performance indicators critical to equipment procurement—such as performance, efficiency, Mean Time to Repair (MTTR), Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), Return on Investment (ROI), material waste rates, and Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)—are, without exception, constrained by the prevailing software development paradigm.
2. What is LCTASK?
Derived from a semiconductor equipment design paradigm, LCTASK specializes in PC-based complex logic control and has been widely adopted across the 3C, semiconductor, display panel, and PCB industries. Its highly modular architecture facilitates the reuse of modules across different machines; for new equipment development, only the specific production process modules require customization, while all other modules and interfaces can be reused. This approach reduces repetitive work by approximately 70%, thereby significantly shortening development cycles and lowering technical complexity. Furthermore, its comprehensive process debugging tools enable rapid identification of software issues, thereby enhancing system stability. Additionally, LCTASK is compatible with mainstream PLC communication protocols and supports custom development to ensure the rapid and stable acquisition of PLC data, thereby facilitating the IoT transformation and capability upgrades of traditional PLC systems.
Archived Customer Requirements: We distill the commonalities found across the needs of hundreds of clients, encapsulating them into standard modules that serve as the bedrock for delivering consistent and highly efficient solutions to every customer.
Integrated Functional Modules: We decouple core functionalities and encapsulate them into modular units. By deconstructing industry-wide capabilities into independent modules characterized by high cohesion and low coupling, we enable "configure-and-use" deployment, resulting in a system architecture that is both clearer and more streamlined.
Security as a Foundation: Leveraging our innovative "RoutineCase" feature, we have refactored the debugging logic to centralize and standardize the debugging workflow. This approach eliminates security vulnerabilities at the source while significantly reducing both the complexity and the risks associated with the debugging process.
Out-of-the-Box Readiness & Full-Cycle Acceleration: We provide comprehensive framework guides and API documentation to help new team members get up to speed quickly. Furthermore, our deeply optimized, specialized features continuously boost efficiency throughout the entire project development lifecycle.
LCTASK establishes a unified set of development rules based on Behavior Trees: the execution of each node yields one of three results—Success, Failure, or Running. The outcome of child nodes is governed by their parent nodes; any node returning a "Running" status will continue to execute until completion. This design ensures that complex logic control remains clear and predictable, thereby significantly reducing the difficulty of development and debugging. Furthermore, LCTASK adheres to a philosophy of "90% Out-of-the-Box Functionality + 10% Custom Development." It provides a comprehensive suite of mature features—including complete hardware configuration capabilities, standardized functional interfaces, process rules, and alarm query systems—allowing developers to focus exclusively on the 10% of requirements specific to their business needs. The remaining 90% is supported by standardized modules, effectively eliminating uncertainty from the project development process, drastically shortening development cycles, and reducing labor costs. Moreover, this standardized architecture significantly enhances the system's maintainability.
3. LCTASK: Five Core Advantages
① Unified Configuration Tool: Offers one-stop management for cards, motors, I/O, modules, cylinders, vacuum systems, alarms, machine parameters, runtime parameters, communication settings, and software configurations. It supports flexible addition, deletion, and import/export capabilities, thereby reducing the costs associated with on-site commissioning and maintenance.
② Support for Multiple Motion Control Cards: Compatible with various motion control cards—including NAC, M60, and LMC—and features configurable axis and homing parameters (such as encoder pulses per revolution, lead distance, encoder type, velocity, and acceleration/deceleration profiles). This adaptability to diverse hardware facilitates on-demand deployment and system expansion.
③ Pre-built MainFrame User Interface: Features a suite of standardized interfaces—including monitoring, debugging, recipe management, data querying, alarms, logs, communication testing, tray management, maintenance, and user management—that are ready for immediate use, thereby significantly shortening the project deployment cycle.
④ Integrated Configuration Interface: Incorporates input monitoring, output monitoring, and output debugging capabilities, allowing for real-time visualization and troubleshooting of I/O and device statuses. This facilitates rapid problem localization and enhances both system maintainability and on-site commissioning efficiency.
⑤ Standardized Architecture and Configuration-Driven Design: Parameterizes process and business logic—via runtime parameters, machine parameters, and recipe management—to minimize redundant development efforts while simultaneously boosting code reusability and overall project maintainability.
4. LCTASK Software Architecture
The LCTASK software framework features a multi-tiered, standardized architecture. At its core, it comprises four key modules, supported by a comprehensive functional support system:
State Control Center
Acting as the system's "brain," it manages all business processes via standardized state machines, rendering complex multi-task scheduling visual, predictable, and easy to debug.
High-Efficiency Development Toolset
From project configuration and code generation to multi-language support, this suite provides a range of automation tools that liberate developers from repetitive tasks, standardize workflows, and enhance code quality.
Extensive Pre-built UI Interfaces
Common interfaces—including those for operations, debugging, and recipe management—have been standardized, ensuring a consistent user experience and enabling developers to rapidly construct the application's front-end.
Unified Device Abstraction Layer
Through standardized APIs, various peripherals—such as motion control cards, vision systems, and robots—can be integrated flexibly and stably, thereby reducing the complexity of hardware coupling.
5. Rapid Configuration Solution: Hardware Abstraction + Parameter-Driven
Rapid Hardware Abstraction and Agile Integration
Supports the visual and parametric configuration of various hardware types, eliminating the need for complex code development:
Card Configuration: Enables unified management of diverse motion control cards, such as NAC, M60, and LMC;
Motor/Axis Configuration: Simplifies complex servo drive configuration by simply entering physical parameters—such as pulse settings, lead distance, and encoder type; Signal & Actuator Configuration: Facilitates address mapping and functional naming for devices—including I/O, pneumatic cylinders, and vacuum components—through a unified interface;
Module Configuration: Packages complex, multi-axis collaborative devices into single functional modules, thereby enhancing management efficiency and reusability.
Business Logic, Parameter-Driven—Focusing on Applications and Processes
All core parameters are centrally configured, eliminating the need to modify code for process changes:
Machine Parameters: Centrally manage system-level switches and thresholds, enabling the rapid activation or deactivation of specific functions;
Runtime Parameters: Convert process recipes into configurable tabular data, allowing process changes to be implemented instantly with a simple adjustment.
Alarm Configuration: Standardize the definition of all abnormal states—including alarm codes, severity levels, and troubleshooting solutions—to establish a predictive and easily maintainable system for handling anomalies.
6. LCTASK Core Functions
The WYSIWYG visual control interface is intuitive and features minimalist operation, significantly reducing training costs and the risk of operational errors.
Flexible and Traceable Formula and Process Management
Transform the distinct process requirements of various clients into reusable, standardized formulas, thereby enabling a "one code, multiple uses" approach.
Deep Transparency and Precision Debugging Toolset
A dedicated "Input/Output Monitoring" interface provides real-time, millisecond-level feedback—presented in a tabular format—on the physical signal status of all sensors and actuators.
7. Key Feature: Technical Asset Consolidation Solution
Development Guidelines: A "Living Documentation" System
We are dedicated to resolving the critical pain points—specifically "knowledge silos" and "loss of institutional memory"—that engineers encounter during the development, debugging, and maintenance phases. LCTASK fundamentally transforms the way technical assets are managed, systematically integrating all disparate resources—including development standards, code snippets, hardware guidelines, troubleshooting protocols, project insights, C# knowledge points, and more—into a unified, searchable, and hierarchically organized "Living Documentation" system.
Code Generation: An Accelerator for Project Development
Core Philosophy: Let tools handle repetitive labor, allowing engineers to focus on core logic.
LCTASK’s intelligent code generation engine enables the one-click generation of high-quality boilerplate code, driven by natural language descriptions, interface definitions, or database models. It not only supports standardized Repository and Service layers but also seamlessly integrates project-specific coding standards and best practices. By eliminating tedious, mechanical coding tasks, we elevate development efficiency to an entirely new dimension, ensure consistency in team output, and empower engineers to evolve from mere "coders" into "architects."
Code Inspection: The Code Quality Gatekeeper
Core Philosophy: Ensure code quality and standardize high-quality code. LCTASK features 31 built-in code inspection rules (14 general rules + 17 specific to CRoutineCase). Powered by Roslyn syntax analysis, it supports custom rules and visual reporting, helping developers detect potential issues early on and reduce the cost of subsequent fixes.
8. Typical Application Scenarios for LCTASK
LCTASK has been widely deployed across various sectors, including 3C electronics, semiconductors/PCBs/display panels, new energy, precision displays, and traditional manufacturing. Within the 3C industry, its applications span scenarios such as laptop screen flatness testing, dispensing, assembly rolling, and screen fixture assembly; mobile phone BG/CG inspection, mid-frame/screw hole inspection, test sorting, housing flatness inspection, and packaging/labeling/inspection; headphone/smartwatch step-height inspection and battery assembly; eyewear assembly, AOI, dust removal, and dispensing; as well as tablet flipping machines, flatness inspection, and fixture assembly. In the semiconductor/PCB/panel sector, LCTASK covers equipment such as semiconductor transfer/test sorting machines, tray loaders, Wafer ID marking systems, IC marking systems, chip burn-in testing and sorting, and SECS/GEM communication interfaces; PCB/FPC punching machines, integrated FPC peeling and mounting machines, and FPC inspection/sorting equipment; as well as panel acid-dispensing machines and screen Mura AOI inspection systems. Furthermore, its applications extend to automated storage burn-in testing for hard drives, automatic tray loading/unloading systems (including AGV integration), vacuum packaging machines, rotary sorting machines, foam attachment systems, stacking machines, general robotic integration applications, and customized host-level control systems for the 3C, new energy, and automotive sectors. The underlying framework encapsulates nine key functional scenarios: high-speed position-triggered events, high-precision pressure testing, high-precision signal acquisition, metrology, trajectory motion control, robotic integration, vision-guided pick-and-place operations, OCR/barcode-based MES traceability, and automated AOI inspection. This comprehensive scope addresses the complex process requirements of multiple industries, enabling standardized project delivery.
Summarize
The LCTASK motion control development framework represents the culmination of seven years of accumulated technical expertise at Lingchen Technology. It encapsulates the repetitive, common, and highly complex elements inherent in the development of non-standardized automation equipment into standardized modules, thereby enabling enterprises to transform individual experience into organizational assets and achieve a strategic shift from "customized delivery" to "replicable capability." Moving forward, we will continue to refine LCTASK’s framework capabilities and industry-specific process packages, driving the evolution of motion control development from an "experience-driven" approach to a "platform-driven" paradigm. We are committed to sharing this methodology—honed over seven years—with a wider network of industry partners, working together to build a standardized ecosystem for industrial control software in China.
About Us
Established in 2006, Suzhou Lingchen Data Acquisition & Computer Co., Ltd. operates under a business philosophy centered on creating value for clients and fostering win-win partnerships. The company provides customers with core components and system solutions for a wide range of automation equipment, including industrial computers, motion control systems, test and measurement instruments, machine vision systems, and robotics. Currently, Lingchen oversees two wholly-owned subsidiaries: Suzhou Xun'ya Automation Technology Co., Ltd. and T.O.K. Robotics (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., which specialize in the sales of robotic systems and the R&D, manufacturing, and sales of linear motion products, respectively.
Product System Network
Within the hierarchical structure of automated control networks, Lingchen Technology offers a comprehensive range of products spanning the device, control, and information layers.
01 Industrial Computers
Lingchen Industrial Chassis provides comprehensive physical protection for critical computing cores through its industrial-grade robust structure, exceptional thermal management, and dust-proof design, ensuring enduring and stable operation even in harsh industrial environments characterized by vibration, dust, and extreme temperatures.
02 Embedded Industrial PC
Lingchen Embedded Industrial PCs feature a compact and rugged industrial design, integrating high-performance computing, extensive I/O interfaces, and broad tolerance for wide temperature and voltage ranges. Specifically engineered for embedded applications—such as machine vision, edge computing, and automation equipment—these systems provide a stable and reliable intelligent core within limited spaces, empowering smart manufacturing and IoT applications.
03 Motion Control Card
The Lingchen motion control card is capable of controlling up to 32 motion axes and simultaneously supports the control of up to 512 DI points and 512 DO points, with a maximum bus communication cycle of 250 µs. In terms of motion control, it supports functions such as single-axis relative motion, absolute motion, jogging, and drive-based homing; multi-axis interpolation; multi-axis point table motion; and electronic gearing.
04 LMC Series Motion Controllers
The Lingchen LMC series motion controllers are designed around an open, hard real-time kernel (with jitter < ±0.3 µs). This design thoroughly resolves the non-real-time limitations inherent in traditional Windows-based platforms, ensuring both determinism and instantaneous response for multi-axis commands. Installation is remarkably simple, requiring only a single Ethernet cable for connection; furthermore, utilizing highly efficient asynchronous communication technology, the system enables the synchronized issuance and control of motion commands for up to 12 axes within just 1 millisecond.
05 NAC Series High-Performance Motion Controllers
At the core of the Lingchen NAC controller lies a powerful bus expansion capability, supporting four EtherCAT masters to enable the precise control of 256 axes per station—totaling 4,096 I/O channels. Its motion control capabilities are both comprehensive and robust: beyond standard point-to-point, linear, and circular interpolation, it features advanced functions such as 5-axis interpolation, spline-based trajectory smoothing, and dynamic coordinate systems. Furthermore, it integrates vibration suppression, "soft landing" capabilities, and high-precision position comparison outputs; combined with eight independent interpolation groups and continuous interpolation functionality, it effectively meets the demands of complex trajectories and high-speed synchronization. The development environment is open and flexible, supporting multiple programming languages—including C++, C#, and Python—and allows for direct programming within the real-time operating system, thereby significantly enhancing integration and debugging efficiency.
06 PLC Motion Controller
Lingchen PLC controllers strictly adhere to PLCopen specifications and the IEC 61131-3 international standard, combining high performance, a compact footprint, and a modular design to facilitate easy development and flexible deployment. Widely applicable to automation equipment and production line systems across sectors such as 3C electronics, lithium-ion batteries, packaging, and printing, these controllers can also be extended to serve as network communication nodes within integrated production lines for logistics, automotive, and consumer goods industries. By meeting requirements for internal/external network isolation, high-speed bus communication, and real-time data processing, they provide a stable and reliable control core for a diverse range of industrial environments.
07 Industrial Network Cards
Lingchen industrial network cards are specifically engineered for harsh industrial environments, featuring 10/100/1000Mbps auto-negotiation capabilities to deliver stable and reliable high-speed network connectivity. Characterized by robust anti-interference, surge protection, and wide-temperature operation, these cards are widely deployed in critical applications such as motion control, machine vision, and automation systems. The products feature a flexible installation design—including a standard full-height bracket and an optional half-height bracket—enabling seamless integration into a wide range of smart manufacturing equipment and industrial networks.
08 IO Module
Lingchen Technology offers a comprehensive range of I/O module solutions, designed to meet the diverse requirements of industrial automation flexibly.
LC/LD Series Expandable I/O Modules: Supporting multiple protocols—including EtherCAT, Profinet, Ethernet/IP, and Modbus TCP—these modules allow for the flexible expansion of data acquisition capabilities covering digital signals, analog signals, temperature, pressure, and pulses. They are widely applied across sectors such as 3C electronics, lithium-ion batteries, semiconductors, automotive manufacturing, and medical equipment.
MINI Series I/O Modules: Characterized by their compact size and high real-time performance, this series encompasses digital I/O, analog I/O, temperature modules, and communication modules. They are ideally suited for control and data acquisition scenarios where space constraints and real-time responsiveness are critical requirements.
GWS Series Cabinet-Free I/O Modules: Featuring exceptional stability and convenient network cabling capabilities, these modules are designed for distributed system layouts, enabling significant reductions in both system integration time and costs.
Our entire product portfolio is dedicated to providing users with reliable, easy-to-integrate, and adaptable I/O module support for a wide variety of application scenarios.
